IV hydration spas are popping up across the United States, offering pricey vitamin infusions that promise energy, detox or immune support, but experts warn the science doesn't back up those claims.
A study published Oct. 6 in JAMA Internal Medicine found that the IV hydration industry operates with almost no regulation and little medical evidence to support its supposed health benefits.
These businesses are operating "almost completely without evidence," study co-author Dr. Peter Lurie, president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, told NBC News. “As a result, there’s a real danger to consumers.”
Hydration clinics and medical spas offering IV vitamin drips, cosmetic treatments and skin procedures have exploded into a $15 billion wellness industry, according to the American Med Spa Association.
Despite their popularity, “this is a medical system that exists largely outside of conventional medicine,” Lurie said.
There are no federal regulations or national safety standards for their operation.
Of 50 states, only 32 have any kind of rule or policy related to IV hydration services. And just four — Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina and Vermont — have what researchers called “comprehensive oversight.”
“This is a medical system that exists largely outside of conventional medicine,” Lurie told NBC News.
“We’re worried that people will spend their money on these without reason to expect benefits," he said. "We’re also worried that there will be adverse effects related to this.”
That risk includes infection, allergic reactions and contamination, especially when IVs are given by untrained providers.
Alex Thiersch, CEO of the American Med Spa Association, said many owners of these businesses may not realize they’re practicing medicine.
“We have had folks who are surprised by that,” Thiersch said. “They thought, ‘I’m just doing an IV. It’s different. It’s vitamins.’ If you’re putting a needle in someone’s vein, that’s 100% medical practice.”
The study included an analysis of 255 clinic websites and a “secret shopper” investigation involving 87 randomly selected spas.
More than half the websites advertised IV treatments with vague health claims such using as magnesium for headaches or glutathione to “boost immunity," NBC News reported.
Only two sites cited scientific sources for their claims, and none mentioned risks like infection or allergic reaction.
When researchers posed as customers, more than 85% of clinics recommended specific IV cocktails for symptoms like fatigue or colds often without asking about medical history.
Only 1 in 4 clinics required a medical consultation beforehand and fewer than 25% warned about possible side effects.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has previously issued warnings about med spa injections marketed to dissolve fat, citing cases of infection and scarring linked to unapproved shots.