Use search engine and pair IV vitamin C with kidney disease. I think you have to be very careful and have the guidance of a doctor.
High Dose Intravenous Vitamin C (and other vitamin infusions)
- Thread starter Laura
- Start date
Use search engine and pair IV vitamin C with kidney disease. I think you have to be very careful and have the guidance of a doctor.
Nancy2feathers
The Living Force
Thanks for the above info, Laura. I swear, Vit C in high doses does miraculous things in the body.
The fellow that tended to us at the Asheville Clinic mentioned putting DMSO in the Vit C infusion for past clients. I was wondering if Gaby has any thoughts on that? Maybe I missed it but I haven't read anything on this thread or in any articles that states if DMSO is safe to administer intravenously along with Vit C.
Also, the same attendant told us years ago nurses on staff at hospitals would routinely add Vit C to the patient's saline solution after an operation to speed up the healing process.
Vitamin C IV infusions can be given in kidney disease under medical care supervision.
Thank you for the reminder! I actually had a correspondent who had DMSO + vitamin C + glutathione + gerovital infusions and who reported very good results. It must have been 2 cc of pure DMSO if I remember correctly.
Regarding the similarity between vitamin C and glucose, I found on Chemistry of ascorbic acid - Wikipedia that ascorbic acid has a structure like:
The molecular formular of vitamin C is C8H12O6 while glucose has C6H12O6; that is only two carbon atoms more for vitamin C. Another difference is that vitamin C has a double bond between two of its carbon atoms.
There are several ways of representing the chemical structure of a molecule and in the case of glucose and its variants one may see the differences on: Glucose – Wikipedia that glucose. The top right ones, alfa and beta - D-Glucofuranose have five elements, four carbon and an oxygen atom, in their chain just like Vitamin C.
Conclusion is that indeed there is not that much difference in the chemical structure between vitamin C and glucose.
Here's the experience of the National Institute of Integrative Medicine (NIIM) clinic, Melbourne, Australia:
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
"High-dose IVC therapy boosts the immune system by promoting antiviral, antibacterial and anticancer activities, helps recovery from injury and surgery, alleviates disease-related fatigue and improves quality of life 11–15.
IVC has a high safety profile. In a survey of 199 practitioners using IVC (mean dose 28 g, median 50 g, range 1–200 g per treatment) mainly for infection or cancer, it was found that 1% (101 out of 9328 patients) reported side effects, including minor fatigue (n=59), change in mental status (n=21) and vein irritation/phlebitis (n=6) 16. Two deaths related to IVC therapy were because of known risk factors, renal impairment and glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase deficiency. Patients with these risk factors should be excluded from IVC therapy".[...]
***
"Pharmaceutical-grade sodium ascorbate solution (Biological Therapies, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) was diluted in H2O as necessary to provide the target dose at an infusion rate of 500 ml/h (8.5 ml/min) or 20 drops/ml (170 drops/min). IVC dosage was less than or equal to 1.3 g/kg bodyweight up to a maximum of 60 g per at least 60 kg patient. Up to 30 g of sodium ascorbate is usually diluted in 500 ml H2O and administered within 1 h, whereas 60 g of sodium ascorbate is diluted in 750 ml H2O and administered within 1.5–2 h. Patients’ IVC tolerance levels are gradually built up, usually starting with 15 g (75 mmol) of IVC in the first session, up to 30 g (150 mmol) of IVC in the second session and up to 60 g (300 mmol) of IVC in the third and consecutive sessions. A number of participants received additional i.v. treatments alongside the ascorbate solution. A variety of combinations of additional i.v. treatments administered included an average of 1 g (3 mmol) of glutathione solution, 2.47 mg (20 mmol) of magnesium sulphate in 5 ml and 5.1 mg of zinc chloride in 2 ml or 400 mg (1.4 mmol) of α-linoleic acid, as well as B vitamins (Table (Table1).1). B vitamins were administered as an intravenous vitamin B (IVB) dose (B1 – 10 mg, B2 – 5 mg, B3 – 100 mg, B5 – 20 mg and B6 – 50 mg), as vitamin B forte =B1 – 250 mg, B2 – 5 mg, B3 – 50 mg, B5 – 50 mg, B6 – 100 mg, B12 – 1 mg (0.7 mmol cyanocobalamin) or as methylcobalamin injection vitamin B12 (10 mg, 7 mmol, in 2 ml)." [...]
***
"Our study is the first to examine the acute effects of high-dose IVC treatment on BP across 90 min of treatment and the first to incorporate additional i.v. nutrients in conjunction with IVC. Our results suggest IVC to reduce BP by 6–7 mmHg if dosages of more than 30 g are administered and up to 8–9 mmHg in patients with prehypertension (SBP/DBP≥130/85 mmHg).
Furthermore, our study is the first to describe the marked BP-increasing effect by 12–16 mmHg of IVB12, suggesting routine BP monitoring during i.v. therapy in clinical practice."
The acute effect of high-dose intravenous vitamin C and other nutrients on blood pressure: a cohort study
Regular intake of vitamin C/ascorbate reduces blood pressure (BP) in hypertensives. High-dose intravenous vitamin C (IVC) achieves higher plasma levels; however, there is a paucity of research on acute BP effects. Our study is the first to investigate ...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
"High-dose IVC therapy boosts the immune system by promoting antiviral, antibacterial and anticancer activities, helps recovery from injury and surgery, alleviates disease-related fatigue and improves quality of life 11–15.
IVC has a high safety profile. In a survey of 199 practitioners using IVC (mean dose 28 g, median 50 g, range 1–200 g per treatment) mainly for infection or cancer, it was found that 1% (101 out of 9328 patients) reported side effects, including minor fatigue (n=59), change in mental status (n=21) and vein irritation/phlebitis (n=6) 16. Two deaths related to IVC therapy were because of known risk factors, renal impairment and glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase deficiency. Patients with these risk factors should be excluded from IVC therapy".[...]
***
"Pharmaceutical-grade sodium ascorbate solution (Biological Therapies, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) was diluted in H2O as necessary to provide the target dose at an infusion rate of 500 ml/h (8.5 ml/min) or 20 drops/ml (170 drops/min). IVC dosage was less than or equal to 1.3 g/kg bodyweight up to a maximum of 60 g per at least 60 kg patient. Up to 30 g of sodium ascorbate is usually diluted in 500 ml H2O and administered within 1 h, whereas 60 g of sodium ascorbate is diluted in 750 ml H2O and administered within 1.5–2 h. Patients’ IVC tolerance levels are gradually built up, usually starting with 15 g (75 mmol) of IVC in the first session, up to 30 g (150 mmol) of IVC in the second session and up to 60 g (300 mmol) of IVC in the third and consecutive sessions. A number of participants received additional i.v. treatments alongside the ascorbate solution. A variety of combinations of additional i.v. treatments administered included an average of 1 g (3 mmol) of glutathione solution, 2.47 mg (20 mmol) of magnesium sulphate in 5 ml and 5.1 mg of zinc chloride in 2 ml or 400 mg (1.4 mmol) of α-linoleic acid, as well as B vitamins (Table (Table1).1). B vitamins were administered as an intravenous vitamin B (IVB) dose (B1 – 10 mg, B2 – 5 mg, B3 – 100 mg, B5 – 20 mg and B6 – 50 mg), as vitamin B forte =B1 – 250 mg, B2 – 5 mg, B3 – 50 mg, B5 – 50 mg, B6 – 100 mg, B12 – 1 mg (0.7 mmol cyanocobalamin) or as methylcobalamin injection vitamin B12 (10 mg, 7 mmol, in 2 ml)." [...]
***
"Our study is the first to examine the acute effects of high-dose IVC treatment on BP across 90 min of treatment and the first to incorporate additional i.v. nutrients in conjunction with IVC. Our results suggest IVC to reduce BP by 6–7 mmHg if dosages of more than 30 g are administered and up to 8–9 mmHg in patients with prehypertension (SBP/DBP≥130/85 mmHg).
Furthermore, our study is the first to describe the marked BP-increasing effect by 12–16 mmHg of IVB12, suggesting routine BP monitoring during i.v. therapy in clinical practice."
Here's an impressive video of the results from 600mg of glutathione IV in Parkinson's disease patients:
www.youtube.com
Those people who have polymorphisms in the glutathione pathway and are prone to get loaded in heavy metals might be interested in glutathione, the main setback being logistics of IV and the cost.
From Glutathione: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning
However, depending on the clinical context, it's not a good idea to combine vitamin C and glutathione. From 2011:
"Our surveys were distributed at the American College for the Advancement in Medicine (ACAM) meetings first in 2006 and again in 2008. These data were very informative and the results were published in 2010.10 Because of the rich and varied experiences of our survey respondents, we learned how often IV AA was given to how many patients, on average what dose of IV AA [ascorbic acid] was given per infusion, and for what conditions practitioners gave the infusions. What was remarkable from these data was the finding that IV AA administered at high doses was remarkably safe.10
Around this time we became concerned that the prooxidative therapy, IV AA, was being given concurrently with IV glutathione (GSH) or even mixed in the same bag of fluid. But we didn't have any evidence from the scientific literature to guide us or even evidence that this practice was occurring. So we designed another survey focusing on IV GSH use, or lack of, with IV AA.
GSH is a tripeptide of glutamate, cysteine, and glycine that actively scavenges reactive oxygen species such as superoxide, hydroxyl radical, and notably hydrogen peroxide.11-15 GSH is known to act synergistically with oral AA to quench reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, at pharmacologic concentrations where IV AA acts as a prooxidant creating hydrogen peroxide, the synergism should not hold true. In fact, if GSH's role is to clear hydrogen peroxide, the therapeutic effect of IV AA should be canceled when they are combined on the same day. [...]
We surveyed attendees at the 2011 iMOSAIC meeting, a joint conference of ACAM, American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM), International College of Integrative Medicine (ICIM), and American Holistic Medical Association (AHMA). Surveys were distributed and collected on 3 successive days. Ninety-four participants completed surveys (169 surveys distributed), and we found that 45% use IV AA and IV GSH in the same patient, 38.5% infused IV AA and IV GSH on the same day, and 8% mixed IV AA and IV GSH in the same IV bag. Further details of the survey are available.16 Because there was no scientific literature to advise us about the concurrent use of IV AA and IV GSH, we devised experiments to evaluate the effects of combining AA with GSH in cell tissue cultures and in accepted animal cancer models. Our data reconfirmed the prooxidative and antineoplastic effects of high-dose AA using equivalent doses commonly administered to patients. When we added GSH concurrently with AA, we found that AA-induced cancer cell death was significantly reduced. There is now scientific evidence to advise that IV AA and IV GSH have competing effects, and we are recommending that they not be coadministered on the same day until further research is done.
IV GSH should be an important tool in clinic practice because of its role in drug and xenobiotic metabolism, antioxidant defense, nutrient metabolism, and regulation of cellular events.11-13 There are obvious benefits of GSH use in reducing oxidant damage to normal cells such as the nervous tissue. IV GSH is important for clinical practice in settings where protection from highly oxidative processes is needed. However, in clinical settings where treatments depend on ROS and free radicals, IV GSH effects are counterproductive. When IV AA produces hydrogen peroxide needed for ROS, GSH has potential for decreasing oxidative signals that trigger neoplastic cell death. At this juncture, it does not appear as if high-dose IV GSH acts as a prooxidative therapy in the same way as high-dose IV AA does, although more research is needed. Based on these findings, we advise that IV AA and IV GSH not be administered on the same day to cancer patients. Simply stated, IV AA is a prooxidant and IV GSH is an antioxidant and when used concurrently the effects can be canceled.
Glutathione Therapy for Parkinson's Part 2 from David Perlmutter, MD FACN
Parkinson"s patients before and after receiving glutathione injections. For more information go to http://www.inutritionals.com/store/index.php?l=product_det...
www.youtube.com
Those people who have polymorphisms in the glutathione pathway and are prone to get loaded in heavy metals might be interested in glutathione, the main setback being logistics of IV and the cost.
From Glutathione: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warning
However, depending on the clinical context, it's not a good idea to combine vitamin C and glutathione. From 2011:
Adverse Effects when Combining Intravenous Vitamin C with Intravenous Glutathione (December 2011) Townsend Letter for Doctors & Patients
Open Letter to Integrative Medicine Friends and Colleagues: Prediction of Adverse Effects when Combining Intravenous Vitamin C with Intravenous Glutathione on the Same Day in Cancer Patients by Jeanne A. Drisko, MD; Garrett G. Sullivan, MD; Qi Chen, PhD***Townsend Letter for Doctors & Patients'...
www.townsendletter.com
"Our surveys were distributed at the American College for the Advancement in Medicine (ACAM) meetings first in 2006 and again in 2008. These data were very informative and the results were published in 2010.10 Because of the rich and varied experiences of our survey respondents, we learned how often IV AA was given to how many patients, on average what dose of IV AA [ascorbic acid] was given per infusion, and for what conditions practitioners gave the infusions. What was remarkable from these data was the finding that IV AA administered at high doses was remarkably safe.10
Around this time we became concerned that the prooxidative therapy, IV AA, was being given concurrently with IV glutathione (GSH) or even mixed in the same bag of fluid. But we didn't have any evidence from the scientific literature to guide us or even evidence that this practice was occurring. So we designed another survey focusing on IV GSH use, or lack of, with IV AA.
GSH is a tripeptide of glutamate, cysteine, and glycine that actively scavenges reactive oxygen species such as superoxide, hydroxyl radical, and notably hydrogen peroxide.11-15 GSH is known to act synergistically with oral AA to quench reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, at pharmacologic concentrations where IV AA acts as a prooxidant creating hydrogen peroxide, the synergism should not hold true. In fact, if GSH's role is to clear hydrogen peroxide, the therapeutic effect of IV AA should be canceled when they are combined on the same day. [...]
We surveyed attendees at the 2011 iMOSAIC meeting, a joint conference of ACAM, American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM), International College of Integrative Medicine (ICIM), and American Holistic Medical Association (AHMA). Surveys were distributed and collected on 3 successive days. Ninety-four participants completed surveys (169 surveys distributed), and we found that 45% use IV AA and IV GSH in the same patient, 38.5% infused IV AA and IV GSH on the same day, and 8% mixed IV AA and IV GSH in the same IV bag. Further details of the survey are available.16 Because there was no scientific literature to advise us about the concurrent use of IV AA and IV GSH, we devised experiments to evaluate the effects of combining AA with GSH in cell tissue cultures and in accepted animal cancer models. Our data reconfirmed the prooxidative and antineoplastic effects of high-dose AA using equivalent doses commonly administered to patients. When we added GSH concurrently with AA, we found that AA-induced cancer cell death was significantly reduced. There is now scientific evidence to advise that IV AA and IV GSH have competing effects, and we are recommending that they not be coadministered on the same day until further research is done.
IV GSH should be an important tool in clinic practice because of its role in drug and xenobiotic metabolism, antioxidant defense, nutrient metabolism, and regulation of cellular events.11-13 There are obvious benefits of GSH use in reducing oxidant damage to normal cells such as the nervous tissue. IV GSH is important for clinical practice in settings where protection from highly oxidative processes is needed. However, in clinical settings where treatments depend on ROS and free radicals, IV GSH effects are counterproductive. When IV AA produces hydrogen peroxide needed for ROS, GSH has potential for decreasing oxidative signals that trigger neoplastic cell death. At this juncture, it does not appear as if high-dose IV GSH acts as a prooxidative therapy in the same way as high-dose IV AA does, although more research is needed. Based on these findings, we advise that IV AA and IV GSH not be administered on the same day to cancer patients. Simply stated, IV AA is a prooxidant and IV GSH is an antioxidant and when used concurrently the effects can be canceled.
Ruth
The Living Force
This doctor - Doctor Paul Marik - has been instrumental in 'curing' (most likely reversing) sepsis using a combination of intravenous Vitamin C, Thiamin (Vitamin B1) and hydrocortisone. Most likely this is metabolic resusitation.
www.criticalcarereviews.com
The Cure for Sepsis with Paul Marik
Critical Care Reviews is a collection of free, high quality, peer reviewed critical care review articles
More details on the Myers Cocktail:
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
The 37ml are given in a slow-push infusion delivered over approximately 10 minutes using a 25-gauge butterfly needle.
Intravenous nutrient therapy: the "Myers' cocktail". - PubMed - NCBI [Click on "Full text links" for more info. Very interesting cases available!]
Choice of Ingredients and Administration
At the time of this writing [2002], cyanocobalamin
is a widely available form of injectable vitamin B12,
whereas hydroxocobalamin can be obtained only
through a compounding pharmacist. While both
forms of the vitamin are effective, hydroxocobalamin
is preferred because it produces more prolonged
increases in serum vitamin B12 levels.48
It has been the author’s impression (and
that of other clinicians) that some patients who respond
to IM vitamin B12 injections do not experience
the same benefit when vitamin B12 is given
as part of the Myers’. It is possible that vitamin C
or another component of the Myers’ destroys some
of the vitamin B12, or that IV vitamin B12 is lost
more rapidly in the urine than IM vitamin B12.
Therefore, for some patients receiving IV nutrient
therapy, the vitamin B12 is given IM in a separate
syringe.
Injectable magnesium can be obtained
either as magnesium chloride hexahydrate (20%
solution), commonly called magnesium chloride,
or magnesium sulfate heptahydrate (50% solution),
commonly called magnesium sulfate. Although
most clinical research has been done with
magnesium sulfate, some experts prefer magnesium
chloride for IV use because of its greater retention
in the body.50 The author has used magnesium
chloride almost exclusively for IV therapy, while
reserving the more concentrated magnesium sulfate
for IM administration. For those using magnesium
sulfate, it should be noted that 1 g (2 mL of a 50-
percent solution) is equivalent to 0.8 g (4 mL of a
20-percent solution) of magnesium chloride (each
contains 4 mMol of magnesium). In addition, if 50-
percent magnesium sulfate is given IV instead of
20-percent magnesium chloride, it should be diluted
appropriately with sterile water.
Injectable vitamin C is currently available
in concentrations of 222 and 500 mg per mL. The
author typically uses the lower concentration for
IV therapy. If the higher concentration is used, it
should be diluted appropriately with sterile water.
Occasionally, trace minerals were included
as part of a nutrient infusion. The usual dose was
0.2-0.5 mL of MTE-5, which contains (per mL):
zinc 1 mg, copper 0.4 mg, chromium 4 mcg, selenium
20 mcg, and manganese 0.1 mg. The preparation
was diluted six-fold and administered over a
period of 1-2 minutes in a separate syringe at the
end of the Myers’ push. Two adverse reactions have
been noted with 10 mg of zinc given by slow IV
push; consequently, when giving trace minerals by
IV push, very small doses are used. Trace minerals
should not be mixed in the same syringe with the
components of the Myers’, as doing so often causes
formation of a precipitate.
Side Effects and Precautions
The Myers’ often produces a sensation of
heat, particularly with large doses or rapid administration.
This effect appears to be due primarily
to the magnesium, although rapid injections of
calcium have been reported to produce a similar
effect.22 The sensation typically begins in the chest
and migrates to the vaginal area in women and to
the rectal area in men. For most patients the heat
does not cause excessive discomfort; indeed, some
patients enjoy it. However, if the infusion is given
too rapidly, the warmth can be overbearing. Some
women experience a sensation of sexual pleasure
in association with the vaginal warmth; on rare
occasions, an orgasm may occur during an IV infusion.
Other patients have remarked their visual
acuity and color perception become sharper immediately
after an injection, as if someone had
turned the lights on. In some cases, this effect lasts
as long as one or two days.
Too rapid administration of magnesium
can cause hypotension, which can lead to
lightheadedness or even syncope. Patients receiving
a Myers’ should be advised to report the onset
of excessive heat (which can be a harbinger of
hypotension) or lightheadedness. If either of these
symptoms occurs, the infusion should be stopped
temporarily and not resumed until the symptoms
have resolved (usually after 10-30 seconds). Patients
with low blood pressure tend to tolerate less
magnesium than do patients with normal blood
pressure or hypertension. In a small proportion of
patients, even a low-dose regimen given very
slowly causes persistent hypotension; in those
cases, the treatment is usually discontinued and
may or may not be attempted at a later date.
Although too rapid administration can
have adverse consequences, some patients appear
to experience more pronounced benefits from
rapid infusions than from slower ones, presumably
because of higher peak serum concentrations
of nutrients. While both the risks and benefits
should be taken into account in determining an
infusion rate, when in doubt one should err on the
side of safety. When administering the Myers’ to
a patient for the first time, it is best to give 0.5-1.0
mL and then wait 30 seconds or so before proceeding
with the rest of the infusion. Doing so may
help one distinguish between a vasovagal reaction
and a hypotensive response to the injected
compounds. Patients who experience a vasovagal
reaction at the beginning of an infusion can usually
tolerate the remainder of the treatment after
the reaction has worn off.
For elderly or frail individuals, it may be
advisable to start with lower doses than those listed
in Table 1, or to consider IM administration of
magnesium and B vitamins as an alternative to IV
therapy. However, many elderly patients have tolerated,
and benefited from, IV therapy.
Patients who are deficient in both magnesium
and potassium may have an influx of potassium
into the cells after receiving IV magnesium.
51 This occurs because magnesium activates
the membrane pump that promotes the intracellular
uptake of potassium. The shift of potassium
from the serum to the intracellular space can trigger
hypokalemia. The author has seen two patients
develop severe muscle cramps several hours after
receiving a Myers’; both patients had been taking
medications known to deplete potassium. Hypokalemia
also increases the risk of digoxin-induced
cardiac arrhythmias. As a first-year resident,
unaware of this potential problem, the author administered
IV magnesium in the hospital to an elderly
woman who was taking digoxin and a potassium-
depleting diuretic. She quickly developed an
arrhythmia, which required short-term treatment in
the intensive care unit.
Patients considered to be at risk of potassium
deficiency include those taking potassiumdepleting
diuretics, beta-agonists, or glucocorticoids;
those with diarrhea or vomiting; and those
who are generally malnourished. If a patient is hypokalemic,
the hypokalemia should be corrected
before IV magnesium therapy is considered. However,
a normal serum potassium concentration is
not a guarantee against intracellular potassium
depletion. For patients considered to be at risk of
potassium deficiency, administration of 10-20 mEq
of potassium orally just prior to the infusion, and
again 4-6 hours later is recommended. After this
practice was instituted, no further problems with
magnesium-induced muscle cramps were encountered.
The addition of even small amounts of
potassium to an IV push is strongly discouraged,
because of the theoretical risk of triggering an arrhythmia
during the first pass when the bolus
reaches the cardiac conducting system.
Intravenous calcium is contraindicated in
patients taking digoxin. In addition, hypercalcemia
can cause cardiac arrhythmias. For that reason, the
author has tended to leave calcium out of the Myers’
when treating patients with cardiac disease, although
there is no strong evidence it is dangerous
for such patients.
Anaphylactic reactions to IV thiamine have
been reported on rare occasions. Only three such
reactions have been identified in the U.S. literature
since 1946. However, in the world literature, a
total of nine deaths attributed to thiamine administration
were reported between 1965 and 1985.52
These reactions have occurred after oral, IV, IM,
or subcutaneous administration, and are believed
to be due in part to a nonspecific release of histamine.
Anaphylactic reactions have been seen most
often after multiple administrations of thiamine. In
the United Kingdom, between 1970 and 1988, there
were approximately four reports of anaphylactoid
reactions for every million ampules of IV B vitamins
sold, and one report for every 5 million IM
ampules sold.53
It is possible the risk of anaphylaxis from
the Myers’ is even lower than the low risk associated
with the use of IV thiamine. Many patients
who receive parenteral thiamine are alcoholics, and
alcoholism frequently causes magnesium deficiency.
Animal studies suggest thiamine supplementation
in the presence of magnesium deficiency
increases the severity of the magnesium deficiency.
54 A deficiency of magnesium can lead to
spontaneous release of histamine,55 and has been
reported to increase the incidence of experimentally
induced anaphylaxis in animals.56 The presence
of magnesium in the Myers’ might, therefore,
reduce the risk of an anaphylactic reaction to thiamine.
Moreover, as the Myers’ has been used successfully
to treat asthma and urticaria, it is likely
the formula as a whole provides prophylaxis against
anaphylaxis. Nevertheless, practitioners who administer
IV nutrients should be prepared to deal
with the rare anaphylactic reaction.
A small number of patients (approximately
one percent) felt “out of sorts” for up to a day after
receiving an injection and, in two cases, this reaction
lasted one and two weeks, respectively. It is
not clear whether these reactions were due to the
preservatives in some of the injectable preparations
(e.g., benzyl alcohol, methylparabens, or others)
or to the nutrients themselves. In most cases (including
a few patients with asthma) preservativecontaining
products were used because the use of
multi-dose vials reduced the cost of treatment to
the patient. However, for some individuals with
known chemical sensitivities or other significant
allergy-related problems, preservative-free preparations
were used.
Although the Myers’ is extremely hypertonic,
it rarely seemed to cause problems related to
its hypertonicity. Two or three patients developed
phlebitis at the injection site; for those patients, later
treatments were diluted with sterile water to a total
of 60 mL. Some patients experienced a burning
sensation at the injection site during the infusion;
this was often corrected by re-positioning the needle
or by further diluting the nutrients.
When administered with caution and respect,
the Myers’ has been generally well tolerated,
and no serious adverse reactions have been encountered
with approximately 15,000 treatments.
Cost Considerations
In 1995, the author’s last year in private
practice, the cost of the materials for a Myers’ was
approximately $5.00. The use of preservative-free
nutrients at least doubled the cost of materials.
Nursing time and administrative factors represented
the majority of the cost of IV nutrient
therapy. In 1995, the author’s fee for a Myers’ was
$38.00. Other doctors have charged as little as
$15.00 or as much as $100.00 or more. Since 1995,
the cost of most of the injectable preparations has
increased by 50-100 percent.
Insurance companies do not generally pay
for this treatment. However, in a few instances,
showing them that IV nutrient therapy had greatly
reduced the overall cost of the patient’s health care
persuaded them to pay.
Intravenous Micronutrient Therapy (Myers' Cocktail) for Fibromyalgia: A Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study
Intravenous micronutrient therapy (IVMT), and specifically the Myers' Cocktail, is a popular approach for treating fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) among complementary and alternative medicine practitioners, but its efficacy is uncertain. This trial assessed ...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 5 mL of magnesium chloride hexahydrate (20%)
- 3 mL of calcium gluconate (10%)
- 1 mL of hydroxocobalamin (1,000 μ/mL)
- 1 mL of pyridoxine hydrochloride (100 mg/mL)
- 1 mL of dexpanthenol (250 mg/mL)
- 1 mL of B-complex 100 containing:
- 100 mg of thiamine HCl, 2 mg of riboflavin, 2 mg of pyridoxine HCl, and 2 mg of panthenol
- 100 mg of niacinamide, 2% benxyl alcoholr.
- 5 mL of vitamin C (500 mg/mL)
- 20 mL of sterile water.
The 37ml are given in a slow-push infusion delivered over approximately 10 minutes using a 25-gauge butterfly needle.
Intravenous nutrient therapy: the "Myers' cocktail". - PubMed - NCBI [Click on "Full text links" for more info. Very interesting cases available!]
Choice of Ingredients and Administration
At the time of this writing [2002], cyanocobalamin
is a widely available form of injectable vitamin B12,
whereas hydroxocobalamin can be obtained only
through a compounding pharmacist. While both
forms of the vitamin are effective, hydroxocobalamin
is preferred because it produces more prolonged
increases in serum vitamin B12 levels.48
It has been the author’s impression (and
that of other clinicians) that some patients who respond
to IM vitamin B12 injections do not experience
the same benefit when vitamin B12 is given
as part of the Myers’. It is possible that vitamin C
or another component of the Myers’ destroys some
of the vitamin B12, or that IV vitamin B12 is lost
more rapidly in the urine than IM vitamin B12.
Therefore, for some patients receiving IV nutrient
therapy, the vitamin B12 is given IM in a separate
syringe.
Injectable magnesium can be obtained
either as magnesium chloride hexahydrate (20%
solution), commonly called magnesium chloride,
or magnesium sulfate heptahydrate (50% solution),
commonly called magnesium sulfate. Although
most clinical research has been done with
magnesium sulfate, some experts prefer magnesium
chloride for IV use because of its greater retention
in the body.50 The author has used magnesium
chloride almost exclusively for IV therapy, while
reserving the more concentrated magnesium sulfate
for IM administration. For those using magnesium
sulfate, it should be noted that 1 g (2 mL of a 50-
percent solution) is equivalent to 0.8 g (4 mL of a
20-percent solution) of magnesium chloride (each
contains 4 mMol of magnesium). In addition, if 50-
percent magnesium sulfate is given IV instead of
20-percent magnesium chloride, it should be diluted
appropriately with sterile water.
Injectable vitamin C is currently available
in concentrations of 222 and 500 mg per mL. The
author typically uses the lower concentration for
IV therapy. If the higher concentration is used, it
should be diluted appropriately with sterile water.
Occasionally, trace minerals were included
as part of a nutrient infusion. The usual dose was
0.2-0.5 mL of MTE-5, which contains (per mL):
zinc 1 mg, copper 0.4 mg, chromium 4 mcg, selenium
20 mcg, and manganese 0.1 mg. The preparation
was diluted six-fold and administered over a
period of 1-2 minutes in a separate syringe at the
end of the Myers’ push. Two adverse reactions have
been noted with 10 mg of zinc given by slow IV
push; consequently, when giving trace minerals by
IV push, very small doses are used. Trace minerals
should not be mixed in the same syringe with the
components of the Myers’, as doing so often causes
formation of a precipitate.
Side Effects and Precautions
The Myers’ often produces a sensation of
heat, particularly with large doses or rapid administration.
This effect appears to be due primarily
to the magnesium, although rapid injections of
calcium have been reported to produce a similar
effect.22 The sensation typically begins in the chest
and migrates to the vaginal area in women and to
the rectal area in men. For most patients the heat
does not cause excessive discomfort; indeed, some
patients enjoy it. However, if the infusion is given
too rapidly, the warmth can be overbearing. Some
women experience a sensation of sexual pleasure
in association with the vaginal warmth; on rare
occasions, an orgasm may occur during an IV infusion.
Other patients have remarked their visual
acuity and color perception become sharper immediately
after an injection, as if someone had
turned the lights on. In some cases, this effect lasts
as long as one or two days.
Too rapid administration of magnesium
can cause hypotension, which can lead to
lightheadedness or even syncope. Patients receiving
a Myers’ should be advised to report the onset
of excessive heat (which can be a harbinger of
hypotension) or lightheadedness. If either of these
symptoms occurs, the infusion should be stopped
temporarily and not resumed until the symptoms
have resolved (usually after 10-30 seconds). Patients
with low blood pressure tend to tolerate less
magnesium than do patients with normal blood
pressure or hypertension. In a small proportion of
patients, even a low-dose regimen given very
slowly causes persistent hypotension; in those
cases, the treatment is usually discontinued and
may or may not be attempted at a later date.
Although too rapid administration can
have adverse consequences, some patients appear
to experience more pronounced benefits from
rapid infusions than from slower ones, presumably
because of higher peak serum concentrations
of nutrients. While both the risks and benefits
should be taken into account in determining an
infusion rate, when in doubt one should err on the
side of safety. When administering the Myers’ to
a patient for the first time, it is best to give 0.5-1.0
mL and then wait 30 seconds or so before proceeding
with the rest of the infusion. Doing so may
help one distinguish between a vasovagal reaction
and a hypotensive response to the injected
compounds. Patients who experience a vasovagal
reaction at the beginning of an infusion can usually
tolerate the remainder of the treatment after
the reaction has worn off.
For elderly or frail individuals, it may be
advisable to start with lower doses than those listed
in Table 1, or to consider IM administration of
magnesium and B vitamins as an alternative to IV
therapy. However, many elderly patients have tolerated,
and benefited from, IV therapy.
Patients who are deficient in both magnesium
and potassium may have an influx of potassium
into the cells after receiving IV magnesium.
51 This occurs because magnesium activates
the membrane pump that promotes the intracellular
uptake of potassium. The shift of potassium
from the serum to the intracellular space can trigger
hypokalemia. The author has seen two patients
develop severe muscle cramps several hours after
receiving a Myers’; both patients had been taking
medications known to deplete potassium. Hypokalemia
also increases the risk of digoxin-induced
cardiac arrhythmias. As a first-year resident,
unaware of this potential problem, the author administered
IV magnesium in the hospital to an elderly
woman who was taking digoxin and a potassium-
depleting diuretic. She quickly developed an
arrhythmia, which required short-term treatment in
the intensive care unit.
Patients considered to be at risk of potassium
deficiency include those taking potassiumdepleting
diuretics, beta-agonists, or glucocorticoids;
those with diarrhea or vomiting; and those
who are generally malnourished. If a patient is hypokalemic,
the hypokalemia should be corrected
before IV magnesium therapy is considered. However,
a normal serum potassium concentration is
not a guarantee against intracellular potassium
depletion. For patients considered to be at risk of
potassium deficiency, administration of 10-20 mEq
of potassium orally just prior to the infusion, and
again 4-6 hours later is recommended. After this
practice was instituted, no further problems with
magnesium-induced muscle cramps were encountered.
The addition of even small amounts of
potassium to an IV push is strongly discouraged,
because of the theoretical risk of triggering an arrhythmia
during the first pass when the bolus
reaches the cardiac conducting system.
Intravenous calcium is contraindicated in
patients taking digoxin. In addition, hypercalcemia
can cause cardiac arrhythmias. For that reason, the
author has tended to leave calcium out of the Myers’
when treating patients with cardiac disease, although
there is no strong evidence it is dangerous
for such patients.
Anaphylactic reactions to IV thiamine have
been reported on rare occasions. Only three such
reactions have been identified in the U.S. literature
since 1946. However, in the world literature, a
total of nine deaths attributed to thiamine administration
were reported between 1965 and 1985.52
These reactions have occurred after oral, IV, IM,
or subcutaneous administration, and are believed
to be due in part to a nonspecific release of histamine.
Anaphylactic reactions have been seen most
often after multiple administrations of thiamine. In
the United Kingdom, between 1970 and 1988, there
were approximately four reports of anaphylactoid
reactions for every million ampules of IV B vitamins
sold, and one report for every 5 million IM
ampules sold.53
It is possible the risk of anaphylaxis from
the Myers’ is even lower than the low risk associated
with the use of IV thiamine. Many patients
who receive parenteral thiamine are alcoholics, and
alcoholism frequently causes magnesium deficiency.
Animal studies suggest thiamine supplementation
in the presence of magnesium deficiency
increases the severity of the magnesium deficiency.
54 A deficiency of magnesium can lead to
spontaneous release of histamine,55 and has been
reported to increase the incidence of experimentally
induced anaphylaxis in animals.56 The presence
of magnesium in the Myers’ might, therefore,
reduce the risk of an anaphylactic reaction to thiamine.
Moreover, as the Myers’ has been used successfully
to treat asthma and urticaria, it is likely
the formula as a whole provides prophylaxis against
anaphylaxis. Nevertheless, practitioners who administer
IV nutrients should be prepared to deal
with the rare anaphylactic reaction.
A small number of patients (approximately
one percent) felt “out of sorts” for up to a day after
receiving an injection and, in two cases, this reaction
lasted one and two weeks, respectively. It is
not clear whether these reactions were due to the
preservatives in some of the injectable preparations
(e.g., benzyl alcohol, methylparabens, or others)
or to the nutrients themselves. In most cases (including
a few patients with asthma) preservativecontaining
products were used because the use of
multi-dose vials reduced the cost of treatment to
the patient. However, for some individuals with
known chemical sensitivities or other significant
allergy-related problems, preservative-free preparations
were used.
Although the Myers’ is extremely hypertonic,
it rarely seemed to cause problems related to
its hypertonicity. Two or three patients developed
phlebitis at the injection site; for those patients, later
treatments were diluted with sterile water to a total
of 60 mL. Some patients experienced a burning
sensation at the injection site during the infusion;
this was often corrected by re-positioning the needle
or by further diluting the nutrients.
When administered with caution and respect,
the Myers’ has been generally well tolerated,
and no serious adverse reactions have been encountered
with approximately 15,000 treatments.
Cost Considerations
In 1995, the author’s last year in private
practice, the cost of the materials for a Myers’ was
approximately $5.00. The use of preservative-free
nutrients at least doubled the cost of materials.
Nursing time and administrative factors represented
the majority of the cost of IV nutrient
therapy. In 1995, the author’s fee for a Myers’ was
$38.00. Other doctors have charged as little as
$15.00 or as much as $100.00 or more. Since 1995,
the cost of most of the injectable preparations has
increased by 50-100 percent.
Insurance companies do not generally pay
for this treatment. However, in a few instances,
showing them that IV nutrient therapy had greatly
reduced the overall cost of the patient’s health care
persuaded them to pay.
the_hammer
Jedi
My ex husband had Stage 4 lung cancer and had high doses of Vitamin C administered to him but it did not work for him. He passed away in the very early hours of today.
My condolence the_hammer. I am really sorry. May he rest in peace.
Please accept my deepest condolences.
My condolences to you too, the_hammer. Even our best efforts are limited sometimes but at least there was an effort made in this case.
