Celebrities and fashion models will often resort to extreme measures to stay thin and maintain their good looks. All manner of fad diets and body cleanses can be found circulating through Hollywood at any given time, placing superficial beauty ahead of sound nutritional value and optimal health. One such diet, the Drip Diet, may take things to a new low, forsaking food in favor of receiving nutrients through an intravenous drip.
Function
Individuals on the Drip Diet replace one or all of their meals with an IV drip to receive necessary vitamins and nutrients without having to actually eat food and consume calories. IV bags deliver the nutrients directly into the individual's bloodstream through a needle inserted into the arm, bypassing the digestive system entirely. The absorbed nutrients may even reduce appetite and trick the brain into feeling full. Adhering to the Drip Diet will result in a natural weight loss, since the dieter intakes far fewer calories than normal.
Features
The IV bags used for the Drip Diet contain 10 ml multivitamin, 100 mg thiamine, 1 mg folic acid, one liter of saline and occasionally some magnesium sulphate, according to the Mail Online. The multivitamin gives the IV solution its distinctive yellow tint. Doctors typically administer IV treatments during medical emergencies or to treat severe alcoholics and other ill patients who have difficulty digesting solid foods.
Considerations
The Drip Diet's IV bags cannot provide the body with enough nutrients to support proper health. While they may be able to deliver certain valuable vitamins, the IV bags do not contain protein or essential fatty acids, two key components in good health. Essential fatty acid deficiency, in particular, can lead to fatigue, irritability and a decreased ability to burn calories, not to mention dry hair, skin and nails, according to Marc David, nutritional psychologist and the founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating. Meanwhile, protein deficiency can lead to growth failure, muscle loss and a weakening of the heart and respiratory system.
Warning
The Drip Diet is extremely dangerous and should not be seen as a legitimate weight-loss strategy. Aside from the aforementioned nutritional deficiencies, the Drip Diet may also lead to serious health risks due to neglecting the digestive system. The body's digestive tract contains extensive immune tissue. Not eating food fails to keep the digestive tract and accompanying immune tissue functioning properly, compromising the immune system and exposing the individual to numerous potential ailments.
References
- Daily Mail; Going Bananas for IV: The A-Lister's New Diet Craze Involving an Intravenous Drip and a Bag Full of Vitamins; Ashley Pearson; September 15, 2008
- She Finds: Tired of Eating? Try the IV Diet
- Every Diet: Protein Benefits
- New York Magazine: Hot New Trend: Lose Weight With Intravenous Drips!
- Institute for the Psychology of Eating: About Marc David
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