Experts, noting that serum is administered intravenously and that opening vascular access has its own unique risks, state that vascular access must be opened by authorized healthcare personnel under hospital conditions, and that a person attempting to open vascular access at a hairdresser is either unauthorized or violating laws.
Prof. Dr. İsmail Tayfun Uzbay, Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, emphasizing that the use of vitamins, which are believed to provide dynamism like a so-called 'elixir of life' and protect against cancer, flu, and similar viral diseases, as well as problems related to nutritional deficiencies, stated, “This is not true. A balanced presence of vitamins and minerals in the body is important for health, but using certain cocktails indiscriminately without accurately determining what is deficient and without a doctor's prescription can lead to health problems that may even result in death.”
Prof. Dr. İsmail Tayfun Uzbay, Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Üsküdar Üniversitesi, and Advisor to the Rector, evaluated the issue of getting vitamin infusions at hairdressers and the administration of vitamin serums outside of hospital settings.
Opening Vascular Access Has Its Own Unique Risks
Prof. Dr. İsmail Tayfun Uzbay, noting that everyone should clearly understand what serum administration means, said, “Serum is administered intravenously, and opening vascular access has its own unique risks. Vascular access must absolutely be opened by a competent and authorized healthcare professional under hospital conditions. If it is to be opened at home, the expert physician must approve that the patient can receive treatment in this way at home, and the procedure must be carried out by a specialist healthcare professional.”
A Person Attempting to Open Vascular Access at a Hairdresser is Either Unauthorized or Violating Laws
Regarding the opening of vascular access and administering serum at a hairdresser, Prof. Dr. İsmail Tayfun Uzbay provided the following information.
“If vascular access is opened and serum is administered at a hairdresser, two problems arise. Firstly, no healthcare personnel is authorized to open vascular access outside of a hospital and without a physician's instruction. From a professional ethics standpoint, this is a severe misuse of the profession. Furthermore, legal responsibilities are also involved. A person attempting to open vascular access at a hairdresser is either unauthorized, not a competent healthcare professional, or is violating the ethical rules of the profession and the laws.
There is a Danger of Dangerous Infections Such as HIV and Hepatitis
One of the biggest risks here is the possibility of infection. The infections that may arise can be very serious, including dangerous infections such as HIV and hepatitis. Furthermore, opening vascular access and administering substances intravenously can lead to serious health problems, especially anaphylaxis.
Anaphylaxis is deadly. Therefore, parenteral applications, which we refer to as injections or intravenous administrations by adding substances to a serum, must absolutely be performed in a hospital.”
The Claim of Vitamins Providing Dynamism Like a So-Called “Elixir of Life” is Not True…
Prof. Dr. İsmail Tayfun Uzbay, also emphasizing that the use of vitamins, which are believed to provide dynamism like a so-called “elixir of life” and protect against cancer, flu, and similar viral diseases, as well as problems related to nutritional deficiencies, continued as follows:
“This is not true. A balanced presence of vitamins and minerals in the body is important for health, but using certain cocktails indiscriminately without accurately determining what is deficient and without a doctor's prescription can lead to health problems that may even result in death.
These Cocktails Can Lead to Cardiac Arrest if They Cause Magnesium Excess
For instance, there's a magnesium craze happening these days. If magnesium is added to these cocktails and creates an excess of magnesium, it can lead to sudden drops in blood pressure and cardiac arrest. When taken intravenously, such side effects can appear more severely and quickly. It is necessary to avoid taking any vitamin or mineral intravenously mixed into a serum if its deficiency has not been detected or if it's unknown whether a deficiency exists. It must absolutely be administered with a physician's approval and knowledge.”
Excess Vitamin C Can Lead to Kidney Stone Formation
Prof. Dr. İsmail Tayfun Uzbay also provided information on the risks associated with taking certain vitamins indiscriminately, continuing as follows:
“Excessive intravenous intake of vitamin B1 can lead to conditions such as loss of appetite, depression, fatigue, digestive disorders, muscle and nerve disorders, Beriberi, and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Excessive intake of vitamin B3 can lead to liver damage, worsening of stomach ulcers, and low blood pressure. Excessive intake of vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) increases the tendency to bleed. It can worsen menstrual bleeding in women. Excessive intake of vitamin B6 can cause nerve damage.
Excessive intake of folic acid causes kidney and liver damage. Excess vitamin C can also lead to kidney stone formation. All of these are water-soluble vitamins.
Excess Vitamin D Causes Osteoporosis
There are also fat-soluble ones. Excess vitamin A can lead to skin and bone deformities, excessive vitamin D to osteoporosis, and excessive intake of vitamin E can lead to increased bleeding risk, skin blistering, high triglycerides in the blood, thyroid insufficiency, and reduced vitamin K effect. High-dose vitamin K can also be harmful to pregnant and breastfeeding women, dialysis patients, and those with clotting problems due to severe liver disease. Vitamin K interacts with coenzyme Q10 and vitamin E.”