Whether via television or Instagram, you’ve likely seen celebrities from Chrissy Teigen to Gwyneth Paltrow hooked up to intravenous (IV) vitamin drips to boost their immune systems and enhance energy to keep up with their busy schedules. But vitamin drips aren’t just to get celebrities through a cold so they can make it through a day of press junkets or filming. 

Vitamin drips grant nutrients direct access to your body’s cells, ensuring almost immediate benefits. One of their many benefits, in addition to their ability to improve heart health, reduce migraine symptoms, and prevent asthma attacks, is to give the immune system a boost so that it can better fight against not only a cold but other ailments that may threaten the quality of your health. 

The Northport Wellness Center’s Wellness Alliance member, Integrative Healing Center packages a few of these minerals in intravenous bags. Our integrative medical care includes vitamin C and magnesium IV nutritional drips to reduce your risk of the common cold and its symptoms. 

Integrative Healing Center staff administer the IV therapy, which can take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes. Soon after leaving, patients can feel the results, enhancing their ability to fight infections and colds.

If you are currently unable to enjoy the advantages of vitamin drips, you can take daily supplements of the vitamins found in drips to keep your immune system strong. 

Several vitamins and nutrients that can be used separately as supplements or combined in an IV vitamin drip to enhance your immune system include:

Vitamin B6

This nutrient, also known as pyridoxine, is necessary to support biochemical reactions in the immune system. If your body is lacking vitamin B6, the number of antibodies needed to fight infection could decrease. 

Vitamin C

An ascorbic acid and antioxidant, vitamin C assists in the growth and repair of tissues, maintains bones, teeth, skin and cartilage, and fights free radicals in the body. 

According to Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School’s publication, those who are in top physical shape and take 200 mg of vitamin C every day can reduce the risk of getting a cold by half. Those who aren’t marathon runners or skiers—meaning, the general population—cannot reduce the risk of developing a cold through daily vitamin C intake. However, if the latter takes 200 mg or more of vitamin C daily, they can reduce the duration of cold symptoms by 8 percent in adults, and 14 percent in children. 

Vitamin E

An antioxidant, vitamin E is a vital nutrient for maintaining your immune system, reducing free radical damage, and slowing the aging process of your cells. One study found those taking vitamin E supplements were 20 percent less likely to suffer from respiratory tract infections, and reduced the occurrence of the common cold by 22 percent in a population of 65 years and older. 

Magnesium

Involved in more than 300 chemical reactions in your body, magnesium ensures your immune system remains strong. A lack of magnesium can lead to inflammation, a weakened immune system, and more. 

Zinc

The mineral zinc has become a popular natural treatment for common colds and upper respiratory infections. A meta-analysis of three randomized controlled trials showed zinc acetate lozenges may increase the rate of recovery from the common cold threefold.  

Selenium

The antioxidant selenium lowers your body’s oxidative stress, reducing inflammation and boosting immunity. 

The Northport Wellness Center's store offers many of the supplements listed above and more. Our goal is to assist you in supporting your immune system so that you can enjoy optimal health.