Intravenous Vitamin Therapy
By Annete Velarde
Everyone has heard the adage “You are what you eat.” However, in today’s fast-paced world, most people are simply too busy for the time- consuming regimen required to reach optimum nutrient levels. Fortunately, there’s a faster and easier way to give our bodies the nutrients they need to not only fight off fatigue and illness, but also achieve our best sports performance and youthful appearance: IV Vitamin Therapy.
The Vitamin Bar is the creation of Park City locals, Derek Johnson, D.O., Nate Kofford, M.D. and McKenzie Johnson, R.N. “As health care providers, we have watched people struggle to recover from surgery or illness and maintain overall wellness. When we began to research IV Vitamin Therapy and its many benefits, we knew it could be the answer,” McKenzie recalled. Taken in pill form, vitamins may lose more than 70% of their potency by the time they reach the tissues. When given through an IV, these crucial micro-nutrients are administered directly into the bloodstream and are 100% absorbed at the cellular level where they are needed most. Without IV vitamin therapy, it is nearly impossible to obtain the nutritional status that our bodies require.
“Because most people have some level of nutrient depletion, replacing vitamins intravenously is an essential step toward peak nutritional health,” said McKenzie. Stress, whether caused by psychological, environmental or physiological factors, is increasingly hard on the body and causes rapid depletion of crucial vitamins. Common gastrointestinal disorders such as IBS and Crohn’s Disease also cause many people to suffer from an inability to adequately absorb vitamins and minerals. When these nutrients are given intravenously, they bypass the problems associated with the GI tract and are able to be fully absorbed. The staff has developed vitamin combinations in doses that are effective and safe for nearly everyone. “We have a menu of nine intensive vitamin cocktails that tackle a variety of common complaints, but if a client doesn’t see what they want, we will create a custom formulation for them,” McKenzie explains.
The Vitamin Bar also offers treatments that remedy short- term conditions like jet-lag, altitude sickness, or a hang-over. Are you just arriving from L.A. and feel like you’re dragging? The “Jet Lag” combo of B complex, Glutathione and multivitamins will have you feeling your best in no time. Too much to drink last night? Try “Hair of the Dog” — a combination of Toradol, Zofran, B complex, Thiamine and Folic Acid that relieves the pain and lifts the fog.
Clients often come in for The Vitamin Bar’s “Forever Young” formulation that is full of Glutathione, vitamins A, C, E, B complex and Biotin — the building blocks of healthy skin, nails and hair. This custom “facial in a bag” is designed to help clients look younger and more refreshed by working
on their skin from the inside- out. During exercise, essential minerals, electrolytes and water are lost. In order to replenish, athletes frequently hydrate before and after events with “Weekend Warrior,” packed full of electrolytes, vitamins, and anti- inflammatories.
“My main goal is to educate people on how to naturally achieve and maintain optimal health and wellness. I want to teach them how to feel their best, all of the time,” said McKenzie. “The Vitamin Bar can help anyone who is interested in better nutrition, improved immune function, or relief from a short- term ailment that is spoiling their day.”
