There’s an increase in interest in alternative therapies these days, with lots of people taking an active part in their wellbeing, so they can feel their healthiest self.

One of the best ways to boost your health and feel energetic is with an alkaline IV drip, which rebalances the pH levels in the body when it becomes too acidic.

To find out what alkaline IV therapy involves and what the benefits are, read on.

What is Alkaline IV therapy?

The body needs to maintain a pH of 7.4, but if it becomes too acidic, this can cause lots of health issues. Therefore, it is important to restore the natural pH balance by neutralising the acids in the body.

Alkaline IV therapy is an intravenous treatment of concentrated sodium bicarbonate. This infusion delivers alkaline minerals, such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, into the body.

It goes straight into the bloodstream to ensure it works quickly and effectively by bypassing the digestive system, so that minerals do not become purged by the body and can be absorbed more efficiently. This is the reason why it is a more effective means of boosting alkaline levels than through eating an alkaline-rich diet or taking supplements.

What are the health complications of low alkaline levels?

A drop in alkaline in the body is known as metabolic acidosis. This can affect anyone, but most typically occurs in people with kidney disease or kidney failure, as it means the kidneys are not flushing out enough acid in the urine. Therefore, the blood becomes too acidic.

It can also be caused by a build-up of ketones in the body, such as from untreated diabetes; or by taking too many laxatives or having severe diarrhoea, as this means the body is losing too much sodium bicarbonate.

Some people also have too much lactic acid in their body through intense exercise, alcohol use, low blood sugar or liver failure. Those who are obese or have epilepsy are also at a higher risk of a pH imbalance.

The most common symptoms of metabolic acidosis are fatigue, nausea, vomiting, confusion, dizziness, headaches, rapid breathing, weakness, and an accelerated heartbeat. Some people also experience a sweet-smelling breath.

Sufferers might also experience confusion, heart palpitations and a loss of appetite.

These difficulties are not only uncomfortable and unpleasant, but in extreme cases, metabolic acidosis can cause organ failure and can even be fatal.

While acidosis can be severe, it is treatable through alkaline IV drips, alongside eating more alkaline-rich foods. 

Anyone who has experienced some of these symptoms that cannot be explained by other conditions can be diagnosed with blood or urine tests, which look at the body’s pH level.

How can Alkaline IV therapy improve health outcomes?

Depending on the severity of the imbalance and the reason behind it, alkaline IV therapy can be very effective and can completely improve the quality of life for those who suffer badly with the symptoms of acidosis.

– Reduce inflammation

A 2024 study, which was published in the journal Medicine, revealed a connection between alkaline therapy and a reduction in inflammation.

It reduced joint pain and swelling in those suffering from gout, which is a form of arthritis that typically affects the legs, feet and, in particular, the big toe. It is caused by too much uric acid in the body, which results in a build-up of crystals in the joints.

As alkaline therapy rebalances the pH levels in the body, this means there is less concentration of uric acid, and the body will not produce as many painful crystals.

– Eases chronic conditions

Though alkaline therapy does not provide a cure for chronic illnesses, such as kidney disease, it can certainly be an effective treatment of uncomfortable symptoms.

For instance, findings published in the National Library of Medicine revealed it can improve kidney function for those with chronic kidney disease. Therefore, it can slow down the progression of the illness and make sufferers feel more comfortable.

In addition to relieving symptoms of kidney disease, it could lower the risk of kidney stones, which can be very painful.

It could also help those with diabetes by lowering blood sugar levels, improving insulin sensitivity, and decreasing lipid levels.

A study was conducted on both diabetic and non-diabetic rats that concluded alkaline supplementation “holds significant promise for positively impacting these metabolic processes and enhancing antioxidant defenses”.

This suggests it could be used as a tool to manage metabolic disorders like diabetes. It could also reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

– Improved skin, hair and bone health

As alkaline has antioxidant properties, this helps to neutralise free radicals that cause damage to cells. As a result, it boosts bone health, and improves the appearance of skin and hair.

There have also been reports that it can reduce the occurrence of bone resorption, which is when minerals are lost from bones.

If the body has too much acid, this can increase the breaking down of bones, so rebalancing pH levels leads to stronger bone density and a reduction in fracture risks.

Research into the bone density of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis showed alkaline water can improve their condition. The mean T-scores of the femur and spine bones increased significantly in the group given alkaline water.

Therefore, alkaline therapy could be an effective treatment for postmenopausal women who want to increase their bone density and either prevent osteoporosis or improve their symptoms, which includes back pain, stooped shoulders, brittle nails, loose teeth, and frequent fractures.

– Improved circulation

There is some evidence alkaline therapy can also help with heart function, as it reduces blood viscosity. Those who have higher blood viscosity, or thicker blood, are at greater risk of cardiovascular problems, including heart attacks, strokes and heart disease.

By thinning the blood, this makes the flow more efficient, and helps the heart work more effectively. It can also reduce blood pressure, thanks to increasing potassium levels in the body, which helps blood travel better through veins and arteries.

In addition to these chronic illnesses, having a weekly infusion of alkaline therapy, as well as eating an alkaline-rich diet, can help with acid reflux and heartburn, improve hydration after exercise, boost athletic performance, and increase energy levels.