Across the country, IV lounges and hydration bars have become increasingly common. While I haven’t stepped inside one yet, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious. Fueled by wellness culture, these modern, spa-like clinics offer intravenous (IV) infusions designed to deliver fluids, electrolytes, vitamins, and nutrients directly into the bloodstream. The goal? Faster absorption, quicker hydration, and a menu of promises from immune support and glowing skin to enhanced energy and post-workout recovery.
And athletes? A prime target.
The Rise of IV Therapy in Wellness and Sport
The IV hydration therapy market was valued at $2.71 billion in 2024 and is projected to keep growing thanks to the U.S.’s large customer base and relatively relaxed regulatory approach to non-hospital IV fluid use. These wellness clinics entice consumers with pre-mixed vitamin cocktails that “boost immunity or energy levels.”
The appeal is understandable for athletes. IV therapy promises rapid rehydration and faster nutrient absorption compared to oral supplementation. After grueling workouts or intense competitions, recovery time matters. As USA Sports Medicine notes, IVs deliver fluids and electrolytes more efficiently than sports drinks, which may be slower to absorb through the digestive system.
Traditionally, intravenous fluids were reserved for treating clinical dehydration, heat illness, or serious electrolyte imbalances like hyponatremia and hypernatremia where oral intake wasn’t enough or even possible. However, with growing pressure to perform, some athletes now turn to IVs preemptively to try to prevent cramping or dehydration despite limited evidence for routine use in healthy, non-emergent situations. What was once a medical intervention is now often used more like a performance hack, and that shift brings scrutiny from sports medicine professionals and regulators alike.
Are IV Drips Safe and Effective for Athletes?
The clinical effectiveness of IV vitamin therapy for healthy individuals remains unproven. While it can help people with nutrient deficiencies or absorption issues, most healthy athletes don’t need intravenous delivery of vitamins and minerals. Bypassing the digestive system eliminates the body’s natural filtration safeguards, potentially leading to nutrient toxicity.
“There is no clear evidence that this works,” said Charles Pedlar, a professor of applied sports and exercise science, in a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. “And on the contrary, there may be negative effects.” The study points out several downsides:
- Infection or inflammation at the injection site
- Air embolism (air bubble entering the bloodstream)
- Allergic reactions
- Nutrient overdose, leading to symptoms such as seizures or irregular heartbeat
- Fluid/volume overload
Even if someone avoids these dangers, if the body doesn’t absorb the nutrients provided by the IV, it will excrete the excess, resulting in “expensive urine.”
Despite these risks, IV therapy has become mainstream in sports recovery, often offered before or after games to athletes seeking that elusive competitive edge.
The Anti-Doping Red Flag
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) classifies intravenous infusions or injections of more than 100 mL per 12-hour period as a prohibited method, regardless of whether the substance itself is banned. This means that even routine medications or vitamins—when delivered in high volumes outside of hospital treatment, surgery, or diagnostic procedures—can trigger a violation. It’s not just what’s in the IV bag that matters, but how and why it’s being used.
This applies even if the injected substance is allowed (e.g., saline, vitamins, rehydration solutions) and is true regardless of how many small-volume injections an athlete receives. WADA includes IV infusions on its Prohibited List not just because of what’s being infused, but because of how the method can be misused. IVs can be used to dilute blood, distort values in the Athlete Biological Passport, or mask the presence of banned substances by manipulating plasma volume. Even using IV fluids for something as routine as post-workout recovery without significant dehydration or medical necessity is not considered a clinically justified reason. Without a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE), athletes risk suspension for something that might seem as harmless as a vitamin drip.
To determine whether a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) is required, athletes should first submit a TUE Pre-Check Form. If the substance being injected is prohibited, then TWO TUEs are needed: one for the IV volume of more than 100 mL in 12 hours and one for the prohibited substance.
No matter how harmless or common IVs may seem at your local lounge, for athletes subject to doping regulations, they could mean the difference between competing and getting disqualified.
In fact, at high-profile events like the Olympic Games, no-needle policies are strictly enforced. Any injection, prohibited or not, requires prior approval and full documentation. These policies are designed not just to catch doping violations, but to protect athlete health and reinforce the use of proper medical care over risky shortcuts.
The implications can be seen in the case of Jon Jones, a USA Mixed Martial Arts athlete, was flagged in 2016 for an anti-doping rule violation related to the use of an IV infusion exceeding the 100 mL per 12-hour limit without a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). USADA determined that Jones had received IV fluids ahead of a fight, which violated anti-doping regulations even though the substances infused were not prohibited. He received a 1-year suspension for the violation, which was considered a “non-intentional” rule breach under WADA’s method-based prohibition.
Although Jones had prior doping infractions, this specific case highlights that method violations (like unauthorized IV infusions) can result in suspension even when the substances used are legal.
Legal Concerns and Regulation
In recent weeks, Ohio regulators issued a joint warning to IV clinics for operating without proper oversight. Officials claim that some of the 200+ clinics in the state are performing medical procedures—such as compounding drugs and administering treatments—without the required pharmacy or medical licenses (The Ohio Capital-Journal).
These clinics often employ registered nurses or paramedics, not prescribers, who recommend and administer treatments based on protocols written by doctors who may not even be present. That setup skirts regulations and raises questions about patient safety.
Ohio regulators recently shut down several clinics for illegal practices, including selling unapproved weight-loss drugs and mislabeling injectables. It’s a reminder that just because a treatment is available at a spa-like lounge doesn’t mean it’s safe or legal.
When is IV therapy actually appropriate in sport?
According to a 2020 position statement published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, there are only a few clear, evidence-supported situations where IV fluids are warranted in elite athletes:
- Severe dehydration when oral fluids can’t be tolerated
- Exertional heat illness (like heat exhaustion or heat stroke)
- Trauma resulting in blood loss and fluid imbalance
- Administration of medications (like IV iron or antibiotics) that require fluid delivery
Even when medically justified, IV fluids should be used judiciously guided by clinical assessment and medical necessity. In most cases, a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) must be filed. For example, IV iron might be prescribed to treat confirmed iron-deficiency anemia, and even routine medications like vancomycin (a powerful antibiotic) would require a TUE due to its method of delivery despite the drug itself not being banned. The volume and clinical setting must still comply with WADA’s code, particularly if more than 100 mL is administered in a 12-hour period.
So Should Athletes Use IV Therapy?
The short answer: not without extreme caution.
Most athletes can (and should) rehydrate and recover through proper nutrition and oral supplementation. The American College of Sports Medicine states that oral hydration is just as effective for most individuals—and it avoids the risks associated with intravenous administration.
Unfortunately, athletes have a soft spot for “safe” alternatives that promise “better performance” and “faster recovery.” Amid the constant pressure to gain an edge, IV therapy has gained traction as a marketed recovery tool. This normalization continues despite a lack of evidence supporting its benefit for healthy athletes and little understanding of its long-term effects.
Check with a sports physician or pharmacist before signing up for a post-game drip or wellness infusion. Because when it comes to clean competition and your health, shortcuts just aren’t worth it.
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Written by Jessie Tobin, MA, BA
After receiving her master’s in professional communication, Jessie began her professional career at a healthcare technology startup, where she managed all content writing, paid media, email marketing and partner relationships. She is deeply passionate about using storytelling to build strong emotional connections between brands and their audiences, a skill she has refined through her YouTube channel, which has over 17 million views. Aside from copywriting, she shares her expertise as a professor at The University of Tampa.