IV vitamin therapy delivers vitamins, minerals and other nutrients straight into your bloodstream through a small intravenous line, so they reach much higher blood levels than the same dose taken by mouth. In Ontario, when a naturopathic doctor gives it, that doctor must hold a separate IV certification from the College of Naturopaths of Ontario and can only treat you in a clinic the College has inspected. Below is what the treatment involves, what the research shows, who it suits and how to tell a safe provider from an unsafe one.
What is IV vitamin therapy?
IV vitamin therapy is a prescribed infusion of nutrients given through a vein. The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine describes it as a way of delivering “vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other natural substances directly into your bloodstream”.
The formula is not one size fits all. Common ingredients include fluids and electrolytes for hydration, B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium and glutathione, an antioxidant that CCNM describes as support “for detoxification, oxidative stress, and tissue protection.” The practitioner chooses the ingredients and the doses after assessing you, which is why CCNM states that “All IV therapy would need to be prescribed by your naturopathic doctor in a visit.”
Some nutrients are also given as a quick intramuscular injection instead of a full drip. Vitamin B12, folate and vitamin D are the most common.
Why take vitamins by IV instead of by mouth?
Because your gut limits how much of a nutrient you can absorb at once, and an infusion skips that limit.
Vitamin C is the clearest example. The U.S. National Cancer Institute explains that “IV administration of vitamin C of doses over 500 mg produces much higher blood concentrations of ascorbate than oral administration of the same dose.” Past a certain point, swallowing more vitamin C does not raise your blood level much further. An infusion does.
Vitamin B12 follows the same logic. According to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, oral absorption of B12 is only about 2% at doses of 500 mcg and 1.3% at doses of 1,000 mcg. The same fact sheet notes that B12 “can be administered parenterally as a prescription medication, usually by intramuscular injection,” that between 3% and 43% of community-dwelling older adults have a B12 deficiency, and that the diabetes medication metformin “might reduce the absorption of vitamin B12.” For people in those groups, an injection is a direct way around the absorption problem.
What are the benefits of IV vitamin therapy?
The benefit with the most research behind it is relief from fatigue.
A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial published in Nutrition Journal gave 141 office workers either a single 10 g infusion of vitamin C or a saline placebo. Fatigue scores were lower in the vitamin C group both two hours and one day after the infusion. The authors concluded that “Administration of high dose intravenous vitamin C reduced fatigue significantly compared to placebo in office workers.”
A systematic review in Nutrients pooled nine studies with 720 participants. Fatigue dropped significantly in three of the four controlled trials, and the reviewers found that “attendant symptoms of fatigue such as sleep disturbances, lack of concentration, depression, and pain were also frequently alleviated.”
People also choose IV therapy for:
- Hydration and electrolyte balance after illness, travel or hard training
- Immune support during cold and flu season
- Recovery after intense exercise
- Skin health, usually with vitamin C and glutathione
- Nutrient support while preparing for pregnancy, as part of a broader fertility plan
At Nurtured Health, the IV and injection therapies are grouped by goal: Restore (hydration, liver and digestive support, fertility), Thrive (energy and clarity, mood, performance and recovery), Protect (immune defense, skin) and Elevate (high dose vitamin C, glutathione and custom formulations).
Who can give IV vitamin therapy in Ontario?
When a naturopathic doctor gives it, the College of Naturopaths of Ontario regulates every step. The College defines IV infusion therapy (IVIT) as the practice that “involves compounding and administering of drugs or substances through intravenous injection.”
To be allowed to do it, a naturopathic doctor must go well beyond the standard licence:
- Complete an approved IVIT course of a minimum of 32 hours
- Pass a three-part examination “that includes written, calculation and demonstration components,” scoring at least 75% on each component
- Show hands-on skill: the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors course requires participants to “successfully complete 10 vascular insertions, osmolarity exercises and demonstrate proficiency in sterile compounding”
The clinic itself is also checked. An IV-certified naturopathic doctor may “Only perform IVIT procedures in an IVIT premises registered with the College which has undergone an inspection and received an outcome of a pass or a pass with conditions.” Those inspections review the physical space, emergency preparedness, infection control, sterile compounding and record keeping, and each premises is re-inspected every five years.
Is IV vitamin therapy safe?
For screened patients treated by a certified practitioner, the safety record is good. The National Cancer Institute reports that “IV vitamin C has been generally well tolerated in clinical trials.”
Screening is what keeps it that way. The same NCI summary describes screening patients “to eliminate treating individuals with risk factors for toxicity (e.g., glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, renal diseases, or urolithiasis).” In plain terms: a G6PD enzyme deficiency, kidney disease or a history of kidney stones can rule out high dose vitamin C. That is why a proper provider takes a full health history and may order blood work before your first infusion.
Tell your naturopathic doctor about every medication and supplement you take, and say so if you are pregnant or trying to conceive. The formula, the dose and whether IV therapy is right for you at all depend on that information.
What are the pros and cons of IV vitamin therapy?
Pros:
- Higher blood levels than the same nutrient taken by mouth
- Bypasses absorption problems in the gut
- Formulated for you after an assessment
- Given under regulated standards in an inspected Ontario clinic
Cons:
- It involves a needle and an IV line
- Sessions take time, from about 30 minutes to 2 hours
- Some people are not candidates after screening
- It supports a health plan, it does not replace good nutrition, sleep and medical care
What happens at an IV therapy appointment?
Your first visit starts with an assessment, not the drip. The naturopathic doctor reviews your health history, current medications, goals and any recent lab results, then designs the formula.
During the infusion you sit in a comfortable chair while the nutrients drip in slowly. Most people read, work on a phone or rest. Treatments at Nurtured Health take 30 minutes to 2 hours and are administered by IV-licensed naturopathic doctors using sterile equipment and established protocols. Afterwards you can usually return to your normal day.
How often you come back depends on the goal. A single infusion for recovery is different from a series planned around fatigue or a fertility timeline, and your naturopathic doctor will set that plan with you.
FAQ
Can I get IV vitamin therapy at home in Mississauga?
Not from a naturopathic doctor. College of Naturopaths of Ontario policy requires IV infusion therapy by naturopathic doctors to be performed only in a registered premises that has passed a College inspection. A clinic visit is part of what makes the treatment safe.
Is IV vitamin therapy better than taking supplements?
It does a different job. For vitamin C, IV doses over 500 mg reach far higher blood levels than oral doses. For everyday needs, food and oral supplements remain the foundation, and many people use IV therapy for specific goals on top of that.
How long does an IV vitamin therapy session take?
At Nurtured Health, 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the formula.
Does IV vitamin therapy help with fatigue?
The research supports it. A randomized placebo-controlled trial found lower fatigue two hours and one day after a 10 g vitamin C infusion, and a review of nine studies found fatigue dropped significantly in three of four controlled trials.
Who should not get IV vitamin therapy?
People with G6PD deficiency, kidney disease or a history of kidney stones may not be candidates for high dose vitamin C. Your naturopathic doctor screens for these before treatment.
Sources
- College of Naturopaths of Ontario. IVIT Inspection Program. 2026.
- College of Naturopaths of Ontario. IVIT Program and Examinations Policy. September 2025.
- National Cancer Institute. Intravenous Vitamin C (PDQ), Health Professional Version. 2025.
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin B12 Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. 2025.
- Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors. IVIT Certification Course. 2026.
- Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. Integrative Cancer Clinic: Therapies.
- Suh SY et al. Intravenous vitamin C administration reduces fatigue in office workers: a double-blind randomized controlled trial. Nutrition Journal, 2012.
- Vollbracht C, Kraft K. Feasibility of Vitamin C in the Treatment of Post Viral Fatigue with Focus on Long COVID, Based on a Systematic Review of IV Vitamin C on Fatigue. Nutrients, 2021.