IV therapy is a powerful, quick way to get you the necessary nutrients. Vitamins, minerals and amino acids are delivered directly into the blood stream; therefore, it is a much more effective mode of delivery than oral supplements. Oral supplements are broken down by our digestive system, and therefore we do not absorb the full dose.
With respect to cancer treatments, the most common IV therapies are intravenous vitamin C (IVC), IV mistletoe, IV artesunate, and post-treatment immune and nutritional IVs. IV therapy is an effective way to increase energy, reduce pain, prevent weight loss, lower inflammation, decrease nausea, improve sleep, enhance mood, improve appetite, and just generally get you feeling better. Additionally and importantly, some IV therapies have anti-cancer properties, and while you are feeling better, your body is also fighting cancer.
From the time you enter our clinic to the time you leave, you can expect your appointment to last anywhere from 1-2.5 hours, depending on the type of IV you receive. You can bring a book, or listen to music, or even bring your laptop and watch a movie. Most people find the experience very relaxing and therapeutic.
Let’s take a look at some common injection IV therapies offered by the clinic.
Intravenous Therapy
Intravenous Vitamin C
One of the most effective IV therapies for patients with cancer is intravenous vitamin C. Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin with many necessary roles in the human body essential to optimal functioning health. Due to its water soluble nature, this also means that is very unlikely to ever cause toxicity in the body.
At physiologic (meaning very low) levels, vitamin C is required for its antioxidant properties, and protects proteins, fats and DNA from oxidation (meaning damage). It helps to recycle other antioxidants, such as glutathione, and is involved in the production of hormones. Interestingly, it has been shown that vitamin C even acts all the way down to the gene level, and is pivotal in controlling the process of healthy genes being turned “on”.
With respect to cancer, the delivery of vitamin C intravenously has been investigated since the 1970s, when research by Cameron and colleagues looked at giving terminal cancer patients just 10 grams of vitamin C daily, which led to the extension of their life, with an increased quality of life, compared to patients who did not receive the treatment. These results were replicated by Murata and Morishige, who showed that delivering 5-30 grams of vitamin C intravenously to uterine cancer patients allowed them to live six times longer than their counterparts who did not receive the treatment.
Newer findings support the notion that vitamin C deficiency may be associated with the development of cancers of the oral cavity, stomach, esophagus, pancreas, cervix, breast and rectum. While the development of cancer is almost always multifactorial, correcting vitamin C deficiency would be an important aspect of cancer treatment.
Mechanisms by which vitamin C have been proposed to support cancer treatment are increasing immune system activity, stimulating collagen synthesis and thereby inhibiting cancer metastasis, inhibiting cancer causing viruses, speeding wound healing after surgery, and decreasing the side effects of both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. (Front Oncol, 2021;10:600715). Intravenous vitamin C has also been shown to arrest the growth of cancer cells, decrease inflammation, and even enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy and immunotherapy (Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 2005;102:13604)(Sci Transl Med, 2020;12:eaay8707).
The timing and dose of IV vitamin C treatments differs for everyone, and we will discuss the optimal treatment schedule for you during your initial consultation.
Mistletoe
Mistletoe is one of the most commonly prescribed medications for cancer in some countries in Europe, and is registered as a drug in Switzerland and Germany. It is extremely safe and has been used for over 100 years.
Mistletoe is an immunomodulator, which means it works its magic by influencing the immune system. The immune system has a big role to play when it comes to winning the fight against cancer. Numerous studies have shown that immediately following treatment with mistletoe, white blood cell counts increase, such as neutrophils, leukocytes, natural killer cells, and cytotoxic T-cells. If you like to read studies, here is a link to a recent article discussing how mistletoe influences the immune system.
Mistletoe is often used during chemotherapy as, like IV vitamin C, it can help prevent or reduce unwanted side effects, such as fatigue and pain. There have been numerous reviews of mistletoe reporting its ability to increase quality of life, and most show positive outcomes. Many studies also report on overall survival of cancer patients who use mistletoe, and while they are retrospective or observational in nature, many have found increased survival rates in various types of cancer.
Artesunate
The 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Chinese researcher Tu Youyou for her discovery of a novel compound in the Sweet Wormwood plant, called artemisinin. It has been estimated to have saved over a million lives in those who have been infected with malaria. How artemisinin causes death in cells infected with the malaria parasite is by producing a very large amount of reactive oxygen species, or free radicals, causing cell death. This has prompted the investigation of using artemisinin, and other compounds from the Sweet Wormwood plant, for the treatment of cancer.
Multiple in vitro experiments have been performed and have shown that artemisinin possess remarkable anti-cancer activity against a variety of tumour cell lines, including prostate cancer, leukaemia, head and neck cancer, neuroblastoma, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, thyroid cancer, esophageal cancer, colon cancer, stomach cancer and lung cancer. (Oncol Lett, 2021;22(5):750.)
Human clinical trials are few, but the results have supported the notion that artemisinin has an important role to play in cancer treatment. One study included 12 patients with relapsing glioblastoma, who had all been treated with radiation, chemotherapy and temozolomide. Oral artemisnin was added to their treatment regimen (treatment duration was 3-72 months). While 8 patients were already at advanced stages and died within 5 months, the remaining four patients had an average survival time of 46 months, with one month living for 105 months. (Phytomedicine, 2024;123:155274)
A 2008 trial of 121 patients with non-small cell lung cancer found that when artesunate was added to standard chemotherapy, short term survival rates were enhanced, without interfering with the drugs (Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao. 2008 Feb;6(2):134-8). A 2014 study in 20 colon cancer patients showed that artesunate directly contributed to cancer cell death, and may also reduce recurrence rates (EBioMedicine. 2014 Nov 15;2(1):82-90). Survival has also been shown to be greatly increased in stage IV breast cancer patients with the addition of artesunate to standard therapy (Standish et al., 2013).
Nutritional IVs
Nutritional IVs are a blend of vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, B vitamins, magnesium, selenium, and zinc. Nutritional IVs can also include amino acids that can help increase muscle mass. Antioxidants, such as glutathione, can be helpful additions to IVs after the completion of your cancer treatment to replenish the body of its natural cancer-fighting ability. These IVs are very hydrating, and most people feel like a million bucks after their treatment.
Nutritional IVs are often prescribed prior to surgery to help speed healing, prevent infection, lower pain and improve energy. Many people report excellent healing from surgery, and feeling better than they anticipated. These IVs are also commonly prescribed during convalescence, as a very common complaint after chemotherapy is “I’m just not feeling great.” Nutritional IVs are a gentle and effective way to help you recover.
Ask me how IV therapies might fit into your treatment plan. Book an appointment today!
