The Hollywood health craze for receiving vitamins through an intravenous drip has spread cross-country.
According to the New York Post it is the latest trend among Manhattan's elite with the majority of patients high-powered business women. Most check in for quick hits on lunch breaks or post work, though some are reportedly spending up to three hours in the chair.
They are willing to pay up to $1,000 per session for a tube-fed concoction of nutrients which they believe will boost their energy levels, give them a youthful glow - and sharpern their performance in the workplace.
Trend: The Hollywood health craze for receiving vitamins through an intravenous drip has spread cross-country and now many high-powered business women are booking in for treatments on their lunch break
Though they are not FDA-approved as medical treatments IVs, which are typically inserted for 30 to 60 minutes, are on offer at the offices of even prominent physicians.
Indeed, Dr Marcia Harris, a gynecologist, gives IVs at Patients Medical in midtown east. This year alone she has seen a 33 per cent increase in requests for the treatment.
She said celebrities such as Simon Cowell, who apparently enjoys weekly IV drips of B12, magnesium and vitamin C to keep his liver in check, are fueling the craze.
But many people find that after their first shot they just can't stop.
Cristina Andrews, 48, has monthly IVs of B-12 and other vitamins, at the Park Avenue South office of Dr. Jeffrey Morrison.
'I come for two hours, sometimes three, because I like to take them slow,’ she tells the New York Post.
She says immediately after each $130 treatment she experiences fatigue but the next day she feels as if she 'can do anything.’
'Since I've been getting the IVs I have more stamina, I just power through without a problem'
Dr Morrison revealed that IVs first started to become popular around five years ago, when it was rumoured that basketball players were using them.
The athletes claimed the treatments allowed them to enhance their performance legally.
'It’s basic biochemistry; when the body has its building blocks, it works better,' Dr Morrison said.
Today the Wall Street community are his main clients as they want 'a natural way to sustain a high level of functioning'.
He recommends weekly drips, especially during stressful periods, for a span of four to six weeks.
One of the most common mixes he administers is the 'Myers’ Cocktail', which is made up of calcium, the trace mineral selenium, vitamin C and B-complex.
Burned-out: Doctors say that Wall Street workers turn to IVs to 'sustain a high level of functioning' (stock picture)
Vanessa Arteaga, a 38-year-old New York-based media consultant, says she is a fan of the 'Myers Cocktail' because it prevents her from getting sick.
And Lisa Carrion, a 42-year-old chiropractor, soccer coach and mom who lives in Hackensack, New Jersey, says it makes her feel 'more invigorated' and 'like a machine'.
'I believe that the benefit that many people feel from the infusion may in fact be in large part due to the placebo effect'
But some don't take IVs for the supposed health benefits and instead use them as a quick-fix cure for a heavy night out.
Adam Spoont, 29, the former director of hospitality at Abe & Arthur’s and Catch, who is preparing to open his own night spot downtown this summer, says they make his recovery time 'so much quicker'.
'Since I’ve been getting the IVs . . . I have more stamina at night. I just power through without a problem,' he added.
PERFORMANCE BOOSTING VITAMIN DRIPS: MYTH OR MIRACLE?
MailOnline spoke to cardiologist Dr Kevin Campbell who discredited the use of vitamin drips saying:
'There has never been any randomized controlled clinical trials to demonstrate any benefit to these IV infusions whatsoever.
'As a cardiologist I would not recommend these types of treatments. Our time can be better spent on preventative activities such as diet and exercise and modification of risk factors.'
Models have also been known to turn to IVs to get the nutrients they need while embarking on extreme diets.
Though doctors in a large range of specialties are now offering the IVs, critics say there's little evidence the practice has any health benefits.
Dr Kevin Campbell told MailOnline: 'There has never been any randomized controlled clinical trials to demonstrate any benefit to these IV infusions whatsoever.
'Although I think that certain groups of people may benefit (those with documented deficiencies of a particular vitamin or mineral) widespread use of this technique is unfounded and expensive.
Dr Campbell also believes that the benefits people feel from the infusion may simply be due to the placebo effect.
He added: 'As a cardiologist I would not recommend these types of treatments. Our time can be better spent on preventative activities such as diet and exercise and modification of risk factors.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2348869/Are-IV-drips-new-It-bags-High-powered-New-Yorkers-addicted-1-000-vitamin-hits-boost-energy-edge-workplace-rivals.html#ixzz2XLyIE2le
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