Missouri man, 64, dies four days after controversial IV infusion ‘detox’ treatment

Missouri man, 64, dies four days after controversial IV infusion ‘detox’ treatment that he stopped half-way through because he vomited and ‘felt like his skin was crawling’

  • The unnamed man visited the Element Wellness Spa Studio in Brookside, Missouri, in November 2018
  • During the treatment he began to vomit and later developed a fever of 103F
  • He went to the hospital the next day, where doctors determined he was suffering from organ failure
  • Three days later, the man died and the cause of death on his autopsy report was listed as cirrhosis, a chronic liver disease 
  • The IV infusions have not been linked to his death, but experts say the incident brings about questions on how safe the treatment is

A Missouri man died just four days after receiving a controversial vitamin IV infusion.

The 64-year-old went to the Element Wellness Spa Studio in Brookside in November 2018 for the infusion, his twelfth in three months, reported The Kansas City Star.

He went to the hospital the next day suffering from symptoms of organ failure and died shortly thereafter. 

Now his death is raising questions about whether the holistic treatment – which has been viewed with skepticism in the scientific community – is safe. 

A 64-year-old unnamed Missouri man died just four days after receiving a controversial vitamin IV infusion at the Element Wellness Spa Studio in Brookside (spa is on the second floor)

The man, who has not been named, had never experienced any problems from the IV infusions before.

But, 10 minutes into the treatment, he allegedly began vomiting and ‘felt like his skin was crawling’, according to The Star.

Spa members stopped the IV and the man went home. He continued vomiting and had a fever that hit 103F.

The next day, he went to the University of Kansas Hospital, where doctors noticed he was suffering from organ failure, reported The Star.

Within three days, the man died.  

In an autopsy report conducted by the Jackson County medical examiner’s office, officials did not link his death to the IV infusion.  

However, questions were raised about whether the man should have received the treatment in the first place.

‘It is important to assess the overall health of individuals seeking intravenous vitamin infusion therapy, including laboratory studies to assess kidney and liver function prior to the initiation of therapy,’ the report, viewed by the Star, said. 

The man’s cause of death was listed as organ failure due to cirrhosis, a chronic liver disease that can involve the loss of liver cells or permanent scarring of the organ.  

Medical examiners also listed contributing factors including high blood pressure and obesity.  

Vitamin infusions, which among many things claim to give you healthier skin and boost your immune system, first cropped up in Las Vegas and have slowly entered mainstream culture, reported The Star.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, singer Adele pays $220 for an IV vitamin infusion for energy at a spa in LA. 

The spa is also reportedly frequented by celebrities such as Chris Brown, Chrissy Teigen and John Legend.

However, medical professionals have slammed the therapy, saying most people get the vitamins they need through their food or supplements.

According to the autopsy report, the man was tested for bacterial, viral and fungal infections, which were all negative. 

Dr Stanley Goldfarb, a kidney specialist at the University of Pennsylvania hospital and IV infusion critic, says an infection cannot be ruled out unless the ingredients in the IV are examined.

A spokeswoman for the Jackson County medical examiner said that’s impossible to do because the products were thrown away.   

‘It certainly sounds like something happened in the infusion,’ Dr Goldfarb told The Star. 

‘Unless the authorities obtained some cultures or chemical analysis of what was infused, it is impossible to know for sure. Toxins can be in the infused material, even bacteria, and not show up on culture or assessment of the patient.’

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk