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How can vitamin IV therapy complement your wellbeing? In a very specific way: it delivers vitamins and minerals directly into the bloodstream, with complete absorption that does not depend on digestion, and it provides immediate hydration. That is why it is considered as a complement in specific situations: dehydration after a long trip, periods of greater physical or mental strain, or occasional nutrient deficiencies. What it cannot do is replace a diagnosis. If fatigue lasts more than two or three weeks, or appears alongside other symptoms, the first step is a medical consultation. At Santé, every IV therapy protocol always begins with a medical assessment.
Key points
- Persistent fatigue has dozens of possible causes; IV therapy only addresses some of them, and always as a complement.
- A vitamin drip session lasts between 30 and 60 minutes; NAD+ infusions last between 60 and 120 minutes.
- The scientific evidence in people without diagnosed deficiencies is weak: results vary from person to person.
- Tiredness lasting more than three weeks, weight loss, fever or shortness of breath: see your doctor first.
- At Santé, every IV protocol begins with a medical assessment; vitamin drips cost €250 per session.
Why does persistent fatigue appear?
Fatigue is routinely among the most frequent reasons for seeking medical advice, and it rarely has a single cause. Sleeping less than six hours, sustained stress, disordered eating or excess screen time explain a large share of cases.
Medical factors also play a role: iron-deficiency anaemia, vitamin B12 or vitamin D deficiency, thyroid disorders, sleep apnoea or a persistently low mood. That is why no intravenous vitamin can replace a clinical history and blood tests when tiredness sets in.
Two references help put into perspective how often tiredness has a treatable medical cause. The first comes from the World Health Organization's report on the global prevalence of anaemia:
The WHO estimates that anaemia affects around a quarter of the world's population and that iron deficiency is its most frequent cause. Tiredness is often one of its first symptoms.
The second comes from clinical practice guidelines on vitamin B12 deficiency:
Clinical guidelines describe this deficiency as a frequent cause of fatigue, especially from the age of 60, and stress that it is treatable once diagnosed.
What is vitamin IV therapy?
IV therapy, or intravenous therapy, delivers vitamins, minerals and other nutrients directly into the bloodstream through an intravenous line. Because it bypasses the digestive system, absorption is complete and does not depend on digestion.
It is worth being honest about the evidence. When a confirmed deficiency exists — for example, of iron or vitamin B12 — correcting it does improve fatigue: this is one of the best-supported points in the evidence. In contrast, in healthy people without a diagnosed deficiency, the available evidence on the benefit of intravenous vitamins is weak: studies are scarce, small and heterogeneous, and do not demonstrate a clear benefit. That is why at Santé IV therapy is always presented as a wellbeing complement, never as a treatment for a disease.
A standard session lasts between 30 and 60 minutes and is performed by medical staff. At Santé, the IV therapy service is led by Dr. Alejandro Infante and every protocol is carried out by a licensed medical doctor after a prior assessment.
What it can offer and what it cannot
As a complement, Santé describes these support areas for its IV therapy: energy and vitality, immune system support, and recovery, including dehydration after long trips or jet lag. NAD+ is also used as support for cellular energy production, cognitive clarity, mood and anti-aging. In all these areas — including those of NAD+ — results vary from person to person: these are support areas, not promised outcomes.
In practice, these are the situations in which it is most often considered as a complement:
- After a long flight or a trip with jet lag and dehydration.
- During periods of intense physical or mental strain, as support for energy and vitality.
- As support for recovery after occasional excesses, including hangovers.
- In people who train, as support for physical performance and muscle recovery.
In all these cases we are talking about support, never a guaranteed result: results vary.
What it cannot do is just as important: it does not cure chronic fatigue syndrome, it does not correct hypothyroidism or anaemia, and it cannot sustainably compensate for sleeping five hours. If the medical assessment detects a possible organic cause, the right thing is to refer you to your doctor before considering any drip.
IV therapy options at Santé
These are the available options, with their composition, support area, duration and price per session:
| Drip | Composition | Support area | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SANTÉ Premium Drip | Glutathione, vitamin C, B complex, biotin and magnesium | Energy, vitality and recovery | 30–60 min | €250 |
| Fitness Drip | Carnitine, B complex, zinc, taurine, vitamin C and biotin | Physical performance and muscle recovery | 30–60 min | €250 |
| Custom Drip | Personalized formula after medical assessment | According to your goals | 30–60 min | Varies with personalization |
| NAD+ IV 250 mg | NAD+ | Cellular energy, cognitive clarity and mood | 60–120 min | €500 |
| NAD+ IV 500 mg | NAD+ | Cellular energy, cognitive clarity and mood | 60–120 min | €750 |
| NAD+ IV 1000 mg | NAD+ | Cellular energy, cognitive clarity and mood | 60–120 min | €1,000 |
For NAD+, the medical team usually recommends courses of four to six sessions when sustained support is sought. Results vary from person to person.
What you can expect from a session
The process is simple and is always preceded by a medical assessment:
- Medical assessment
- History and goals
- Suitable for IV therapy
- Choice of drip
- Referral to your doctor
- 30-to-120-minute session
- Advice and follow-up
During the session you remain seated or lying down while the drip is administered drop by drop. Most people resume their normal activity as soon as it finishes.
When will you notice it? Some people describe a feeling of hydration and lightness the same day; others notice subtle changes over the following two or three days, and others notice no difference. The effect is assessed in the days after each session and, in the case of NAD+, once the course is complete. What we cannot promise is a specific result: in people without a diagnosed deficiency, the individual response varies and no drip guarantees an increase in energy.
When fatigue requires seeing a doctor
There are signs that make a medical consultation a priority, before any aesthetic or wellbeing approach:
| Sign | Recommended course of action |
|---|---|
| Fatigue lasting more than three or four weeks despite resting well | See your doctor and have basic blood tests |
| Unexplained weight loss, fever or night sweats | Priority medical consultation |
| Shortness of breath, palpitations or chest pain | Urgent medical assessment |
| Snoring with pauses or intense daytime sleepiness | Sleep study with your doctor |
| Low mood persisting for weeks | Consultation with a healthcare professional |
In these cases, IV therapy is not the first step. For conditions that fall outside aesthetic medicine, a consultation with your doctor or a specialist is the appropriate next step; IV therapy can be considered afterwards as a complement, never as a substitute.
How Santé Clinics approaches it
At Santé, IV therapy is treated as what it is: a medical procedure. Every protocol begins with a medical assessment (€50) in which your history, medication and goals are reviewed; if that assessment suggests a cause that requires investigation, the indication is to refer you to your doctor before considering any drip.
If IV therapy is indicated, the medical team designs a personalized protocol: a one-off Premium or Fitness Drip, a Custom Drip tailored to your needs, or a course of four to six NAD+ sessions. The aesthetic consultation is free, prices are public, and the two-week follow-up review is included at no extra cost.
We see patients in Spanish, English, Portuguese and Russian, at Avenida Diagonal 384, Barcelona.
Frequently asked questions
Does IV therapy cure chronic tiredness?
No. Chronic fatigue syndrome is a complex condition that requires specialized medical management. IV therapy can be considered a wellbeing complement in healthy people, with results that vary from person to person.
How long does the effect of a vitamin drip last?
It depends on each person and their starting point. The feeling of hydration is usually noticed the same day and can last several days; for more sustained support with NAD+, the medical team usually recommends courses of four to six sessions.
Is IV therapy safe?
At Santé it is performed by a licensed medical doctor after a prior assessment, which reduces the risks. The most frequent effects are mild: discomfort or a small bruise at the puncture site. Contraindications are reviewed at the initial consultation.
Do I need blood tests before the session?
Not always: the medical assessment decides in each case. If your symptoms suggest a deficiency or an organic cause, we will recommend that you see your doctor for blood tests before considering any drip.
I'm healthy but exhausted from work or jet lag: can I have a drip?
Yes, as an occasional complement: recovery after long trips and dehydration are two of the usual support areas. Always after a medical assessment, and knowing that no drip replaces rest, hydration and a regular sleep routine.
