![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/EJRECP75SKXQD3DMQA5DW56J5Q.jpg\")
A portion of the menu, with different choices for customers, is seen at the club.John Tlumacki\/Globe Staff<\/p>\n\u201cI would always get flus and colds a couple times a year,\u201d said Blazo, 34, an attorney and Vivolo regular. \u201cBut what really drove me here is performance and wellness. I don\u2019t get sick at all now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Across Massachusetts, customers such as Blazo are paying hundreds of dollars for vitamins and supplements readily available for much less in pill and powder firm, and despite the fact their benefits have long been questioned. <\/p>\n
The trend started before the pandemic but has accelerated as consumers chase immunity boosts, quicker recoveries from everyday ailments, and perceived shortcuts to better health. The field is also attracting nurses to administer the IVs, drawing them from already understaffed clinics and chaotic emergency rooms.<\/p>\n
Known as medspas, esthetic clinics, and standalone \u201cdrip bars,\u201d they advertise vitamin infusions that promise anything from recovering from a hangover or running a marathon, to clearer skin, sharper focus, and quicker bounce-backs after travel or illness.<\/p>\n
Some IV treatments cost about $200. Others, particularly those containing newer compounds such as NAD+, can run up to $600. <\/p>\n
In the Vivolo room where Blazo was getting his infusion, there was soft lighting, art, and a menu of treatments that read more like that of a smoothie bar than a medical clinic\u2019s.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a much better experience than sitting in a waiting room with a bunch of sick people,\u201d said Blazo. \u201cIt\u2019s 100 percent worth it. You only get one body. It\u2019s worth investing in it.\u201d <\/p>\n
But the return on that investment is unclear. <\/p>\n
A portion of the menu, with different choices for customers, is seen at the club.John Tlumacki\/Globe Staff<\/p>\n
Unlike vitamins taken by mouth, IV infusions deliver higher doses directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the body\u2019s digestive filters \u2014 which means the effects are faster, but the risks are higher. <\/p>\n
Evidence that IVs provide benefits to otherwise healthy people is thin to nonexistent, and doctors warn that, improperly administered, IVs can expose customers to complications, including infections and electrolyte imbalances.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
IVs \u201dcan be used safely in non-hospital settings, but usually with strict oversight by trained professionals,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Raja added he occasionally sees patients in the emergency room who experience complications after receiving an IV infusion outside hospitals. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s usually things like infections at the site, vein inflammation, or people getting too much fluid because of underlying heart or kidney issues,\u201d Raja said. \u201cWe also sometimes see reactions to specific ingredients.\u201d<\/p>\n
Most cases are treatable, he said, and some could have been prevented with better screening. For healthy people, the benefits may be modest. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe biggest danger might be the false sense of security,\u201d Raja said. \u201cPeople think they\u2019re getting preventative care when they\u2019re really just buying an expensive, mildly helpful pick-me-up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Many of the nutrients used in IV drips, including vitamin C and zinc, are important for health, but evidence that high doses prevent illness in healthy adults is limited, Raja said. NAD+<\/a>, a compound involved in cellular metabolism and energy production, has attracted attention for its purported antiaging benefits.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s trendy,\u201d said Raja. \u201cBut we don\u2019t have strong human data that using it in periodic IV doses actually slows aging.\u201d<\/p>\n IVs can cause side effects like nausea, electrolyte imbalances, and chest tightness, he said. For most people, traditional health habits remain far more impactful.<\/p>\n But that\u2019s not stopping the growth of the medspa market, which in 2022 was a $15 billion<\/a> industry with nearly 9,000 facilities in the US. A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine last year<\/a> found that, as with dietary supplements, this market is largely unregulated.<\/p>\n \u201cThe concern here is a fast-growing new kind of medical service that seems to slip between the cracks of state and federal regulation and has the potential for significant adverse effects, not to mention a draining effect on a person\u2019s wallet,\u201d Dr. Peter Lurie, director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest and a coauthor on the study, told JAMA<\/a>.<\/p>\n Massachusetts requires medspas, including those that provide IV drips, Botox, fillers, and other cosmetic procedures, to be licensed by the Department of Public Health, unless they are operated by a physician, nurse practitioner, or other licensed medical provider. <\/p>\n 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<\/a>, in South Boston and Salem, N.H., that offer discounts to keep people coming back monthly. <\/p>\n Melissa Shaw was a nurse at a rehabilitation facility for years before helping launch Vivolo Wellness<\/a> with the owners of Monument Fitness, a nearby gym where she worked out.<\/p>\n \u201cI felt very burnt out in bedside nursing and wanted to make a slight career change while still helping people,\u201d she said. \u201cThis is a much calmer environment, and I feel like I\u2019m making an impact by keeping people healthy and happy.\u201d<\/p>\n Vivolo opened in September after months of planning by Monument Fitness owners Aaron Landes and Stacy Kroon. Landes remembers his first encounter with IV therapy years ago during a bachelor party trip to Nashville, where they ordered IVs for hangover recovery. <\/p>\n The idea stuck. By the time the pandemic reshaped conversations about health, the couple began thinking more seriously about a wellness-focused business and partnered with Shaw and a medical director.<\/p>\n \u201cCOVID was a clear time that the healthier you were, the less likely it was going to hurt you,\u201d Landes said. \u201cPreventive wellness and preventive care are becoming more popular.\u201d<\/p>\n While Massachusetts requires all IV drips to be administered by nurses, not all nurses have experience starting IVs. <\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t necessarily learn that in nursing school,\u201d said Alison Oxton, who works at RN Esthetics<\/a>, which has locations in Lynnfield, Salem, and Newburyport. \u201cER nurses do IVs all day long, so they become very good at it.\u201d <\/p>\n Oxton helped launch one of the state\u2019s earlier IV therapy businesses in 2017 after years of working in emergency rooms. She later coauthored a research article, \u201cHow to Start an IV Drip Bar<\/a>,\u201d as a blueprint for medical professionals to enter the field. <\/p>\n She believes there isn\u2019t enough government oversight of the field and she also draws a distinction between businesses run by medical professionals and those that are not. <\/p>\n \u201cThere are businesses that are owned by nonmedical providers that just want to make money,\u201d she said. \u201cBut when you\u2019re actually an RN, doing it yourself and treating people for decades, you know it\u2019s not a waste of money.\u201d<\/p>\n Oxton and other providers formed a nonprofit group called Aesthetic Medical Providers of Massachusetts to push for clearer guidelines that define esthetic and medical roles. <\/p>\n Dr. Daniela Winston has watched the IV trend evolve for nearly a decade. She was among the first physicians in Boston to offer wellness IVs when she launched Cryomed in 2016, combining cryotherapy, infrared sauna treatments, and vitamin infusions.<\/p>\n Today, she runs a concierge medical practice on Newbury Street called Wellness Atelier<\/a>. 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.<\/p>\n \u201cI do not recommend IVs every week,\u201d Winston said. \u201cThat is too excessive and absolutely unnecessary.\u201d<\/p>\n Most nutrients, she noted, should come from food. She also criticizes some wellness marketing that promotes flu cures, and particularly events where IV drips are paired with alcohol.<\/p>\n Today, she often recommends testing patients to determine if they have documented nutrient deficiencies before considering IV therapy.<\/p>\n \u201cAt this day and age, we have labs that can analyze your nutritional status,\u201d she said. \u201cThen we replenish those vitamins accordingly.\u201d<\/p>\n Ask about medical oversight: Find out who supervises the treatment (often a physician or medical director) and what happens if you have a reaction.Check experience: Ask how long the clinic has been open and whether the nurse placing the IV has specialized IV training.Know the health risks: While generally safe, complications could include bruising, infection, allergic reactions, and vein inflammation. Dr. Raja recommends people check with their providers before getting an IV, especially pregnant people and those with poor heart or kidney function, who are especially vulnerable to fluid overload.Ask what\u2019s in the bag: Many clinics source vitamins from compounding pharmacies such as Olympia Pharmaceuticals or McKesson, but you should still ask about ingredients and potential side effects.Know the limits: Experts say IV drips aren\u2019t a substitute for routine care, vaccines, sleep, exercise, and good nutrition. Myers\u2019 Cocktail: Perhaps the best-known IV blend, this mixture of vitamin C, B vitamins, magnesium, and calcium dates back to the 1960s and is often marketed for fatigue, migraines, and general wellness.Glutathione: An antioxidant added to IV treatments for purported skin brightening and \u201cdetoxification.\u201dImmunity drips: Typically vitamin C, zinc, and other nutrients marketed to support immune health.NAD+ infusions: Short for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, a coenzyme involved in cellular metabolism and energy production. In the wellness world, NAD+<\/a> has become trendy for claims that it may support brain function, energy, and even aging, though much of the research remains preliminary.<\/p>\n Sarah Rahal can be reached at sarah.rahal@globe.com<\/a>. Follow her on X @SarahRahal_<\/a> or Instagram @sarah.rahal<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"RN](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/7PBXVUPD4KQB3BQJSTT6NQIZAA.jpg\")
RN Melissa Shaw checked on an IV drip bag for client John Blazo.John Tlumacki\/Globe Staff<\/p>\n![\"Vivolo](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/CMVQJMXIGQYVJ3UIMO4RW2K5UE.jpg\")
Vivolo Wellness Club in Charlestown.John Tlumacki\/Globe Staff<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4UD7ZGQDMRALZHHJF4E2LV74L4.jpg\")
Melissa Shaw filled an injectable dose of NADs.John Tlumacki\/Globe Staff<\/p>\nRN Melissa Shaw checked on an IV drip bag for client John Blazo.John Tlumacki\/Globe Staff<\/p>\n