What intravenous (IV) therapy actually does.

Pharmacy-prepared fluids, electrolytes, and a blend of vitamins and minerals matched to you at intake, with add-ons to personalize it further. Our blends are compounded in a sterile lab by an accredited Canadian pharmacy, with any final additions made on-site by your Registered Nurse using careful technique and single-use, sealed supplies, within nursing scope of practice.

Most blends average about 45 minutes once the IV is placed, and can shift a little with the blend and any add-ons. A Glutathione IV is faster, about 15 minutes. For a first visit, block 90 minutes. That covers your nurse's arrival, the intake review, the drip itself, and a quiet pause afterwards.

Vitamins taken orally pass through the digestive system and the liver first, where much of what you take is broken down, filtered, or never fully absorbed. IV delivery sends fluids and nutrients directly into circulation, where the body can use them immediately.²

You'll feel a small pinch when the catheter is placed, similar to a routine blood draw. After that, most people don't feel the drip itself.

Most clients describe feeling clearer, more hydrated, and more like themselves within the same day. Some notice it most the morning after. Individual experience varies. IV therapy is a supportive wellness service. It isn't intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.³

Cadence is set on an individual basis by the NP at intake. Drip Tonic does not publish a one-size-fits-all schedule. More is not better, and every interval is reviewed for your safety.¹

Per Cleveland Clinic, IV vitamin therapy isn't recommended for people with heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, or who are pregnant. Per the Merck Manual, people with known abnormalities in magnesium or potassium levels should also avoid infusions containing those minerals. Your NP reviews these at intake, and if we can't safely book you, we'll tell you.¹³

Drip Tonic is a mobile service across Toronto, the GTA and surrounding areas: Mississauga, Oakville, Burlington, Vaughan, Markham, North York, Etobicoke, Scarborough, Richmond Hill, and surrounding areas. We also serve hotels, offices, and private events on request. See the full service area →

Most clients tolerate IV therapy well, and most experience none of these. When effects do come up they're mild and short-lived: a cool sensation along the arm as the fluids run, a brief taste in the mouth that some guests notice, light flushing or warmth, a small bruise at the IV site that fades within a day or two, and, rarely, an allergic reaction. Less commonly, dizziness or a vasovagal response can occur; your RN stays with you throughout, carries a reaction kit on every visit, and slows or pauses the drip the moment anything feels off. Per Cleveland Clinic, more serious reactions are uncommon when therapy is administered by a trained clinician.¹

Hydration and the clarity most people describe tend to arrive within the same session and linger afterwards. How long varies from person to person, and with the blend and your starting baseline. IV therapy is supportive, not corrective. Most clients book around the moments that matter rather than on a fixed schedule. Individual experience varies.

An IV drip places a thin line in a vein and delivers fluids and a personalized blend of vitamins over 45 to 60 minutes. An IM (intramuscular) shot is a single injection into the muscle, done in a few minutes, useful when you want a quick top-up of one or two specific nutrients without the full session. See our IM shots page for the full comparison.

Yes. You don’t need to fast for your drip. We actually recommend a light meal beforehand and drinking water normally in the hours leading up to your appointment. Caffeine is fine. Heavy alcohol the night before isn’t recommended: dehydration narrows the veins and makes the line harder to place comfortably.