IV Therapy Reimagined by Physicians for Longevity
A few years ago, intravenous (or IV) therapy was largely associated with the bachelor and bachelorette crowd — a quick fix after a night of overindulgence. Today though, IV therapy has evolved into something far more sophisticated and what gets me super excited as a fitness and wellness enthusiast. By combining vitamins with advances in wellness and preventative care, IV therapy is increasingly being used to support overall health, longevity, athletic performance and metabolic health. Sure, it can still help you bounce back from an illness or a hangover, but the future of IV therapy feels much more aligned with optimizing long-term health and quality of life.
Recently, I came across a new business on the Main Line that brings IV therapy right to you. And while concierge IV services aren’t new, MD IV is doing things differently when it comes to what they offer and how they deliver care.
For me, the biggest difference is that MD IV is founded, owned and operated by two emergency medicine physicians. Knowing that experienced medical professionals are coming into my home to administer my IV treatment immediately puts me at ease.
In Pennsylvania, IV therapy must operate under medical supervision, with a licensed healthcare professional, such as an MD, DO, NP or PA, overseeing the operation. And the services must be administered by a qualified professional such as a nurse (RN or LPN), under supervision. So the law does not require a physician be on site or anywhere near the place that you are getting your treatment. But with MD IV, board-certified physicians, Zack and Jenn Repanshek are there. They are formulating the treatment bags. They are assessing and overseeing the patients. And in some situations, they are even administering the treatments themselves. In addition to Dr. Zack and Dr. Jenn, MD IV employs three experienced ER trauma nurses that the Repansheks have known and worked with in the hospital setting. Jenn points out that their team at MD IV has “real clinical experience in the emergency room” which is especially valuable when administering a service like IV therapy.
IV therapy has faced skepticism in the past, largely due to the risks associated with delivering substances directly into the bloodstream without proper oversight. While those concerns may be valid, choosing a physician-led provider can significantly reduce those risks. Personally, I feel far more comfortable receiving treatment in this type of medically supervised environment. That sense of confidence makes a meaningful difference — whether you’re wary of needles or simply want the reassurance that you’re in capable hands.
The Repansheks live and work in this Main Line community, and their commitment to bringing advanced medical care to the area where they’re raising their family is clear. Their goal is simple: help patients feel better and achieve meaningful health outcomes.
The higher standard of care with MD IV shows up in the details. For one, the professionals at MD IV will always get a full set of vitals before the needles even come out of their travel medical bags. Blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation levels and temperature are all taken right away. It’s a basic first step, but not one that every IV therapy provider consistently performs. This alone sets a different tone right from the jump.
They also offer thoughtful touches that improve comfort and safety of the treatment. For instance, I was offered topical lidocaine cream to numb the area before the IV was placed— a small detail, but one I was happy to accept. For patients with difficult veins, the team uses a portable ultrasound machine to ensure accurate placement. They also carry a complete anaphylaxis kit, adding another layer of preparedness. Altogether, these measures reflect a level of care that goes beyond the norm.
Even the IV bags themselves are carefully considered. MD IV uses bags with fewer microplastics in them. They source their vitamins and medications from reputable, domestic pharmacies. In addition to standard saline, they may use “Lactated Ringer’s” solution, which more closely matches the body’s natural electrolyte balance and can be a better option for IV therapy in some situations. With MD IV, the result is the highest end and most balanced bag of treatment possible.
The treatment options are equally well designed. While every IV can be customized, the booking process starts with a selection of eight core blends tailored to common goals or symptoms. From there, you can work directly with the MD IV team to fine-tune your treatment, ensuring it’s personalized to your needs.
The 8 core blends at MD IV are top notch. They are broken down into “Core Wellness” (which includes hydration and immunity bags), “Rapid Relief” (for migraine and illness relief), “Performance and Metabolic” (this includes the bags I’d use in advance of a fitness event or as part of my training for a fitness event) and “Longevity and Healthspan” (which is what everyone is gonna be talking about!).
Some of my favorites from MD IV:
Athletes Edge: I always get an IV ahead of a big fitness event (like a running race or most recently, my Hyrox race) and I am telling you, it makes such a difference in your performance and then in your recovery. This bag includes the usual suspects in performance infusions such as B-Complex (energy production and cellular health), Magnesium (muscle function) and electrolytes (hydration and fluid balance). But this bag also has an amino acid blend to help build and repair muscles. This bag is particularly beneficial when made part of a regular routine to help put on muscle and then maintain it.
Metabolic Reset: The contents of this bag are also great ahead of a fitness event because this bag includes Vitamin C (immunity; brain and heart health), Glutathione (detoxification, cellular repair and immune support), Magnesium (muscle function), B-Complex (energy production and cellular health) and B-12 (aides in converting food into usable fuel) which will also enhance performance and recovery. This is the bag I’d get 1-2 days before an event.
Elite Longevity: This right here is the future of IV treatments, and I'll talk more about NAD+ below. In addition to NAD+, this particular treatment includes Vitamin C (immunity; brain and heart health), Glutathione (immunity) and Zinc (immune support).
Total Reset: This is the Cadillac of all IV treatments, and lucky for me, it’s what I got when Dr. Jenn visited me a few weeks ago. Designed for “cellular renewal” this bag includes NAD+, Vitamin C (immunity; brain and heart health), Magnesium (energy and muscle function), B12 (brain health and mood regulation), B-Complex (energy production, brain function and cellular health) and Glutathione (detoxification, cellular repair and immune support) plus the more high-end fluid of Lactated Ringer’s. While it costs the most of any offerings at MD IV, this treatment lasts the longest with noticeable benefits apparent for up to two weeks! And this treatment provides real long term effects when received consistently over time.
If you’re not familiar with NAD+ (don’t worry - I wasn’t either), NAD+ is quickly becoming one of the most talked about tools in the longevity space. NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a coenzyme found in every cell of the body, playing a crucial role in cellular energy production, DNA repair and overall metabolic function. NAD levels decline as we age, and that drop accelerates right around perimenopause (as if we needed one more thing on that list!). As those levels decrease, so does the body’s ability to function optimally at the cellular level. In other words, signs of aging show up and you start to feel physically and mentally depleted.
Of course there are natural ways to support NAD+ levels which include exercise, quality sleep and a healthy diet. Or you can supplement NAD+. The idea behind an NAD+ supplement is simple— restore those levels and in theory, slow the aging process. So did we just find the fountain of youth? Maybe… Research is still ongoing, but the conversation around the benefits of NAD+ supplements is hard to ignore. “There’s a strong body of research around NAD+ and its role in how the body produces energy and recovers from stress at a cellular level, which is what’s driving interest in the fitness and performance space. While IV supplementation specifically is still being studied, the underlying biology is well established, and it’s increasingly being explored as part of a broader approach to optimizing recovery and energy” says Dr. Jenn Repanshek.
You can take an NAD+ supplement in the form of a pill, powder or gel. However, those methods don’t allow for optimal absorption of NAD+. IV therapy, on the other hand, delivers NAD+ directly into the bloodstream, making it one of the most effective way to get NAD+ into your cells where it can do its anti-aging thing.
NAD+ supplementation, when taken consistently over time, has already been linked to improved cellular function, better overall health and anti-aging benefits.
Being that I just turned 46 this month, I figured that I am at the perfect candidate to give NAD+ a try. And lucky for me, Dr. Jenn was ready to make that happen. In the days after receiving my NAD+ boost from MD IV, I noticed two major improvements in my daily life: increased energy and mental clarity. My energy felt steady throughout the entire day. I could exercise, parent and keep up with my busy lifestyle all day without crashing. I had all the energy when I needed it yet was able to easily fall asleep at night. I also experienced sharper focus and more consistent mental clarity throughout my entire day, not just in the morning (when I’m typically at my best). This felt like a major win for me.
If I decided to keep up with consistent NAD+ treatments (Dr. Jenn recommends a 2-week load, followed by monthly maintenance), it’s expected that I will also experience those longer term anti-aging benefits. It seems as though NAD+ has the prospect of extending the human lifespan and that’s freaking incredible. And while the science is still evolving, the potential is undeniably exciting.
MD IV makes IV therapy safe and simple:
Booking your appointment online: If you are traveling or have an event, you’ll want to schedule your appointment with MD IV 1-2 days before that date. If you are sick, obviously you’ll want to schedule your appointment as soon as possible for immediate relief of pain and symptoms (MD IV will work with you to get to you as soon as possible). If your goal is longevity or enhanced performance, then you’ll want a standing appointment with MD IV every few weeks.
Communicate with MD IV: The bags are made up ahead of time and your medical professional will only bring what is needed for the appointment based on your booking — so make sure to communicate your goals and symptoms clearly with MD IV. They’ll make suggestions and bring along options based on those conversations.
The day of: You don’t need to do anything leading up to your appointment. It’s recommended that you eat light before your appointment — and don’t eat before your NAD+ appointment, which comes with the side effect of nausea during the IV.
The appointment: Once MD IV arrives at your house, they take care of everything. They can set up anywhere in your home and will oversee you the entire time — don’t worry, they are happy to post up in a nearby room so you don’t feel like you need to “host” them while you are getting your treatment. Most bags take about 30 minutes to an hour for the body to absorb.
(NAD+ however is very different. This is a therapy that you feel immediately when it enters your bloodstream. If you are getting it too quickly then you will experience cramping (I got muscle cramps in my legs and arms), nausea and even headaches. So in order to mitigate some of those symptoms, the liquid is released into the bloodstream at a much slower pace. Therefore, this particular treatment takes a lot longer. My bag took over 2.5 hours to empty. Any uncomfortable symptoms you experienced while getting NAD+, immediately go away the moment the infusion is done. ).
Payment: Since you already paid online when you booked the appointment, there is no money exchanged on the day of the treatment (unless you added certain things to your bag onsite). With MD IV, there is no tipping so there’s zero weirdness at the end of your appointment.
After your treatment: There’s really nothing to do. You can expect to pee a lot because your body just took in liquids. And with any medical procedure, you’ll want to continue to drink water, eat well and get sufficient sleep.
It really is that simple to feel immediate relief and the magical effects of IV therapy.
With a physician-led approach, thoughtful customization, and a focus on long-term wellness rather than quick fixes, MD IV is helping to redefine what this type of treatment can look like. For me, the experience delivered real, noticeable benefits, and more importantly, a sense of trust in the process. As more people look for ways to feel better, age well, and stay ahead of their health, this feels like one of those innovations worth paying attention to.
*This post is a sponsored post.