SHOULD I TRY IV THERAPY?

 IV vitamin therapy was one of 2018's top health trends, is it worth the hype? We revisit our investigation to reflect

I f you follow any local or international celebs on social media, you may have seen pics of them seated in a lounger hooked up to a drip, and looking quite pleased about it. Intravenous (IV) vitamin therapy has steadily become a huge hit with the elite (fans include Kim K, Shashi Naidoo and Chrissy Teigen), so it was only a matter of time before this service became readily available to me and you.

In 2018, we visited REVIV, one of the world's leading wellness brands that specialise in signature IV nutrient therapies and booster shots. With the promise of a morning spent taking in the views of Devil's Peak, and increased energy, a renewed immune system, boosted metabolism by the end of it, I made my way over to their clinic in Sea Point to find out more.

How it works When we get our vitamins from our food or oral supplements, the whole process begins in the stomach, explains Retha Booyens, a dietician registered with ADSA (Association for Dietetics in South Africa). Hydrochloric acid produced by the stomach - and enzymes produced in the pancreas break down our food before their nutritional contents are absorbed at specific absorption sites (for example, B12 is absorbed in the stomach). Once vitamins and minerals have been absorbed, they are carried in the blood to the liver, where they are either used immediately, stored for later use or sent to the kidneys for excretion via urination.