Tuesday 16 August 2022 11:37 PM Doctors warn of 'needle-happy' culture in professional sports trends now
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IV drips are becoming the norm in professional sports despite no proof they work or are safe, doctors have warned.
Some footballers, basketballers and baseball players at top clubs in the UK and US are using them multiple times a week as part of their pre or post game routine.
The treatment involve nutrients such as B vitamins, amino acids and electrolytes — normally found in healthy food — being supplied directly to the blood intravenously.
They are supposed to make people feel less tired and revitalised, but there is no evidence to show they work.
A group of international club doctors, including from football teams Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United, said players should be encouraged to have a healthier diet and stop using needles.
Once the preserve of costly celebrity clinics, IV drips are now easily accessible, with some companies delivering them to people’s homes.
Others require customers to go to a high street salon, some of which are located in England’s biggest shopping centres.
Former Manchester City footballer Samir Nasri was banned for six months after being caught using an IV drip in 2016.
Doctors said there is little evidence the drips actually benefit their performance but warned they could cause long-term liver disease and nerve damage.
Professional athletes are being given IV drips with vitamins and minerals far too often, doctors have warned
