We Offer Nutrient Intravenous (IV) & Intramuscular (IM) Therapies

Dr. De Marco, ND., offers in-office nutrient intravenous (IV) and intramuscular (IM) injection therapies.  
They are useful when malabsorption or gut issues are a concern: chronic digestive concerns often decrease the ability of nutrients to be absorbed into the body, creating nutrient deficiencies and making it that much harder to heal.   IV and IM therapies bypass the gut, allowing nutrients to be delivered directly into the bloodstream, or muscle, maximizing the beneficial effects of each vitamin and mineral.

Intramuscular (IM) Injections: this involves the injection of a particular vitamin, or mineral, into muscle (i.e. arm). The two that we do most often are:
A.  Vitamin B12 Injections:
B12 is necessary for proper red blood cell formation, DNA synthesis, and proper formation and metabolism of cells.
When levels are low, you may experience:
– anemia
– fatigue
– brain fog
– low mood
– tremors or other neurological symptoms

A B12 injection can help:
– prevent anemia caused by low red blood cell formation which requires B12
– improve energy levels as more red blood cells means more nutrients and oxygen delivered to
    the rest of your body
– improve cognition, memory and brain fog by supporting new nerve cell growth
– improve mood, as B12 is linked to proper serotonin production
​
* “Normal” levels on your bloodwork may still be suboptimal for health, so be sure to have your levels assessed by a naturopathic doctor or functional medicine doctor.

B. Vitamin D Injections:
Vitamin D is so very important, and as Canadians living in more northern latitudes, many of us run the risk of being low in vitamin D levels.
It is involved in many critical processes in the body, including:
production of our sex hormones, maintaining healthy bones, and is critical for an effective and balanced immune system, especially in cases of autoimmunity or chronic disease.

When vitamin D levels are low, injections can help to:
– support the immune system when fighting colds and flus
– support the immune system in cases of autoimmunity such as psoriasis, IBD, MS, and     
       Hashimoto’s or Graves disease.
– reduce the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease |
– improve cognition and brain health, and decrease the risk of dementia
– improve mood, depression and anxiety
– improve hormone imbalances
If you are supplementing with oral vitamin D and your levels are still low, there may be an underlying issue with absorption through the gut, which injections can help to correct.


Intravenous (IV) Therapy: this involves the slow injection of vitamins and minerals directly into the bloodstream (via a vein).

IV therapy helps to restore nutrient deficiencies and to rehydrate cells back to optimal function.
This can be of benefit in a number of health concerns and conditions, such as:
– chronic fatigue
– recovery from surgery
– chronic infections
– autoimmune diseases
– post-partum depression and anxiety
– dysautonomia
– macular degeneration
– Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis
– many other conditions.

What to expect during a session:
Nutrient IV therapy is tailored to each individual patient. This is done through a thorough intake and history during your first visit, which includes a health history, current medications, lifestyle goals and expectations.  From this, we determine the right IV therapy protocol, including the number and frequency of treatments, risks and benefits, and what type of changes to expect over the course of the therapy.

IV insertion:
IV insertion involves placing the IV line into a vein, which is usually found in the crease of the elbow, although this location can vary
from patient to patient, and from day to day. On the day of an IV visit, make sure to be properly hydrated prior to your appointment, to ensure easy access to a vein.  Wearing a top that provides comfortable and easy access to the forearm and elbow crease is also recommended. The IV infusion is done through a catheter needle, a more gentle option for IV therapy than a traditional metal needle.
Once the IV is in, the infusion generally takes between 45 minutes to one hour to complete, and is for the most part an opportunity to sit back and relax.


If you are curious if IV or IM therapy can be helpful for you, please reach out to us by phone: 250-881-7800; or by email to: [email protected].

​