Athletes get picky about what goes into their bodies, and the question behind "IV therapy for athletes" is a fair one: what is actually in the bag? This article answers it for the Performance & Recovery IV at GIOSTAR, along with who places it and how a visit works. It uses the word athlete broadly, for weekend players, club runners, lifters, cyclists and anyone who plans their week around training.
What is in the Performance & Recovery IV at GIOSTAR
The Performance & Recovery IV is built for active people. It is made of fluids, electrolytes and amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Electrolytes are minerals such as sodium, potassium and magnesium that your body keeps in balance. The drip usually runs about 45 to 60 minutes.
We keep the description to what is in the bag. Your nurse practitioner explains the drip, and you decide together whether it suits your week.
Other IV choices on the GIOSTAR menu for athletes
Performance & Recovery IV is one of five drips, and some athletes prefer a different one on a given day.
- Hydration IV. Balanced fluids and electrolytes, a plain choice for hot days and long travel.
- Immunity Boost IV. Vitamin C with immune-supportive nutrients, in two strengths.
- Myers Cocktail. B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium and calcium.
- NAD+ infusion. Multi-session packages.
See the full IV therapy menu at GIOSTAR or read our guide to IV therapy in Las Vegas.
Who places the IV and who chooses it for athletes
Two people shape your visit. A nurse practitioner meets you in person, reviews your history, medications and training plans, and chooses a drip with you. A licensed professional then places the IV and runs the drip. Dr. Ryan Peterson, our Medical Director, oversees care at the center.
What a recovery IV visit looks like for athletes at GIOSTAR
- Free consultation. Our patient team explains how IV therapy works here and books your visit.
- Meet your nurse practitioner. An in-person visit in Henderson to go over your history and choose a drip.
- Treatment day. We check blood pressure and pulse, place a small IV and start the bag. You sit in a recliner in our IV lounge.
- Aftercare. You leave with instructions and our phone number.
- Follow-up. Before your next drip, we ask how it went and what your training calendar looks like.
For the full walkthrough, including what to do before and after, read what IV therapy is and what a session involves.
IV therapy for tested athletes: what to do first
If you compete in a tested sport, tell us before you book, and check with your governing body before any treatment. Rules differ by sport and by level, and your governing body is the one that can answer for your event. We talk through your options together, but your governing body has the final say.
How the Recovery Membership fits an athlete's calendar
Athletes who plan to come in regularly often prefer the Recovery Membership. It includes monthly IV infusion credits, a discount on additional IVs and biomarker testing. The Recovery IV page describes how it works alongside the menu.
Biomarker testing means a lab panel with 100+ biomarkers from one morning draw at a Quest location near you. Results come back in about a week and a nurse practitioner reviews every marker with you. That gives your plan a starting point built on your own numbers.
Our nurse practitioner may also check with your own doctor before choosing a drip if you have a heart or kidney concern. GIOSTAR gives drips to adults 18 and over.
How athletes in Las Vegas use IV therapy around training and events
People who train in the valley plan around the heat. Many valley athletes run, ride or play in the early morning, and some book a drip around a heavy training block, a race weekend or a long travel day. Others keep a steady monthly rhythm. Your nurse practitioner sets a rhythm with you, and it can change from season to season.
Whatever your schedule, plain habits come first: fluids, sleep, food and rest days. A drip is one option within a plan, next to those basics.
What an athlete should tell the nurse practitioner before an IV
Come with a short list. Which sport or sports do you train for, and how many days a week? Do you have a competition on the calendar, and does that event have drug-testing rules? What medications and supplements do you take, including anything you use for training? Have you had any reaction to a drip or to a needle before?
Your nurse practitioner uses those answers to choose a drip with you, and to decide whether anything should be checked with your own doctor first. Bring the list in writing if it helps, and ask any question that comes to mind. The visit is yours to shape.
Everyday basics athletes keep in place alongside IV therapy
Coaches and trainers return to the same list. Sleep on a steady schedule. Enough food, with protein across the day. Water and electrolytes before, during and after sessions in the heat. Easy days between hard ones. Strength work for the muscles your sport leans on. A drip fits next to these habits and does not replace any of them.
IV therapy for athletes at GIOSTAR in Henderson
GIOSTAR stands for Global Institute of Stem Cell Therapy and Research. Founded by Dr. Anand Srivastava, GIOSTAR International is part of a network across three countries, built on research at Salk, UC San Diego, UC Irvine and UCLA. Our Henderson wellness center is at 2482 W. Horizon Ridge Pkwy, Ste 100, Henderson, NV 89052, with private treatment rooms, an IV lounge with recliners and free parking at the door. If you stay active with lifting, golf or similar sports, you may want to read about tight lower back muscles after exertion.
Your first step is a free consultation with our patient team, online, by phone at 702.703.5393 or in person. Read more about IV therapy at GIOSTAR.
