It is already well-established that chronic alcohol overuse is associated with malnutrition, such as vitamin B1 (thiamine) and zinc deficiency (Jophlin et al, 2024). Though data shows that the percentage of Australians indulging in daily alcohol is on the decline, Christmas and New Year’s celebrations may see a few more champagne corks popping in the coming days.
Let’s consider the journey of a festive tipple. After its first swirl around your palate, the alcohol travels down your oesophagus into your stomach, where it goes through first pass metabolism. From here, alcohol absorption occurs primarily in the small intestine, its rate influenced by factors such as the concentration of ethanol in the drink, blood flow, and how much Christmas turkey and crispy roast potatoes are already in your stomach.
As the alcohol interacts with your gastrointestinal tract, we find (Butts et al, 2023):
Research has demonstrated that heavy alcohol consumption can impact the intestinal absorption of both water-soluble and fat-soluble micronutrients including:
Macronutrients don’t escape the effects of alcohol either – the absorption of carbohydrates, lipids, peptides, and amino acids all also suffer with excessive drinking.
To mitigate the effects of alcohol on your nutrition over this Christmas and New Year’s period, think about alternating your cocktails with mocktails, and beers with the no-less-refreshing non-alcoholic fruit punch. Ensuring you avoid drinking on an empty stomach can also help to protect your gut.
If you know you’ve had one too many New Year’s champagnes this festive season, consider seeing what a nutrient infusion can do for your wellbeing by replenishing those lost vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes. Our IV nutrient therapy clinic reopens in the new year on the 12th January.
Though we’re getting close to the end of the year, we’re not quite there yet. And if you’ve been feeling particularly exhausted lately it may be due to that recognised phenomenon known as end-of-year burnout.
Rushing to complete projects and meet deadlines as the Christmas break looms, attending your kids’ Christmas concerts, end-of-year break-up parties, organising the family get-togethers, thinking about presents, and whatever other madness that tends to emerge this time of the year can leave you feeling frazzled, fatigued, and frankly quite over it.
The common symptoms of end-of-year burnout are nonspecific, but typically come down to:
There are a myriad of strategies to cope with burnout, and one of these is giving your body the essential vitamins and minerals it needs to deal with the physiological stress of the approaching silly season.
Common nutrients added to infusions for stress and fatigue include:
B-complex vitamins: support metabolism and energy production, improves mental clarity
Vitamin C: a potent antioxidant that protects against the effects of oxidative stress while also supporting immune function
Magnesium: essential for energy production, nervous system regulation, and improving sleep quality
Electrolytes: essential for effectively restoring hydration and balancing fluid levels
At the IV nutrient therapy clinic at Professional Integrative Medicine, all our infusions are administered by highly experienced registered nurses in an environment designed to promote relaxation. A consultation with our doctor will determine whether you could benefit from a fatigue-fighting nutrient infusion or if other aspects of your health could be contributing to your feeling of burnout.
Though nutrient infusions aren’t a substitute for taking a well-earned holiday, IV nutrient therapy may be just the thing you need to finish the year strong.
It’s always a good time to pause and check in on your emotional well-being. Many factors contribute to our emotional and mental health, including sleep, physical activity, social connections, attitude towards life, your toolkit of coping skills, and your diet.
Which Nutrients are Beneficial for Mental Health?
If you are experiencing persistent or severely low mood, it is important to seek help from a qualified health professional. There are many ways to help manage your mood, including ensuring you are not deficient in these essential nutrients.
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids play a key role in cognitive function and also exert anti-inflammatory effects. Studies have found that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) supplementation, two types of omega-3 oils, reduces the perception of stress, regulates cortisol levels, and lowers symptom scores for various mood disorders such as anxiety.
Also known as vitamin B9, folate plays a role in regulating the production of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters are key to cognitive function, influencing mood, sleep, and motivation. Folate has also demonstrated a positive impact on alleviating stress and in reducing neuroinflammation.
Magnesium is involved in a variety of important roles in the human body, including reducing neuroinflammation. Healthy intake is associated with a reduction in stress and anxiety, with deficient magnesium levels being implicated in certain mood disorders.
Zinc is involved in several important processes in the body, including immune and neurological function. Depleted zinc levels have been implicated in a number of mood and cognitive disorders, with doctors believing that regulating brain zinc levels could play a role in treating neuropsychiatric conditions.
Though usually associated with bone health, healthy serum levels of vitamin D have been found to offer neuroprotective and immune-modulating properties that could protect against mood disorders.
An increasing number of studies are revealing evidence that certain dietary patterns can support good mental health. The Mediterranean diet, characterised by lots of fruit, vegetables, nuts and legumes, minimal red meat, and moderate intake of poultry and dairy, has been linked to a lower risk of mood disorders, among other health benefits. Conversely, an imbalanced, pro-inflammatory diet and deficiency of essential vitamins and minerals could be putting you at risk of low mood.
Need some help with getting enough vitamins and minerals to support your emotional wellbeing? Our IV nutrient therapy clinic is run by experienced nurses, providing tailored nutrient infusions to target your healthcare needs. Book your appointment today.
Muscaritoli M. The Impact of Nutrients on Mental Health and Well-Being: Insights From the Literature. Front Nutr. 2021 Mar 8;8:656290.
Firth J, Gangwisch J E, Borsini A, Wootton R E, Mayer E A. Food and mood: how do diet and nutrition affect mental wellbeing? BMJ. 2020; 369 :m2382
Yosaee S, Clark CCT, Keshtkaran Z et al. Zinc in depression: From development to treatment: A comparative/dose response meta-analysis of observational studies and randomised controlled trials. General Hospital Psychiatry;2022;74:110-117.
Akpınar Ş, Karadağ MG. Is Vitamin D Important in Anxiety or Depression? What Is the Truth? Curr Nutr Rep. 2022 Dec;11(4):675-681.
If you’ve just had surgery, you may be in the 80% of patients who experience post-operative pain. Pain and discomfort after a surgical procedure is normal and expected, and usually managed using opioid medications or other analgesic drugs. However, a gap persists in treating the actual cause of acute post-operative pain.
In addition to a poorer quality of life, ineffective management of post-op pain affects satisfaction with the surgery outcome, contributes to post-op complications, and prolongs in-patient stay in the hospital.
Increasing evidence is pointing to the therapeutic potential of vitamin C to help alleviate post-op pain. A systematic review published in June this year found that patients who received vitamin C (either orally or via IV infusion) prior, during, or after their surgery experienced:
By decreasing the dosage of opioid drugs, such as morphine and fentanyl, we can also reduce the risk of complications and adverse effects from these medications.
Though scientists have observed the analgesic properties of vitamin C for some time, we don’t yet have a complete understanding of how this works. But we do know that vitamin C:
We have been providing tailored vitamin C infusions to Adelaide and surrounding communities for years, supporting recovery from a range of conditions, including post-operative pain. Severe or chronic pain should always be assessed by a qualified health professional. Book your appointment with us today to find out whether IV nutrient therapy can help you.
Mędrzycka-Dąbrowska W, Lange S, Dąbrowski S, Długoborska K, Piotrkowska R. Vitamin C as an Adjuvant Analgesic Therapy in Postoperative Pain Management. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2025; 14(11):3994.
In today’s age, it’s almost impossible to escape stress. Stressors are everywhere – at work, at home, even on the road. Most episodes of stress are transient, dissipating once you’ve delivered that big project, restored order in your house, or made it through peak hour traffic. However, when the stress persists for a while, the prolonged physiological strain on your body can increase the risk of various health conditions.
A sustained stress state affects multiple organ systems and functions, including:
A study investigating the effects of vitamin C supplementation in women under chronic stress has returned promising results. 69 women diagnosed with elevated blood cortisol (hypercortisolaemia) were divided into three roughly equal groups and followed for a period of two months. One group consisted of patients with elevated cortisol, the second group with both elevated cortisol and another stress hormone known as DHEA-S, and the third group with elevated DHEA-S but normal cortisol.
Each of the three groups were further divided into a test subgroup who received a daily oral supplementation of 1000mg vitamin C, and the control group who continued with their usual diet.
The results after two months? In all three groups, the women who received vitamin C supplementation measured lower levels of both cortisol and DHEA-S, while the untreated group had no significant changes to their stress hormone levels. The improvement in cortisol and DHEA-S was statistically significant for all the test groups.1
Vitamin C supplements have also demonstrated some usefulness in helping to manage stress-related mood disorders, improving low mood symptoms and psychological stress. Several clinical studies have hypothesised that this could be because of the suppressive effect of vitamin C on stress hormones.2
Combat your stress with a vitamin C infusion at Adelaide’s oldest IV nutrient therapy clinic, here at Professional Integrative Medicine. In addition to providing high-dose vitamin C infusions produced according to the Good Manufacturing Practice guidelines, our clinic provides a relaxing environment staffed by experienced registered nurses.
Reserve your appointment at our IV nutrient infusion clinic today.
References
Allergies might commonly be associated with spring and summer but for many Australians, the itching, congestion, and wheezing continue even through the colder months. In spring, common allergens (that is, allergy triggers) include tree and grass pollens, but in winter, the allergens more likely to give you grief are found indoors, such as:
Winter also contributes another lesser-known factor in the exacerbation of allergies – antibiotic use.
Research into antibiotic prescribing trends has identified that antibiotic use peaks in winter, presumably coinciding with the increase in viral colds and flu. At first glance, this seems unrelated to allergies. But consider this – antibiotics can significantly disrupt your gut microbiome, that delicate equilibrium between “good” and “bad” microbes.
All this may still seem unrelated to allergies until you realise that the wellbeing of our gut microbiota is intricately connected to a multitude of functions in the human body, including digestion, mental health, endocrine function, and immune function and allergy.
Indiscriminate use of antibiotics upsets the balance and diversity of the normal gut microbiome, a state we call dysbiosis. This can lead to impaired immune system function and an increased susceptibility to allergic conditions, including asthma. Loss of “good” bacteria from antibiotic use may also allow histamine-producing bacteria to thrive, exacerbating your allergy symptoms.
Unsurprisingly, nutrition plays an integral role in the health and wellbeing of our gut microbiome, which means it can also influence allergies. In addition to this, several key micronutrients can directly impact the development of allergies and severity of your symptoms.
Some nutrients that can be protective against allergic conditions in the right amounts through supporting your gut health or directly regulating your immune responses include:
IV nutrient therapy aims to boost your body’s levels of crucial vitamins and minerals to combat your bothersome symptoms, including those associated with allergy. By injecting these tailored solutions intravenously, we can deliver precise dosages of anti-allergy and anti-inflammatory compounds immediately to your blood circulation, resulting in more rapid effects
compared to the same nutrients obtained through your diet.
Anti-allergy nutrient infusions can help to moderate your immune response to allergens by suppressing the release of histamine and supporting your gut microbiome, giving you some much-needed relief from your allergy symptoms.
Find out more about how our Adelaide injectable nutrient clinic can support you and your allergies through this winter here.
The gut microbiome. https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2017/april/the-gut-microbiome#ref-19
Histamine-producing bacteria and their role in gastrointestinal disorders. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17474124.2023.2230865#:~:text=Gut%20microbiota%20produces%20thousands%20of,amino%20acid%20histidine%20to%20histamine.
Antibiotics and the gut microbiome: Understanding the impact on human health. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590097824000090
The Role of Diet and Nutrition in Allergic Diseases. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10490368/
Vitamin C in Allergy Mechanisms and for Managing Allergic Diseases: A Narrative Review. https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/12/6/718
Signs of an Unhealthy Gut and What to Do About It. https://www.healthline.com/health/gut-health#gut-microbiome
Cold and flu season is just around the corner – or perhaps for your family, it’s already started. While basic hygiene measures such as handwashing and covering your mouth when you sneeze or cough are important for preventing seasonal viral infections, your amazing immune system is an invaluable line of defence if you do encounter a cold or flu virus.
Our immune system is a complex network, all designed to work together to fight off pathogens – what we commonly call germs. Components of the immune system include leukocytes (white blood cells), antibodies, the complement system, the lymphatic system, bone marrow, and the spleen and thymus organs. In addition to responding to germs the moment they enter our bodies, our immune system has a process for remembering these pathogens and their characteristics, which enables our bodies to react even more swiftly the next time the same germs invade again.
The problem with the cold and flu virus is that these conditions can be caused by many different strains of the virus, so our immune systems can still be a little slow to react if they encounter a new strain.
The major benefit of vitamin infusions is that it delivers the nutrients you need straight into your blood circulation. This is a more efficient route than through oral supplements or food and drink, as these nutrients first need to be digested in the stomach then absorbed at some point along the gastrointestinal tract.
A number of key nutrients are known to be crucial for healthy immune function. Some of these are easy to obtain from a well-balanced diet, while others can be more challenging depending on your cultural and personal food preferences, or availability of certain foods in your community.
Some vitamins and minerals important for your immune system include:
The right formulation of these important nutrients can do wonders for boosting your immune system and giving it that extra support it needs this cold and flu season.
A consultation with our experienced medical nutrition doctors can identify which nutrients will benefit you the most. Our treatment philosophy is based on a holistic approach, with the understanding that the human body is incredibly intricate and deficits in one area have potential to impact other aspects of your wellbeing. If our assessment reveals that vitamin infusions are not the most appropriate therapy for you and your needs, we will be able to offer an alternative treatment strategy.
Find out more about injectable nutrient therapy Here
da Silva T, Reis BZ, de Oliveira M, Gualano B, Pereira RMR, Coelho-Ravagnani CF, et al. Immunomodulatory effects of micronutrients: a systematic review of clinical trials. Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol [Internet]. 2023 May;268:109529. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014480023000175
Morisset M, Cheillan D, Monneret D, Bentaher A, Taleb A, Walrand S. Micronutrient intake and status in hospitalised COVID-19 patients: A systematic review. Infect Dis Now [Internet]. 2021 Oct;51(6):496-504. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0985056221002156
Jayawardena R, Sooriyaarachchi P, Chourdakis M, Jeewandara C, Ranasinghe P. Enhancing immunity in viral infections, with special emphasis on COVID-19: A review. Diabetes Metab Syndr [Internet]. 2020 May-Jun;14(4):367-82. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7011499/
Yeung AWK, Tzvetkov NT, El-Tawil OS, Bungǎu SG, Abdel-Daim MM, Atanasov AG. Antioxidants: Scientific literature landscape analysis. Front Nutr [Internet]. 2024;11:1385591. Available from: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1385591/full
Your genetics play a fundamental role in your health and wellbeing. At PIM, we offer a comprehensive gene testing service, including a review of results, counselling and advice on how to understand the results and optimise your health plan to suit your specific genetics.
Genes require nutrients to function. Changing what you eat or adding supplements to your diet can help overcome or reduce many health problems.
Biochemistry gene testing analyses your genome, covering an extensive list of genes that are known to impact health and wellbeing. It includes the MTHFR gene and other related methylation genes which govern brain chemistry, hormone regulation, histamine metabolism and cardiovascular risks.
The test results provide insights into a wide range of factors, such as digestion, energy, hormones, stress and cognitive performance, inflammation and longevity, athletic performance, DNA protection and repair, and detoxification.
It’s a valuable tool in understanding what influences your personal health and wellbeing.
How it works…
We supply a test kit that involves a simple cheek swab that you can do in your own home.
The sample is then sent to a lab for biochemical genetic testing.
You will receive a 100-page report summarising your genetic strengths and areas where you may benefit from supplements or other actions.
We book a follow-up appointment to discuss your results and determine if any dietary intervention or supplementation may be of benefit to you.
Scientists from Ireland, the UK and Italy have found a link between the gut microbiome, inflammation, and brain changes found in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
The researchers transplanted faecal bacteria from Alzheimer’s patients into young adult rats and found that the rats developed cognitive impairments at similar levels to the donor patients. Rats that received faecal transplants from age-matched people without Alzheimer’s disease did not develop symptoms.
This confirms a link between the gut microbiome and Alzheimer’s disease for the first time.
The study suggests that the gut microbiome is a key target for investigation into future treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.
At PIM we have a particular interest in the gut microbiome and its many connections to our health and wellbeing. Contact us to learn more.
You can read the study here: https://academic.oup.com/brain/advance-article/doi/10.1093/brain/awad303/7308687
Fatigue is a common symptom after viral infections, and is prevalent in patients recovering from COVID-19, which often leads to long-term post-infection symptoms known as long COVID.
A recent study in China looked at more than 1700 patients who were hospitalised with COVID-19. Six months after the infection, 63% reported fatigue or muscle weakness, 26% suffered from sleep disturbance and 23% experienced anxiety or depression.
These longer-term symptoms can be experienced by patients whose initial course of infection was at the milder end of the scale.
Recently, German researchers from University Medicine Rostock reviewed the data from nine previous studies into the effectiveness of high-dose intravenous vitamin C in the treatment of fatigue.
They identified nine clinical studies involving 720 patients and found that high-dose vitamin C showed a significant reduction in fatigue in almost all studies – this is despite a range of different underlying diseases being to blame for the fatigue.
Oxidative stress and inflammation can cause fatigue, cognitive impairment, depression and sleep disturbances. The research shows vitamin C’s anti-inflammatory effects at high doses reduced fatigue and other symptoms in patients with underlying issues including cancers, allergies and herpes zoster infection.
Oxidative stress and inflammation are associated with COVID-19 infection, and vitamin C deficiency has also been shown to be a factor. The German researchers conclude that high-dose IV vitamin C should be investigated in clinical trials as a potential treatment for long COVID.
At PIM we have a particular interest in intravenous nutrient therapies. Contact us to learn more.
New research suggests that intravenous vitamin C could be an excellent complementary therapy for breast cancer patients.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, with more than 2 million cases each year.
Researchers from the University of Perugia in Italy recently reviewed research into the effectiveness of high-dose IV vitamin C, both in enhancing the efficacy of anti-cancer therapies and in decreasing their side effects.
At PIM we have a particular interest in intravenous nutrient therapies. Contact us to learn more.
For many COVID-19 patients, recovering from the virus is not the end of their battle. Around the world, doctors are seeing patients struggle with fatigue and other symptoms long after they test negative for the virus.
Worryingly, many of these patients are suffering from postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).
POTS affects the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary functions such as heart rate and blood pressure and is sometimes associated with autoimmune problems.
Symptoms include severe fatigue, dizziness, racing heartbeat, nausea and brain fog.
Patients often face a long wait for a POTS diagnosis and then face further waits to access treatments.
More than 3 million people in the US were estimated to have POTS before the COVID-19 pandemic, and now some health professionals are warning that a wave of new POTS cases could create a new public health problem.
A recent study from the University of Washington found that 43% of COVID-19 patients aged over 65 and 27% aged 18-39 showed persistent symptoms 3-9 months after testing negative for the virus, with the most common symptom being fatigue.
A study from the Mayo Clinic found that 80% of long COVID patients suffered from fatigue, with almost half reporting brain fog.
In Australia, the picture is similar – patients have difficulty in getting a POTS diagnosis and treatment, with very few doctors having experience and knowledge of the condition, and specialist services having long waiting lists for access. An increase in POTS cases due to long COVID could exacerbate this.
At PIM we have a particular interest in chronic and complex conditions including POTS. Contact us to learn more.
Patients with type 2 diabetes are more likely to develop dementia, with some estimates suggesting diabetes could double the risk compared to healthy individuals.
The connection between the two conditions is unclear, but new research presented at the Diabetes UK Professional Conference this year suggests that cardiometabolic factors such as increased blood pressure, which are common in diabetes patients, could play a role in dementia.
The researchers looked at the medical histories of more than 200,000 type 2 diabetes patients, in particular the 10% of those patients who had dementia. They examined the previous 20 years of medical information leading up to their dementia diagnosis.
Looking at factors such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels, they found that the patients who went on to develop dementia showed higher blood pressure up to 19 years prior to their dementia diagnosis, compared to diabetic patients who did not develop dementia.
Similar results were found for blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
The study is yet to be peer reviewed and published, but the researchers say it shows the importance of managing cardiometabolic factors in patients with type 2 diabetes, and suggest that any effective treatment for type 2 diabetes may help reduce the likelihood of cognitive decline in patients.
At PIM we have a particular interest in chronic and complex conditions. Contact us to learn more.
Breast implants have grown in popularity in recent years. But as the number of women undergoing the procedure has grown, so have reports of a range of symptoms including fatigue, hair loss, joint pain, rashes, brain fog, depression and anxiety.
Dubbed Breast Implant Illness (BII) by its sufferers, the condition so far has not been recognised by mainstream medicine in spite of thousands of women worldwide reporting symptoms following breast implant procedures.
Many women have been treated for unrelated illnesses and many more have been told by doctors that their implants could not be causing their symptoms.
While Breast Implant Illness remains unrecognised by official medical bodies, women continue to undergo breast implant procedures without being informed of the possibility of serious, ongoing symptoms.
So far there has been a lack of research into the condition, but a new study from the Black Dog Institute in Australia has shown for the first time that women who report suffering from Breast Implant Illness have higher rates of depression and anxiety than women with implants who do don’t experience BII.
A further study from the same researcher shows that all of the women interviewed felt they were not fully informed of the risks of their surgery.
In another sign of progress on the issue, the US Food and Drug Administration recently recommended implant manufacturers warn of the risks of developing breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma and the symptoms associated with BII.
More research is needed to better understand Breast Implant Illness. In the meantime, caution is warranted.
Mould can be a real nuisance in your home, especially in the wetter months.
For some people, it can be much more than a nuisance. Toxins from mould can cause a variety of symptoms, such as fatigue, respiratory issues and brain fog.
While some people suffer, others in the same household may experience no symptoms at all.
The reason some people experience symptoms on exposure to mould could be a condition known as Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS).
According to Dr Elena Schneider-Futschik from Melbourne University’s School of Biomedical Sciences, a gene called HLA is responsible for triggering CIRS.
People with this gene experience an inflammatory response to biotoxins like those found in mould, because their bodies do not recognise and eliminate those toxins.
The systemic inflammation then leads to chronic health issues.
CIRS is often misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed, with a lack of clinical research and recognition of the condition among many doctors.
More research is needed into CIRS and the ways in which our personal environments can affect our health.
At PIM we have a particular interest in the role of inflammation in chronic and complex diseases. We provide a range of testing including markers for mould-related illness. Contact us to learn more.
