You may have already seen a post out there of an influencer receiving serum directly into a vein as a form of therapy, even beauty therapy — to improve skin or hair, for example. But is what seems like complete madness true? We talked to the postgraduate doctor in nutrology and endocrinology Lorena Balestra To clarify.
WHAT IS SEROTHERAPY
Serotherapy is a medical treatment that consists of administering intravenous drugs or solutions to the human body with the aim of treating or preventing various diseases or health disorders. These serums can contain a variety of substances, such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants, among others, and be administered directly into the bloodstream intravenously.
This therapeutic option has been gaining more and more space in medicine, thanks to its health benefits.
SERUM THERAPY BENEFITS
According to Lorena Balestra, unlike supplements or administration of vitamins orally, serum therapy is administered directly into the bloodstream, which enables greater absorption and effectiveness of nutrients.
She says that, according to scientific articles, serum therapy has advantages over oral supplementation, such as faster therapeutic response, more efficient absorption of nutrients and reduced risk of side effects.
“In addition, serum therapy allows higher doses of nutrients to be tolerated, which can be especially beneficial in cases of nutritional deficiency or chronic diseases,” he said.
SEROTHERAPY AND METABOLISM
A study published in the scientific journal Nutrients in 2017 evaluated the effectiveness of vitamin C serum therapy in patients with metabolic syndrome. The results showed that intravenous administration of vitamin C was more effective than oral supplementation in reducing blood glucose and lipid levels, in addition to having a better safety profile.
Another study, published in the scientific journal Antioxidants in 2020, compared the effectiveness of serum therapy, vitamin D replacement in relation to oral supplementation in patients with deficiency. The injectable route proved to be more effective than the oral route with better levels of vitamin D in the blood.
According to Lorena, “in the past, Nutrologists or Endocrine doctors prescribed a variety of assets such as minerals, vitamins, anti-oxidants and the patient had to take several capsules a day. Today, capsules have evolved into ampoules and are convenient to inject every 15 or 20 days or so and make sure everything is absorbed”.
TYPES OF SERA
“The serums can be with specific purposes according to the objective of each patient: Detox, Anti-oxidants, Mitochondrial anti-fatigue, Anti-muscle fatigue, Mass gain, Improve hair, skin and nail health, Disposition and energy” , mentioned.
However, it is important to emphasize that serum therapy must be administered by qualified health professionals and in adequate conditions to guarantee the safety and efficacy of the treatment.