Therapeutic IV Nutritional Therapy in Minneapolis: A Targeted Medical Approach for Chronic Illness, Inflammation, and Mitochondrial Health

Therapeutic IV nutritional therapy is a medically supervised treatment used at Lifespan Health in Minneapolis to support patients dealing with chronic illness, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, toxicity, and treatment-resistant symptoms. Unlike hydration IVs or spa-style wellness drips, therapeutic IV therapy is custom-formulated, based on lab testing, clinical history, and clearly defined therapeutic goals.

This approach is foundational in functional and integrative medicine, especially for patients who need rapid correction of deficiencies, targeted biochemical support, or higher nutrient levels than oral supplements can provide.

What Is Therapeutic IV Nutritional Therapy?

IV nutritional therapy delivers medical-grade nutrients—including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants, metabolic cofactors, and mitochondrial support compounds—directly into the bloodstream. By bypassing the digestive system entirely, IV therapy allows for:

• Rapid, complete absorption

• Higher therapeutic concentrations than oral therapy

• Precise, individualized dosing

• Predictable clinical effects

At Lifespan Health, these infusions are designed to support cellular repair, immune balance, detoxification, and neurologic and mitochondrial function.

Why Choose IV Over Oral Supplements?

Although oral supplements are helpful, they cannot achieve the same potency or reliability as IV administration. IV therapy offers several clinical advantages:

• 100 percent bioavailability

• Immediate therapeutic levels without GI irritation

• Higher dosing than possible with oral supplements

• Customized formulations tailored to your biochemistry

• No dependence on gut absorption

This makes IV therapy ideal for patients with gut inflammation, SIBO, IBD, celiac disease, post-bariatric surgery, or those with high metabolic demand due to chronic illness.

Conditions Supported by Therapeutic IV Nutrient Therapy

Therapeutic IVs at Lifespan Health are used to support a broad range of medical concerns, especially when oral supplements or medications have not provided sufficient improvement.

1. Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Chronic Fatigue

Common nutrients: NAD+, B-complex, L-carnitine, alpha-lipoic acid (ALA)

Helps with: ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, long COVID fatigue, post-viral exhaustion

These formulations target ATP production, oxidative repair, and cellular energy pathways.

2. Neuroinflammation and Cognitive Impairment

Common nutrients: magnesium sulfate, taurine, phosphatidylcholine, glutathione

Helps with: post-concussion syndrome, mold illness, brain fog, cognitive decline

These IVs support membrane repair, neuronal signaling, and reduction of inflammatory mediators.

3. Immune Dysregulation and Chronic Infections

Common nutrients: high-dose vitamin C, zinc, selenium, B6

Helps with: autoimmunity, recurrent infections, long COVID, immune exhaustion

Vitamin C and trace minerals modulate inflammation and support antiviral and antimicrobial defenses.

4. Detoxification and Environmental Illness

Common nutrients: glutathione, ALA, trace minerals

Helps with: mycotoxin illness, chemical sensitivity, heavy metal burden, impaired detox pathways

These IVs enhance phase I/II liver detoxification, antioxidant recycling, and cellular resilience.

5. Digestive Disorders and Malabsorption

Indications: IBD, SIBO, celiac disease, post-bariatric surgery

Benefit: bypasses compromised GI lining to restore nutrient status quickly

IV therapy is especially valuable for patients unable to absorb B vitamins, magnesium, iron, or fat-soluble nutrients orally.

6. Integrative Oncology Support

Common nutrients: high-dose vitamin C, alpha lipoic acid, Poly-MVA

Helps with: exploiting vulnerabilities of cancer cell and giving symptom support during or after cancer treatment (physician-supervised)

Examples of Targeted IV Formulations at Lifespan Health

Our IV protocols are clinically tailored—not premixed or generic. Each formulation is designed to match the patient’s condition, lab values, and treatment goals.

Mitochondrial Support IVs

Ingredients: include--NAD+, L-carnitine, B-complex, magnesium, alpha-lipoic acid

Goal: improve cellular energy production, brain function, and metabolic resilience

Neuroinflammation Protocols

Ingredients: include--magnesium, phosphatidylcholine, taurine, B6

Goal: reduce brain inflammation and improve clarity, processing speed, and cognitive stamina

High-Dose Vitamin C Infusions

Dose: 50–75+g depending on tolerance and therapeutic aim

Goal: immune modulation, oxidative stress regulation, oncology support

Detoxification and Cellular Repair IVs

Ingredients: include--glutathione, trace minerals, B vitamins, targeted cofactors

Goal: support liver function, detox pathways, and cellular antioxidant capacity

Is Therapeutic IV Nutrient Therapy Evidence-Based?

Yes. While protocols vary by clinic, many IV nutrients have decades of clinical use and published research.

Examples include:

• Vitamin C (IV): studied in infection recovery, sepsis, and supportive oncology

• Glutathione: used in toxin clearance, neurodegenerative conditions, and liver disease

• Alpha-lipoic acid: shown to support diabetic neuropathy and liver health

• NAD+: investigated for neuroprotection, addiction recovery, and mitochondrial repair

At Lifespan Health, all IV formulations follow current evidence, clinical experience, and safety standards.

What to Expect During an IV Session

• Sessions typically last 45–90 minutes

• Infusions are administered by trained infusion RNs

• Patients are monitored throughout the session

• Frequency may be weekly, biweekly, or monthly, depending on goals

• Every patient may receive a comprehensive medical evaluation and lab review before starting therapy

Our infusion suite is designed to be calming, comfortable, and supportive—helping patients feel at ease during treatment.

Is Therapeutic IV Therapy Right for You?

You may benefit from therapeutic IV nutrient therapy if you experience:

• Chronic fatigue or mitochondrial dysfunction

• Persistent inflammation or autoimmune issues

• Neuroinflammation, brain fog, or post-concussion symptoms

• Difficulty absorbing oral supplements

• Toxicity symptoms or environmental illness

• Immune imbalance or frequent infections

• Need for accelerated nutritional repletion

• Cancer diagnosis

When integrated into a comprehensive functional medicine plan, IV therapy can help restore balance at the cellular and metabolic level, accelerating healing and improving quality of life