Even worse, many patients eating a complete diet will still be unable to absorb most macro- and micronutrients due to gastrointestinal problems such as intestinal permeability. A strong case can be made that, despite modern advances in medicine and surgery, nutrition in developed countries has regressed due to mass processing of most foods, which harms the gut and makes it more difficult to absorb micronutrients taken by mouth. We can’t really say we are what we eat unless we actually absorb it.

Micronutrients include vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and amino acids that serve major roles in metabolic processes, cognitive homeostasis, antioxidant properties, and tissue function. Additionally, many of these ingredients, although typically thought of as just basic nutritional components, can have much more powerful effects when used in certain amounts through intravenous therapy. High-dose IV vitamin C therapy is a prime example, as such blood levels and effects could never be achieved orally.

Micronutrient deficiency affects approximately 2 billion people worldwide. This can be attributed to poor diets, obesity, aging, or simply the lower micronutrient concentration in today’s food supply as a result of mass farming. An imbalance of these nutrients has shown to exacerbate many conditions including the exhibiting of key traits of cancer through DNA damage, neuronal decay in the central nervous system, and premature aging through mitochondrial decay. It can also cause fatigue and a general decrease in patients’ quality of life.