Why IV vitamin drips are a waste of money - and could even be harmful

It’s winter, it’s grim outside, and winter bugs such as colds and flu are rife. Combine that with party season excess and end-of-year pressure and many of us are left feeling run down.

It’s hardly a surprise then that vitamin intravenous (IV) drips – with their alluring promises of 'boosting your immune system', 'fighting fatigue', and 'helping hangovers' –  are tempting more people to try them. 

Once the preserve of luxury wellness clinics, these drips have now spread to gyms, shopping centres and even mobile services that will come to your home. 

But experts warn there’s no good scientific evidence that they deliver any benefits for healthy people – and that they can carry risks, from infection and allergic reactions to vitamin toxicity. 

With prices ranging from £100 to £700 a session, your money – and your health – are likely to be better protected elsewhere.

What are IV vitamin drips?

IV vitamin drips are 'wellness' treatments that deliver vitamins, minerals and other nutrients directly into your bloodstream through a cannula (a small flexible plastic tube inserted into a vein, usually in the arm or hand) attached to a bag containing the solution. 

The solution is slowly dripped into the body, typically over 30-60 minutes, while the client sits or lies down. 

Although the procedure itself is medical, its purpose in a hospital is very different:  in medicine, IV drips are used to deliver fluids or drugs rapidly – for example, antibiotics, chemotherapy, pain relief, or rehydration for patients who can't take fluids orally.

By contrast, wellness vitamin IV drips are marketed to healthy people, with blends formulated around claims such as boosting immunity and energy, detoxing, improved skin and hair, anti-ageing, cognitive enhancement and hangover recovery. 

The solutions typically contain a mix of vitamins (often vitamin C in high doses and B vitamins such as B12), minerals and electrolytes (including magnesium, calcium or zinc), and antioxidants promoted as 'anti-ageing' (most commonly glutathione, alpha-lipoic acid, and NAD+).

Many providers claim that nutrients are better absorbed when delivered by an IV drip than they are from food or food supplements due to 'bypassing the gut barrier' - a claim not supported by scientific evidence. Prices are steep, starting at around £100, and rising to £400–£700 in high-end wellness clinics.

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Are IV vitamin drips necessary - and safe?

Vitamin IV drips, also known as 'party drips', are marketed to healthy people, yet researchers and experts agree: if you don’t have a deficiency, they’re a waste of time.  

The NHS’s former medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, has pointed out that our bodies can only absorb a limited amount of soluble vitamins at once, meaning most of the excess is excreted. In a 2019 NHS press release on the topic, he said: 'It’s an expensive way to fill your bladder – and then flush hundreds of pounds down the toilet.'

In December 2023, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) examined a series of claims made by Reviv UK for its wellness IV drips, including improvements in energy, hydration, immunity and anti-ageing. It concluded there was no scientific basis for any of these claims, ruling that Reviv should withdraw the ads. 

You can't detox with a drip

As for the common claim of 'detoxing' or 'flushing out toxins', the British Dietetic Association (BDA) describes the whole idea as 'nonsense.'  

Registered dietitian and BDA spokesperson, Aisling Pigott, says: 'The liver and kidneys remove waste from the body - that is literally their job. Vitamins and antioxidants do have a role to play in reducing oxidative stress, but only as part of a long-term, healthy, balanced diet.' 

A 2023 review in the BMJ Drug & Therapeutics Bulletin came to a similar conclusion, stating: 'There is a lack of high-quality evidence to suggest that high-dose vitamin infusions are necessary or offer any health benefit in the absence of a specific vitamin deficiency or medical condition.'

And if you do have a vitamin deficiency, a 'wellness' vitamin IV drip would not be the right way to treat it. Pigott explains: 'If you’re deficient in B12, for example, the question would be how that deficiency is going to be monitored, and are further tests required. High street shops and beauty salons offering IV drips are not delivering holistic care in this regard.'

What are the risks of IV vitamin drips?

If you’re still considering an IV vitamin drip, it’s worth knowing that it's not without risk. 

Vitamin IV drips operate in a regulatory grey area: because most are marketed to healthy people and don' make medicinal claims, they’re not licensed medicines, so they don’t fall under the remit of the Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). 

Meanwhile the Care Quality Commission (CQC) says a provider must register with it for 'the treatment of disease, disorder or injury,' if it uses prescription-only medicines or claims to alter how the body functions - meaning some drip services may require registration, but many do not. 

Clever marketing using general wellness buzzwords can allow brands to avoid this kind of oversight. 

This murkiness means that standards of cleanliness, infection control, staff qualifications and clinical oversight can therefore vary widely. Professor Amira Guirguis, chief scientist for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, says, 'Because these drips are not regulated as medicines, the level of clinical oversight and safety monitoring can vary widely between providers.'

Introducing anything directly into a vein carries potential harms, including infection, tissue damage, nutrient imbalances and interactions with medicines. More rarely, there can be allergic reactions and even anaphylaxis. 

'Some ingredients can be dangerous at high doses, especially for people with kidney or heart problems, for example, too much vitamin B6 can cause nerve damage, repeated IV iron has been linked to liver problems, and high-dose vitamin C has been associated with kidney injury.'

Professor Guirguis recommends consumers ask a series of key questions before going ahead:

• What evidence supports this treatment?
• What health checks will be done beforehand?
• Who is administering the drip, and what are their qualifications?
• What the potential risks and interactions with your medicines are, and what emergency plans are in place if there are side effects?

Ultimately, experts agree that most people’s money – and health – would be better protected by more affordable, evidence-based solutions.

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Other ways to stay healthy during the busy festive season - and beyond

Unfortunately, there's no quick fix to reviving your energy levels and health, tempting as the idea is. Before you splash the cash on wellness treatments, do what you can to get on top of the basics:

Manage chronic stress - easier said than done, we know, but stress does impact your immunity. Short bursts of stress are normal, but studies show that chronic stress weakens your immune system, raising cortisol levels and reducing your ability to fight infection. Getting into regular healthy habits like meditation, exercising outdoors and deep breathing can help bring stress hormones down.

Eat a balanced diet 'The best way to get your nutrients is from food, which naturally supplies the same vitamins and minerals found in IV drips' says dietitian Aisling Pigott of the British Dietetic Association. The NHS recommends plenty of fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, lean protein, and healthy fats. Fibre from foods such as oats, beans, vegetables and nuts also supports a healthy gut, which plays a key role in regulating your immune system.

Prioritise a good night's sleep Being well-rested supports your immunity. Some studies, such as this 2009 study, have shown that people who get less than seven hours of sleep are nearly three times as likely to catch a cold. See our guide to sleeping better for tips on what works and what doesn't.

Keep active Exercise is one of the closest things we have to a golden ticket for better health, according to the NHS and numerous studies. Regular movement boosts immunity, improves sleep and fatigu e— and it doesn’t have to be intense. Studies show that even a 20-minute walk outdoors can lower stress hormones, lift mood and support your body’s natural defences. Fit in what you can and start small. Something you can stick to and build up slowly is more likely to last.

Stay connected to others If you're struggling to balance the above with festive socialising, don't worry too much: maintaining social connections is surprisingly powerful for your health. Large studies show that people with strong relationships have higher resilience to infection. But try to maintain balance where you can. Even small everyday interactions, such as meeting someone for a walk, or chatting to a neighbour or at the shops, can give you a lift. 

Ultimately, it’s these everyday habits that will genuinely support your immune system — without the price tag or risks of an IV drip.

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What about vitamin and mineral supplements?

Generally, vitamin and mineral food supplements are only recommended for certain groups who may struggle to get certain nutrients because of diet, medication or other health reasons, or people with diagnosed deficiencies — for example, B12 for those following a vegan diet. 

Professor Victoria Tzortziou-Brown, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, says GPs will only prescribe vitamins when there is a clear clinical need — such as B vitamins, vitamin D, iron or folate deficiency, or during pregnancy where appropriate — and this is far safer than pursuing intravenous products marketed for wellbeing.'

The NHS recommends everyone in the UK takes a vitamin D supplement during the winter months though (October - March) as you can't get enough from sunlight during this time (or food). See our reviews of the best vitamin D supplements to find the ones our independent experts recommend, and what you need to know about doses and getting the best value.