Love it or Skip It: Do IV Drips Work?

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Are you temped to do an IV drip when you’re out on vacation or getting over a night with too many cocktails? You know you’ve thought about it (I have!).

Getting an IV drip on demand basically means you’re able to get intravenous (IV) therapy, such as fluids, vitamins, medications, or other nutrients, by trained medical professionals at a clinic, home, office, or other setting. Pretty sure they’re even at some airports. Usually the clinic is really slick and bourgie.

They are said to work so well by avoiding the stomach and going “straight to the blood stream”, and are supposed to help with things like dehydration, a hangover, exhaustion, jet lag, even skincare.

IV drips on demand have gained popularity for their potential to offer quick hydration, nutritional supplementation, or medical interventions to individuals seeking immediate relief or wellness benefits. You’ve probably seen loads of celebs and influencers getting one. It comes at the high price of $300 and above.

Ready to get hooked in? Not so fast. We found zero legitimate media or health organizations supporting this practice, and no research backing up its many claims. IV therapy is completely unnecessary unless you are severely dehydrated from illness or if you are a senior with health issues, in which case you should get to the emergency room asap. Its benefits are really only temporary and you would be able to get the same results from drinking electrolyte water or water with salt (what a great way to save $300!).

Plus, these are not approved by the FDA, which means you have to be extra weary of risks. In fact, Kendall Jenner was famously hospitalized due to a bad reaction from an IV drip back in 2018.

Dr. Sam Torbati, co-chair of Emergency Medicine at Cedars-Sinai, says an IV drip is basically making “expensive urine” and Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor at Harvard Health Publishing calls it another trendy moneymaking scheme.