Personalized Care
IV infusion therapy delivers fluids and selected ingredients directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive system. This allows the body to receive the complete administered dose while you relax in a comfortable, professionally monitored environment.
Connections Wellness Center offers several types of IV therapy in Honolulu. The formulation, length, and recommended number of infusions vary depending on the therapy, your medical history, your goals, and your response to treatment.
What To Expect
Your experience begins with a consultation and review of your health history, current concerns, medications, and goals. If IV therapy is appropriate for you, your provider will recommend an individualized treatment plan and explain what to expect before, during, and after your infusion.
Infusion times vary by treatment. Some appointments may take approximately 60 to 90 minutes, while others may require more or less time. The number and frequency of treatments will also depend on the therapy selected and your individual response.
IV Vitamin Therapy
People often choose vitamin infusions for hydration, nutrient replenishment, energy, immune support, and recovery from travel, exercise, stress, or overindulgence. Your provider can also recommend optional nutrients to personalize your infusion.
Appointments generally take between 60 and 90 minutes, depending on the selected drip. Before treatment, we’ll review your health history and help you choose an infusion that is appropriate for you.
NAD+ IV Therapy
Every cell in the human body needs NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) to carry out its work. This small molecule, a co-enzyme of niacin, one of the B vitamins, fulfills many critical biochemical roles. One of its main functions is in the production of ATP (energy), making possible the many types of cellular activity performed every minute of every day.
As we age, our reserves of NAD+ drop. By our 20s, we only have about half the amount we had at birth. By the time we reach our 50s, our bodies could be producing as little as 30% of the original amount.
Because NAD+ is a critical enzyme that helps cells perform their individual functions, less NAD+ available in our bodies means less efficiency of function. Cellular dysfunction leads to degeneration and chronic conditions like inflammation and arthritis, dementia and other common age-related conditions. Lowered levels of NAD+ are well-associated with their role in the aging body as well as the effect on overall energy levels and mental clarity. NAD+ has many roles to play in health and disease and IV infusion is an extremely efficient way to reap almost immediate benefits.
Benefits of NAD+ and Clinical Applications
- Neurologic and cognitive support
- Addiction recovery and detoxification protocols
- Cellular energy and mitochondrial optimization
- Anti-aging and longevity medicine
- Chronic fatigue and post-viral recovery
- Athletic performance and recovery
A typical infusion takes between 60 to 90 minutes. The number of infusions needed will depend on the age of the person, the severity of symptoms and how the body responds to treatment.
At CWC we use NAD+ that is compounded using active pharmaceutical ingredients sourced exclusively from Japan, where the purity standards, manufacturing rigor and quality controls set the global benchmark. We also include alpha lipoic acid (ALA) and electrolytes in the NAD+ infusion. Alpha lipoic acid is a powerful antioxidant as well as a key component of endogenous NAD+ production. Combining them together in the same infusion produces a synergistic effect for energy production and healing. ALA also improves overall mitochondrial efficiency which raises intracellular NAD+. Results can be further be amplified by including PEMF and red light therapy during the infusion.
NAD+ IV infusion therapy can be a stand alone treatment or part of a comprehensive wellness package.
Ketamine Infusion Therapy
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic drug that has been used mainly for general anesthesia until recently. It was first synthesized in 1962 and used regularly in veterinary medicine then later as a surgical anesthetic during the Vietnam War. The discovery of the antidepressive action of ketamine in 2000 has been described as the single most important advancement in the treatment of depression in more than 50 years. It is also widely recognized as the most promising therapy for the treatment of PTSD and suicidal ideation. In 2020, a study in Parasites & Vectors found that the fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia is a natural source of ketamine which explains its psychedelic effects, similar to psilocybin.
Compared to general anesthesia which puts an individual in a sleep-like state, when ketamine is given in subanesthetic doses, it creates a dissociative effect, a disconnection from thoughts, memories, surroundings, actions, and identity. This dissociative effect is helpful in treating many issues including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and chronic pain. In treatment, ketamine does four main things:
- Dissociates old neuronal connections
- Allows for the formation of new, healthy neuronal connections
- Increases dopamine production
- Reduces swelling and inflammation in the brain
In the brain, the lateral habenula is referred to as the “anti-reward center” because after a certain amount of trauma or ongoing disappointments, it will shut down dopamine production, leaving an individual feeling tired, unmotivated, and unable to feel joy. Ketamine turns the dopamine production back on nearly immediately allowing an individual to begin feeling relief, joy and gratitude.
Ketamine also separates neuronal connections in the brain by NMDA receptor antagonism, breaking up old patterns of thinking which are no longer beneficial.
Ketamine then floods the brain with the chemical messenger glutamate by pyramidal cell disinhibition. This allows neurons to reconnect, including those that have not communicated with each other for an extended period of time, allowing access to feelings of joy and gratitude rather than just destructive thoughts.
Lastly, ketamine stimulates the positive neural networks by increasing brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) and activating AMPA and mTOR pathways to increase dendritic spine density leading to new connections in the brain.
In higher doses, ketamine can create hallucinations similar to other drugs such as LSD. In our clinic’s experience, we notice that clients with PTSD tend to have more vivid hallucinatory experiences during their treatment.
Exosome Therapy
Exosome therapy is being explored for whole-body inflammation, recovery from physical stress or injury, joint discomfort and stiffness, and soft-tissue concerns. Depending on the treatment plan, exosomes may be administered through an IV for systemic use or near a specific area for more targeted application.
See data comparing PRP to Whartonʻs Jelly & exosome injections for joint.
Exosomes are tiny messengers that help cells communicate with one another. They carry signals throughout the body and are being studied for their potential role in cellular function, inflammatory signaling, immune activity, and tissue response.
MSC (mesenchymal stem cell) exosomes come from umbilical cord tissue donated by mothers following a healthy live birth. We use exosomes that have been extensively tested to be free of disease, from healthy unvaccinated mothers.
Exosomes are packages of signaling molecules that can powerfully and rapidly reduce inflammation and jump start the repair process.
They differ from stem cells in that they contain no DNA, and therefore carry no risk of rejection or antibody formation. Exosomes are also much smaller than stem cells and easily cross the blood brain barrier to aid in improving cognitive impairments.
When combined with other modalities to reduce inflammation and recreate cell signaling, MSC exosomes have been shown to greatly improve or relieve symptoms of arthritis, cognitive and neurodegenerative conditions, sinus and inner ear disturbances, respiratory compromise, and joint derangements. *see data comparing PRP to Whartonʻs Jelly & exosome injections for joint derangements