Review: Mobivive’s Mobile IV Bus Offers IV Treatments On-The-Go

Could a vitamin IV drip really make me feel more energetic or cure my post-workout pains? That was the question on my mind before I tried one a few weeks ago. Intravenous vitamin therapy is the latest health fad, with celebrities and regular old Joes lining up for the treatment. Fans of IV therapy say it can do everything from boosting your immune system to brightening your skin. Sounds pretty great, right, right?

Mobivive, a locally-based company, offers several IV drip treatments; there’s one to detox your body, one to cure a hangover, one to boost your immune system, and one to alleviate muscle soreness and reduce post-workout stiffness. There’s even one that can be customised to your individual vitamin needs based on a lab test to identify your vitamin deficiencies.

Mobivive’s IV drip treatment on-the-go

I was invited to try Mobivive’s signature treatment, the Royal IV, and the best part? I barely had to leave the house as Mobivive’s fully kitted out IV bus could come to me! Mobivive’s treatments are administered through an IV drip, containing minerals, electrolytes, amino acids and antioxidants, allowing nutrients to flood straight into the bloodstream and nourish it at a cellular level.

According to Mobivive, the Royal IV treatment provides your body with a double dosage of antioxidants together with 15 different vitamins, delivered directly to your bloodstream in two separate IVs to boost every possible vitamin deficiency that you might have. It covers detoxification, immune boost, anti-ageing, energy boost, muscle recovery, fat burn, skin glow, stress relief and memory improvement. This is all thanks to its mix of Vitamin C, Glutathione, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B1, Magnesium Suphate, Glutamine, Biotin, Selenium, Zinc, Folic Acid, Calcium Gluconate, Vitamin B2), Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, L-Carnitine Plus, and Alpha Lipoic Acid.

With this IV drip, you get all the available vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, trace elements, nutrients and amino acids that can be offered through an Intravenous drip. Long story short, it’s ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ of IV drip treatments.

The benefits of IV drip treatments

According to Mobivive, “IV drips introduce fluids and essential nutrients directly into the body with 100% delivery of benefits straight to the target organs.” The company’s FAQ section on its website points out that “IV infusions aren’t meant to substitute the oral intake of water, vitamins and minerals, they rather serve as a supplement or alternative solution to quickly rehydrate and replenish nutrients to restore your body to its peak balance.”

I already take daily vitamins, as recommended by my doctor, and supplement my high-intensity workout regime with plenty of magnesium and muscle recovery therapy. So, I would like to think that my health is in pretty good shape. But, I still had to know; could this drip help boost all the stuff I already do? My biggest concerns I was hoping to tackle going into the treatment were muscle recovery, boosting my energy levels, and giving my immune system a bit of a kick-start. I had struggled with the flu the week before and was hoping that the treatment would help give my body some much-needed extra support.

IV treatments are said to directly deliver nutrients to the body, bypassing the digestive process, which is why it’s supposed to have instant results. It is hypothesised that we only absorb a fraction of the nutrients we ingest, and for many people, IV drip treatments are a quick way to possibly increase that percentage.

The risks & side effects of IV drip treatments

Of course, as with any medical treatment, IV drips do come with certain risks that patients need to be aware of before booking a session. Each session is overseen by a registered nurse, but even with an expert at the helm, IV drip treatments patients should be aware that there is a risk of Thrombophlebitis from the treatment.

Improperly inserted IVs can create a stroke-causing air embolism or cause the fluids to leak into nearby tissue, which may also expose a person to possible infection. However, Mobivive points out in its FAQs that “Thrombophlebitis is extremely rare when correct sterile protocols are followed and when the drip is used for single administration of fluids only. It is a general side-effect due to the placement of an intravenous cannula and is not associated with the active ingredients used.”

Mobivive’s certified administrators are highly experienced and thoroughly trained, and to help make the treatment extra comfortable for the patient, a topical numbing agent is used on the area before the needle is inserted. The numbing agent the nurse used worked super quickly and I barely felt the IV being inserted into my inner elbow area.

As for side effects, very few people have reported a slight headache after the detox drip and some people also get minor bruising at the needle site, which again is normal and usually not painful. I did experience a slight headache after the treatment, but it subsided after an hour or two. I also had a bruise at the injection site for a few days after the treatment, but I bruise easily, so I expected that to be the case.

What it’s like to get a vitamin IV drip

First things first, let’s talk about Mobivive’s mobile treatment lounge. This IV lounge on wheels is nothing short of spectacular. Heck, I would hang out on this bus all the time if they allowed me to. The luxury minibus is fully kitted out with ultra-comfortable armchairs, fluffy blankets, free WiFi, and even a virtual reality headset available to help you relax and meditate during the treatment time.

The bus rolled into my neighbourhood right on schedule and parked outside my home for the treatment period, so I didn’t have to worry about driving anywhere to enjoy this treatment. If that’s not your idea of bliss in this day and age, then I don’t know what is. I received a phone call when the bus arrived and all I needed to do was board the bus, chose a seat and wait to get started.

After swiping and signing all liability away on an iPad, the super friendly nurse first checked my blood pressure to make sure everything was normal. Then she inserted the IV drip, which felt like a very slight pinch, thanks to the numbing cream. I sat for about an hour as the drip slowly worked its way into my veins. While I waited for the drip to work its magic, I sat back, relaxed and listened to a podcast. The treatment itself was a bit of a non-event, I didn’t feel much, and at times I even forgot the drip was there.

After the infusion was over, the needle was removed, and I was released back into the world. I found the whole experience quite relaxing. Because, how often do you give yourself permission to just sit in an armchair and relax for an hour while you ignore the problems of the world?

What are the after-effects of a vitamin IV drip treatment?

The Mobivive administrator who handled my treatment explained that it may take a few hours for all the vitamins and minerals to circulate through my system and that I should start feeling the effects about 4 hours after treatment. I did feel a bit light-headed after the treatment but I drank some water and relaxed for a few minutes and the sensation passed fairly quickly.

While I didn’t feel very much different immediately after the treatment, I did feel a marked difference in my energy levels a few hours after the treatment. This was a welcome change from the usual energy dip I often feel in the late afternoons. 24 hours after treatment, I also noticed that my muscles didn’t feel as fatigued as they usually did following my hour-long resistance training session. My skin looked a little brighter than usual too, and the subtle pollen-induced sinus sniffles I was experiencing the day before had miraculously vanished.

This could be chalked up to a placebo effect, but it could also mean that the treatment is a great way to give your body a boost before a big event or after recovering from the flu. If you’re considering trying an IV treatment to help treat a specific concern then I would suggest getting a lab test first to check your vitamin levels, so you know you’re not wasting your efforts and money, and, most importantly, are giving your body what it really needs.

Many vitamins, like vitamins B and C are water-soluble (meaning your body will just eliminate what it doesn’t need through urine), but other vitamins and minerals, like too much magnesium, for example, can lead to issues like cardiac arrhythmia. So, testing your blood to see if you have vitamin deficiencies before trying this is a good idea.

What are the costs of the IV treatment?

Mobivive’s vitamin IV drip treatments range between R750 for a 30-minute treatment, depending on the drip. The Royal IV treatment is priced at R2,450 for 45-minutes. Check out the full menu of Mobivive IV therapy treatments here.

Booking a treatment with Mobivive is easy; and can be done online through the Mobivive website. When making your booking, all you need to do is select your treatment and indicate where you would like to get your treatment done with your preferred date and time.

Treatments can be done at the Mobivive IV Therapy lounge at The Promenade shopping mall in Camps Bay; in the luxury Mobile IV Lounge at your nearest designated location, or in the comfort of your own home with a registered nurse to provide you with your desired treatment. There is a R150 call-out fee per mobile IV with s minimum of R300 per call-out (bus & in-house).