A Myers cocktail is an IV drip of B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium and calcium, named after Dr John Myers, the American physician who first gave IV vitamin treatments in Baltimore in the 1970s. It is one of the most widely used formulas in IV nutrient therapy and the base of many modern drips. The version most clinics use today follows a modified formula described by Dr Alan Gaby in a 2002 review. This guide covers where the Myers cocktail came from, what each ingredient does in the body, what the research does and does not show, and who should check before having one. At mobivIVe our version is called Dr John Myers, also known as our Liquid Multivitamin IV, and it costs R1,050 for about 45 minutes. A registered nurse gives it after a medical screening questionnaire.
This guide was written under the medical direction of Dr Chris van Zyl (registered as M.C. van Zyl, HPCSA MP0287067), mobivIVe’s medical director. Our IV drips are given by registered nurses after a medical screening questionnaire.
What is a Myers cocktail?
A Myers cocktail is an intravenous mix of magnesium, calcium, B vitamins and vitamin C, given in a saline or sterile water base. The MSD Manual describes it as high doses of B vitamins, vitamin C and the minerals magnesium and calcium. It is sometimes called a liquid multivitamin because it combines several water-soluble nutrients in one drip. Many clinics, including ours, also use it as a base and add other ingredients such as glutathione, zinc or vitamin B12 to create different formulas. At mobivIVe the Myers cocktail is part of drips such as The Kick-Start, The Beast, V8, The Babelas Beater and The Royal IV.
Who was Dr John Myers?
Dr John Myers was an American physician who gave IV vitamin and mineral injections to his patients in Baltimore, Maryland, from the 1970s. According to the MSD Manual, he developed and administered the first IV vitamin treatments of this kind there. Recipes and amounts varied between practitioners, so the term describes a style of formula rather than one fixed prescription. His name stayed attached to the approach because other doctors, notably Dr Alan Gaby, continued and adapted it after his death, and the name is still widely used for this type of drip.
What did Dr Alan Gaby contribute?
Dr Alan Gaby, an American physician, built on Dr Myers’ work and published a modified version of the formula. His 2002 paper, “Intravenous nutrient therapy: the Myers’ cocktail” in Alternative Medicine Review, built on Myers’ work and described a mix of magnesium, calcium, B vitamins and vitamin C. It set out his rationale for giving nutrients intravenously, reviewed the published research, described his own clinical experience across a wide range of patients and discussed side effects and precautions. It is important to read it for what it is: a review and a record of one doctor’s practice, not a controlled clinical trial.
What are the ingredients in a Myers cocktail?
The core ingredients are magnesium, calcium, vitamin C and B vitamins, typically including B12, B6 and a B complex. Magnesium is a mineral involved in hundreds of enzyme reactions, including muscle and nerve function. Calcium is needed for muscle contraction, nerve signalling and blood clotting. Vitamin C is an antioxidant the body needs to make collagen. B vitamins help the body turn food into energy and support normal nerve function. All are water soluble, so the body excretes what it does not use. Our Dr John Myers drip contains these core Myers ingredients; recipes and amounts are set by our medical protocols.
What does the research show about the Myers cocktail?
A placebo-controlled pilot trial found that people improved after Myers cocktail infusions, but they also improved after a placebo drip, and the difference between the two was not statistically significant. In a Yale pilot trial, 34 adults were randomly given weekly Myers infusions or a placebo drip of Ringer’s solution for 8 weeks (Ali et al., Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2009). Both groups felt better, which the authors put down largely to a strong placebo response, and they concluded the effect relative to placebo remains uncertain. The trial did establish that the infusions were safe and practical, with a single minor side effect recorded.
What does the evidence not show?
There is no strong evidence that a Myers cocktail treats, cures or prevents any disease. The MSD Manual notes that very few studies have tested it in people without a vitamin deficiency, and that no published evidence has shown it to be effective for any serious illness. Cleveland Clinic similarly describes the evidence for a general wellness benefit from IV vitamins as limited. What is well established is the route: nutrients given intravenously reach higher blood levels than the same nutrients taken by mouth. We present the Myers cocktail as a vitamin and hydration top-up, not as a medical treatment.
Why do people choose a Myers cocktail?
Most people choose it as a straightforward vitamin and hydration top-up, the classic starting point for anyone new to IV drips. It is popular before a busy week, after travel, before a big event or when someone simply wants an hour to sit down and feel refreshed. Because it is a simple, well-known formula, it is also the drip many first-time clients pick before trying a more specialised mix. If you want something added, such as extra B12 or glutathione, our nurses can add vitamins to the bag, or you can choose a formula that already builds on the Myers base from our drip menu.
Who should not have a Myers cocktail?
The MSD Manual advises that pregnant and breastfeeding women and people with kidney disease, high blood pressure or a heart condition should avoid the Myers cocktail. It also warns that magnesium can cause abnormal heart rhythms or muscle weakness in people whose mineral levels are already abnormal, and that a fast infusion can lower blood pressure (MSD Manual). A registered nurse gives every drip after a medical screening questionnaire, under the protocols of our medical director, Dr Chris van Zyl. If you have a heart, kidney or liver condition, are pregnant, or take chronic medication, tell us before you book. For a fuller list of risks and side effects, read Is IV therapy safe?
How much is a Myers cocktail at mobivIVe?
Our Myers cocktail, called Dr John Myers, costs R1,050 and takes about 45 minutes. It includes your choice of a 200ml or 1000ml saline bag at no extra cost; a 1000ml bag with dextrose is R200 extra, and extra vitamins can be added. You can have it at our lounges in Sunninghill, Stellenbosch or Queenstown (Komani), or a nurse can come to your home, office or hotel for a call-out fee of R400 minimum, or R150 per person for groups (first 15km). book online or WhatsApp us on 061 509 6038. Compare it with our other IV drip prices.
How to book, in 3 simple steps
- Book online. Choose your drip, a walk-in lounge (Sunninghill, Stellenbosch or Queenstown) or a mobile drip at your home, office or hotel, and a time at book.mobivive.co.za.
- Medical screening. You complete a short medical questionnaire before your drip, so anything that needs extra care is picked up first.
- Relax while a registered nurse gives your drip. Most drips take about 45 minutes; NAD+ is given slowly over 90 to 120 minutes.
Medical direction: Dr Chris van Zyl This guide is published by mobivIVe. Our IV drips are given by registered nurses after a medical screening questionnaire, under the protocols of our medical director, Dr Chris van Zyl, an HPCSA-registered medical doctor (registered as M.C. van Zyl, HPCSA reg. no. MP0287067). Last updated October 2026. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease; individual results vary. Consult your healthcare provider.