DEFY Blog
search the defy medical knowledge base:Whether it’s an IV infusion cocktail or an injectable solution, we like to educate our patients on the supplements they are using here at our clinic. Our medical specialists here at Defy have worked with these supplements extensively and are familiar with the biochemistry and characteristics of each supplement we offer. As patients, it’s important to know how each supplement will benefit your overall well-being. When you go to the grocery store or supplement shop, it’s comforting to know that you can pick up an item and read the label and see a list of ingredients. When you pick up a supplement, you know that you can read a little information describing the benefits of that particular supplement. We want our patients to feel the same way and that’s why we have provided a list of our various supplements accompanied by a description of their benefits.
When browsing through our extensive list of supplements, we want you to learn more about the benefits of each supplement. We also know that some terminology may be new to you. Below are a few of those terms and a brief explanation to help you when browsing through our various supplements and IV infusion treatments.
Preserved vs. Preservative Free:
Preserved solutions are sterile medications that include preservatives (benzyl alcohol, chlorobutanol, etc.) within the formula. Preservatives are used to prevent microbial growth once a vial is punctured and potentially introduced to contaminants. Preservatives are beneficial for injectable medications that are administered in small amounts because they can help maintain sterility over multiple injections. These formulations can be used up to 28 days from the initial puncture of the vial cap. Common preservatives used are harmless when administering small amounts of medication, however, it is recommended not to administer a larger volume of medications that contain preservatives due to the risk of experiencing negative side effects to high exposure to preservatives.
Preservative-free solutions contain no preservatives and can be administered in larger amounts or used in patients who are sensitive or allergic to preservatives. Preservative-free medications have a short shelf life once punctured and must be used within 4 hours. Preservative-free medications manufactured for injection are not designed to have an extended shelf life once punctured. Sterility is considered lost once the bottle is punctured and exposed to the needle that was just recently exposed to unclassified air, which can contain contaminants. It is recommended to mark the time on each bottle upon first use and properly discard any unused medication. Always read the label and follow storage instructions.