Side-by-side comparison of two of the most-asked-about IV protocols. Composition, mechanism of action, who each one is actually for, infusion time, cost, and an honest decision tree.
The Myers Cocktail and NAD+ IV are both intravenous wellness protocols, both delivered through a peripheral line, both used by travelers and longevity-focused clients. That is where the similarity ends. They contain different molecules, work through different mechanisms, take different amounts of time, and answer different questions.
Choosing between them is straightforward once you understand what each one actually does. This article walks through composition, mechanism, use cases, cost and a decision tree so you can pick the right one for your goal — or know when to do both.
The Myers is a vitamin and mineral repletion protocol. It contains magnesium chloride, calcium gluconate, hydroxocobalamin (B12), B-complex (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6), and vitamin C, infused in normal saline over 30-45 minutes. Mechanism: it corrects subclinical deficits in cofactors that the body needs for energy metabolism, nervous-system function, immune response and collagen synthesis. You feel different because your cells get inputs they were short on.
Subjective effects appear within hours and typically last 2-4 days. The Myers is widely used for fatigue, jet lag, post-illness recovery, migraine support, fibromyalgia symptoms and general 'feel better today' wellness use. Documented in Gaby's 15,000-infusion case series with no serious adverse events.
NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a single coenzyme that sits at the center of cellular energy production. It is essential for mitochondrial ATP synthesis, DNA repair via PARP enzymes, and sirtuin-mediated longevity pathways. Cellular NAD+ declines with age, alcohol exposure, and chronic stress. An NAD+ IV delivers 250-1000mg of NAD+ directly into circulation over 2-4 hours.
Mechanism: replenishes a coenzyme involved in over 500 enzymatic reactions, with effects on cognitive clarity, energy, recovery from heavy alcohol or stimulant use, and (per ongoing research) longevity-related cellular pathways. Subjective effects appear during the infusion (often as warmth and head pressure that pace control resolves) and last several days to a week.
Composition: Myers is a multi-nutrient blend (5+ ingredients); NAD+ is a single coenzyme. Mechanism: Myers replenishes cofactors; NAD+ replenishes a central energy-production molecule. Infusion time: Myers 30-45 minutes; NAD+ 2-4 hours (longer infusions reduce side effects). Cost in Medellín: Myers $110 USD; NAD+ $549 USD. Onset: Myers effects in hours; NAD+ effects during and after infusion. Duration: Myers 2-4 days; NAD+ 5-10 days.
Side-effect profile: Myers — brief warm flush, metallic vitamin taste, rare. NAD+ — head pressure, chest tightness, nausea during fast infusion; resolved by slowing the drip. Screening: Myers requires kidney-function and B-vitamin allergy review; NAD+ requires the same plus cardiovascular review for clients over 60 or with arrhythmia history.
Choose Myers Cocktail when: you want to feel better today, you're recovering from a night out, jet lag or mid-trip fatigue, you're on a budget, you have 45 minutes free, this is your first IV. Choose NAD+ when: you want a longer-lasting cognitive and energy effect, you're recovering from sustained alcohol or stimulant use, you're running a longevity protocol, you have 2-4 hours free, budget is not the constraint.
Choose both — sequentially — when: you're a long-stay client running a maintenance protocol. The typical pattern is NAD+ once monthly and Myers every 2-3 weeks between. Do not stack them in the same session — different infusion rates and different side-effect profiles. Dosing and pricing for the NAD+ side are detailed on our NAD+ infusion page.
Myers Cocktail: Gaby's 2002 case series (>15,000 infusions, zero serious adverse events) and a 2009 randomized controlled trial in fibromyalgia (Ali et al.) showing significant improvement versus placebo. The evidence base is small but consistent for symptom relief.
NAD+: a growing but still early evidence base. Studies on oral NAD+ precursors (NR, NMN) show measurable increases in cellular NAD+. Direct IV NAD+ pharmacokinetic data is limited but the protocol has been in clinical use for substance recovery since the 1960s (Hitzig and O'Hollaren). Both protocols are best framed as wellness support, not medical treatment.