While there is no official tally for the number of IV lounges in the state, an online search shows nearly 100 businesses offering nonmedical IV infusions in the Greater Boston area. Some have membership-based models such as IV League Hydration, in South Boston and Salem, N.H., that offer discounts to keep people coming back monthly.
Some IV treatments cost about $200. Others, particularly those containing newer compounds such as NAD+, can run up to $600. The treatments promise benefits ranging from immune support to enhanced athletic performance, delivered through vitamin-enriched fluids administered directly into the bloodstream.
That Friday, he selected a boosted version of an immunity treatment at Vivolo Wellness that includes a liter of fluids and smaller amounts of vitamins, and Blazo added 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C and 1,000 milligrams of the antioxidant Glutathione through an IV drip and a 100 milligram shot to the shoulder of NAD+, according to a recent Boston Globe report. Regular customers like attorney John Blazo visit weekly, believing the treatments prevent illness and boost performance.
Unlike vitamins taken by mouth, IV infusions deliver higher doses directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the body's digestive filters — which means the effects are faster, but the risks are higher. Evidence that IVs provide benefits to otherwise healthy people is thin to nonexistent, medical experts warn. Winston believes IV therapy can help replenish electrolytes and nutrition for athletes or people recovering from illness, but cautions against frequent use without a clear medical need. "I do not recommend IVs every week," Winston said. "That is too excessive and absolutely unnecessary." Most nutrients, she noted, should come from food.
Dr. Ali S. Raja, executive vice chair of emergency medicine at Mass General Brigham, said IVs are powerful medical tools that should not be marketed like spa treatments. IVs "can be used safely in non-hospital settings, but usually with strict oversight by trained professionals," he said. While Massachusetts requires all IV drips to be administered by nurses, not all nurses have experience starting IVs.
