Home > Health & Nutrition

Intravenous drips: The hype and risks of its use at endurance events

Intravenous drips: A trend at endurance events as a means of hydration and now companies are profiting off the unproven technology.

A lack of scientific evidence has raised concerns of administering intravenous drips at running events.

Intravenous Drips
A common issue runners battle at endurance events is hydration. How much, how often, and what kind. 

Intravenous drips in running

One form of treating dehydration, especially at endurance events, has been through the use of intravenous (IV) drips. Some see IV drips as a quick way to replenish nutrients and liquids after a race. Proponents of the practice note that not all nutrients consumed by drinking liquids are absorbed by the body and the use of an IV drip can fill that gap, allowing a runner to recover quickly.

Recently, companies have begun marketing the practice at events, offering the treatment for a price, upwards of $200 per drip bag.

Hyponatremia: What it is and what to look out for

Rarely mentioned in articles on intravenous drips is the risk of hyponatremia, an often-misdiagnosed condition that runners confuse for dehydration. The medical condition known as hyponatremia occurs when a person’s blood sodium levels become abnormally low.

Both dehydration and over-hydration have similar symptoms; nausea, headache, fatigue, and muscle spasms or cramps.

If an athlete is over-hydrated, an intravenous may exacerbate the problem. To purchase an intravenous drip, not from a medical tent but from a for-profit company, an athlete fills out a medical form to determine if they’re qualified. No blood tests, just a questionnaire.

“A potentially fatal procedure.”

A study on hyponatremia in endurance events, led by the University of California Davis Medical Center, noted that treating athletes with oral or intravenous fluids could be “disastrous” for an athlete with exercise-induced hyponatremia. The study adds that the onset of significant symptoms may be delayed for an hour or more following exercise.

The study concludes that mild levels of dehydration, in most cases, are not hazardous and rarely require intravenous rehydration, which can cost upwards of $200 per drip-bag. The drips are infused with vitamins, minerals and pain medication.

“There is little evidence to support the use of intravenous fluids to aid recovery so these companies are selling unproven treatments,” said Richard Bowry, the chief of anesthesia at North York General Hospital in Toronto. “Unless you have the proper medical equipment to check a patient’s sodium levels, you run the risk of administering an IV to someone with hyponatremia, a potentially fatal procedure.”

RELATED: How much do you need to drink – On hydration and performance.

Ethics

Intravenous drips are prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency citing, “Intravenous infusions or any intravenous injection of more than 50 mL per six-hour period are prohibited except for those legitimately received in the course of hospital admissions, surgical procedures, or clinical investigations.” The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports (CCES) abides by items Wada lists as prohibited.

Wada clarifies that “the use of IV fluid replacement following exercise to correct mild re-hydration is not clinically indicated nor substantiated by the medical literature.”

Common misbeliefs relating to hydration led Tim Noakes, famous for his book Lore of Running, to publish Waterlogged. For years, hyponatremia was misdiagnosed as dehydration, according to Noakes, and treated with – you guessed it – more water.

A recent study echoed Noakes’ remarks adding sodium supplementation during exercise has not been shown to prevent the development of hyponatremia.

RELATED: Training tips: Practice hydration on the run.

“You can become hyponatremic from drinking sports drinks as well,” said Alistair Munro, a coach with MB Performance. “Sodium intake does not protect you from this condition, it’s volume-dependent.”

Selling the product

The Denver Post reported that companies offering IV drips have targeted endurance athletes in Denver while the services are also becoming popular in Las Vegas and New York, despite the practice being banned at sanctioned events. There are also a number of Canadian clinics, including several in Vancouver and Toronto, that offer treatment.

Having privatized companies offering intravenous drips at endurance races may tie up valuable medical resources if something goes wrong, plus the use promotes a treatment that is banned at sanctioned events.

Bowry adds that, “The bottom line with IV drips is companies are selling a quick-fix that is unproven and may be hazardous”

Check out the latest buyer's guide:

The best trainers in Canada under $150

We curated the best performance trainers under $150 to meet your 2024 running goals, while staying on budget