Evidence checked, 25 October 2026. Published prices checked on the same date. General information, not individual medical advice.
What is a hydration IV drip?
A hydration IV drip is the simplest infusion on an IV menu: isotonic saline, a sodium chloride solution matched to the concentration of your blood, delivered straight into a vein. Some formulations use a balanced electrolyte solution instead, or add ingredients such as magnesium, calcium or B vitamins; plain saline is the base fluid most vitamin drips are built on. The volume and rate are prescribed after an assessment, not taken from a fixed menu. It is also the one infusion where the mechanism is not in doubt: fluid given into a vein rehydrates you. The honest questions are when that is worth doing, and for whom.
At The Wellness, the hydration option is Hydration Plus: isotonic saline with electrolytes, magnesium and calcium, at £395 in clinic. The first step is a suitability discussion covering your symptoms, medical history and medicines, before any treatment is arranged. Discuss IV treatment with The Wellness team
What does the evidence say about IV hydration versus drinking fluids?
The best evidence compares the two routes head to head. A Cochrane review of 17 trials in people dehydrated by gastroenteritis found no clinically important difference between oral rehydration and intravenous fluids for mild to moderate dehydration: for every 25 people treated orally, roughly one would need to switch to a drip. [1] The review's conclusion is the principle behind good practice: drinkable fluid first, a drip when drinking fails or is not possible.
That is not an argument against IV rehydration. It is what the trials show: when the gut works, it is an excellent route. A drip earns its place when the gut cannot keep up, during persistent vomiting, for example, or when someone needs rehydrating quickly and reliably in a clinical setting. A wider review of intravenous vitamin infusions in the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin found the same pattern across the sector: plausible mechanisms, but little trial evidence for most of the uses marketed. [2]
Can a hydration drip treat or prevent a winter cold or flu?
No, and any provider who implies otherwise is ahead of the evidence. Colds and flu are viral infections, and fluid by any route does not act on the virus. The research behind the usual advice is also thinner than most people expect: a Cochrane review of the common recommendation to drink extra fluids during acute respiratory infections found no randomised trials showing benefit, or harm. [3] The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises rest and fluids as comfort measures while the infection runs its course, and lists dehydration as a warning sign that needs medical attention. [4]
The distinction worth keeping is between replacing fluid and treating an infection. A winter illness can dehydrate you: fever raises fluid losses, and vomiting or a sore throat can make drinking difficult. Correcting that dehydration can ease the headache, dry mouth and lightheadedness that pile on top of the infection itself, and that can make the week less miserable. It will not shorten the cold, and it does not prevent the next one. And if symptoms are severe, a high fever that is not settling, breathlessness, confusion, or barely passing urine, the right move is to speak to a doctor promptly, not to book a wellness drip.
When does IV rehydration make sense?
- A vomiting illness or gastroenteritis where oral fluids will not stay down, after a clinical assessment agrees.
- Recovery after an illness, when appetite and intake have been poor for days and you are still behind on fluid.
- Long-haul travel and jet lag, where dry cabin air and disrupted routines leave many people depleted.
- Heavy exertion or heat exposure, where large volumes have been lost through sweat.
- After alcohol, where dehydration drives part of the headache and dry mouth, though rehydration does not address the rest of a hangover.
One group needs a specific warning. For competitive athletes, World Anti-Doping Agency rules prohibit intravenous infusions of more than 100 ml in any 12-hour period, except during hospital treatment, surgery or clinical investigation, whatever is in the bag. [5] Any athlete subject to drug testing should check with their medical team before booking any IV infusion.
How much does a hydration IV drip cost in London?
Published price checked on 25 October 2026: at The Wellness, Hydration Plus is £395 in clinic.
Prices vary with the formulation, the setting and what is included, so it pays to compare like for like: who reviews your history first, what is in the infusion, where it happens and what support is available afterwards. The Wellness price covers a doctor-supervised session of 45 to 90 minutes in the Marylebone clinic, with a review of your medical history and medicines before a first drip. Home visits are available where suitable, and the team confirms the price for a home appointment when you enquire. Ask about a clinic or home IV appointment
Who is a hydration IV drip suitable for?
It may suit a well adult who understands the evidence and wants rehydration in a clinical setting, for example after travel, exertion or an illness that has settled. It is not a substitute for investigating symptoms, and it is not a treatment for an infection that is still active.
Some people should discuss it with a doctor first: anyone who is pregnant, anyone with kidney or heart disease, where a litre of fluid given quickly can do harm, and anyone taking medicines that affect fluid or electrolyte balance. And some situations need urgent care rather than a wellness appointment: confusion, fainting, chest pain, severe breathlessness, or dehydration so marked you are barely passing urine. Call 999 in an emergency; a private appointment should never delay urgent care.
How do I book a hydration IV drip with The Wellness?
Message the team with what you would like to address and when you are available. You will receive a clear answer on whether Hydration Plus or another option fits, and a confirmed price before you commit. Sessions run 45 to 90 minutes in the Marylebone clinic, with home visits available where suitable.
A drip takes the best part of an hour, which is why many people choose a home visit: there is no journey either side, and the infusion runs while you rest, read or work in your own space. A trained clinician attends, and the same suitability review applies wherever the drip happens.
- WhatsApp: message The Wellness team
- Call: 020 3951 3429
- Email: team@thewellnesslondon.com
- Menu and booking enquiry: IV therapy at The Wellness
Frequently asked questions
Does a hydration IV drip cure a cold or flu? No. Colds and flu are viral infections, and no infusion treats the virus. Rehydration, by any route, can relieve the dehydration that fever and poor intake cause while you recover. The common advice to drink extra fluids during respiratory infections has never been tested in randomised trials. [3]
Is IV hydration better than drinking water? For mild to moderate dehydration when you can drink, trials show no clinically important difference between oral and intravenous rehydration, and oral is the recommended first approach. [1] IV hydration has a clearer role when vomiting or illness makes drinking unreliable, or when rehydration needs to happen quickly in a clinical setting.
How long does a hydration IV drip take? At The Wellness, published session times are 45 to 90 minutes depending on the infusion, including time to settle in and review your suitability. Because a session takes 45 to 90 minutes, many people prefer a home visit, where the time is their own.
Is a hydration IV drip safe? A saline infusion is a routine medical procedure, but it is not risk-free. Possible problems include bruising, vein irritation, infection and, rarely, allergic reactions or fluid overload in people with heart or kidney disease. A clinician will ask about your medical history and medicines first, and that screening is part of doing it properly.
How much is a hydration drip at The Wellness? As of October 2026, Hydration Plus is £395 in clinic. A review of your medical history and medicines comes before a first infusion.
Sources
- Cochrane, Oral versus intravenous rehydration for treating dehydration due to gastroenteritis (CD004390)
- Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin, Intravenous vitamin injections: where is the evidence?
- Cochrane, Advising patients to increase fluid intake for treating acute respiratory infections (CD004419)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, About managing the common cold
- World Anti-Doping Agency, The Prohibited List, M2.2 intravenous infusions
- Advertising Standards Authority, Healthcare: intravenous nutritional therapy
- The Wellness, IV therapy service and price menu