What are IV drips and how do they work? Inside Manchester’s health clinic REVIV
REVIV is one of the growing numbers of specialist venues set up to give people access to IV drips - which have become hugely popular with the mainstream in recent years.
The picture of ‘perfect health’ is always changing with the times.
Throughout history, we’ve reached conclusions on a person’s condition based on their appearance; but the warning signs have been different depending on the decade.
As recently as the turn of the 20th century, for example, a red-faced, rotund patient could stroll into a doctor’s office puffing on a cigarette and enjoy a diagnosis of being in fine fettle. Back then, a heavyset physique and smoking habit weren’t anything to worry about.
But as science has evolved, so have our ideas of what it means to be healthy – and exactly how that looks.
One of the most astonishing interpretational changes, however, has without doubt been the IV Drip.
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A figure sitting in a chair, hooked up to a tube, staring at a television set was the portrait of a sick person mere years ago. Nowadays, people actually pay for the pleasure.
Intravenous (IV) therapy – which involves inserting a tube into the arm and pumping solutions directly into the bloodstream – has exploded in popularity over the past five years or so.
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Historically, IVs have been used to aid recovery; a tried and tested method of getting essential nutrients to those who cannot consume them the ordinary way. But now, they’re being used to treat people before they even get ill.
Nutrient therapy was first seen outside of hospital settings on Instagram accounts, with A-listers posing alongside bags of liquid at flattering angles for Instagram selfies and likes.
It was initially dismissed as a fleeting celebrity fad, but several years down the line, IV drips have only gotten more popular; with the solutions now being soaked up by the mainstream.
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Why?
Well, one reason may be due to the growing trend of health awareness in modern culture.
Statistics show that people are spending hundreds of pounds on health and fitness supplements every year these days; wanting to learn more about their bodies and how to keep them in top condition.
REVIV is one of the growing numbers of specialist venues set up to give people access to that kind of information and treatment – including the IV drips themselves.
One of these sites is based in Barton Square in Manchester – and it has all the hallmarks of your typical health clinic.
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Treatment rooms with crisp-clean chairs, storage tables topped with carefully-arranged medical utensils; and slender steel drip stands being wheeled around by masked nurses.
But the people who come here aren’t patients. They’re clients.
Hundreds walked through the door and asked to be hooked up to drips in 2019 – but the treatment is also hugely popular with staff.
“I have one every day,” one REVIV nurse tells us, grinning from behind her face shield.
“I love it.”
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Like a high-class restaurant
Manchester’s REVIV site is slick, shiny and stylish from top to bottom (you’d do well to find a smudge on a mirror here). But still, as classy and well-kept as it looks, it’s far from exclusive.
There are in fact 90 other clinics just like it scattered right the way around the world – and a reminder of the brand’s global presence is splashed across the walls (including mentions of metropolis’ such as Las Vegas, Johannesburg and Hong Kong).
The Manchester venue books over 3,400 appointments per year – and a large majority are for IV drips.
“Oh yeah, we’re often really busy,” a nurse tells us during our visit.
She cocks her head at a pair of visitors in the waiting area, who are animatedly pointing at an info sheet on the table.
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“We have a lot of regulars – these two are here most weeks,” the nurse explains.
“They’re probably here to get their B12.”
Amazingly, some customers are such frequent flyers that the REVIV team know which orders to prep ahead of their arrival.
We watch as the duo catch up with clinic staff, before eagerly bouncing from the waiting area into the treatment room for their ‘B12’ – which is just one of the IVs available at the clinic.
A full list of options beams out from a monitor in the waiting area, where customers can mull over the menu and pick one, like it were a high-class restaurant, and roll up their sleeves ready for the chosen ‘dish’ to be delivered directly into their veins.
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Choices include; Hydromax, Megaboost, Ultraviv, Vitaglow and Royal Flush – with boosters designed for energy, weight loss and fitness.
Each IV has its own finely-tuned recipe – which can be tweaked according to the client’s needs .
A sprinkle of antioxidant here, an extra dash of Vitamin C there, etc.
“There’s no one size fits all,” our nurse tells us.
“We work out what each person wants to achieve and take their diet and lifestyle into account to see which IV might work best.
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“We can also do blood testing so you can get a clearer picture of your health overall.”
Sometimes results can be surprising, we learn.
“For some people, lots of fruit and veg is great; for others it’s not always,” the nurse explains.
“I happen to have the gene that means coffee is healthy for me. But other people don’t.
“Everybody is different.”
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A full MOT
On your first visit to REVIV, there’ll be no rush to the treatment chair. Quite the opposite in fact.
Before hooking each of us up, our nurse initiates a relaxed conversation about our health, lifestyles and general outlook.
The first few questions are routine stuff. How often do you exercise? How many alcohol units do you consume per week? What’s your smoking status?
But then, there’re a few more exploratory questions.
“What are you hoping to achieve in terms of improving your health?” our nurse asks.
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Getting rid of fatigue and improving energy levels are high on both our lists, and with all the info now collated, the ‘MegaBoost’ drip is recommended.
This solution is packed with minerals, antioxidants, electrolytes, Vitamin B12 and a high dose of Vitamin C.
But before the needle goes in, a REVIV nurse takes time to check my height, weight and blood pressure.
“Yep, you get a full MOT here,” she chuckles.
After a brief pause, I’m good to go. My numbers look ok.
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What’s going in is only good stuff, but the staff have protocol in place to make sure the human body isn’t taken aback when treatment begins.
The clinical bit – the cold spray, the prick, the tube insert – is over in seconds.
Once it’s set, we’re ushered into the serene surroundings of a small relaxation space – kitted out with a cream-white sofa and wall-mounted slimline TV.
We’re told to simply sit back, rest our arm on a cushion, and let the IV do its thing, watching Netflix whilst we wait.
The nurses periodically pop their head in to check everything is going swimmingly; twisting the dial to tweak the flow accordingly.
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“All good? Good.”
After a minute or two, I begin to feel a cool rush gently flowing up my arm.
“The solution is actually below room temperature, which is why it feels quite cold,” the nurse explains.
My body guzzles the whole bag in around the time it takes for an episode of Friends to play out on the tele. After twenty minutes of watching Chandler Bing wracked with emotional guilt over a crush on his best pal’s Mrs, the credits roll and a smiling staff member comes to disconnect me.
“You’ll probably feel the effects four to eight hours later,” the nurse explains, gently unhooking the tube and firmly pressing cotton wool onto the access point.
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“Some people say they enjoy a great sleep after it, too.”
New attitudes to health
An international pandemic has, inevitably, led to new questions surrounding health and wellbeing in the modern age.
After the distress of the first COVID wave began to pass, the national mood quickly turned to anger; with the government accused of being alarmingly ill-prepared for such an emergency.
Some politicians have since admitted that was indeed the case.
One argument is that more resources and time should have been allocated into ‘prevention’ – which is, in medical circles, often considered greater than the cure.
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The concept of preemptive health approaches were already trickling into the pool of public opinion pre-COVID – and the pandemic has only served to increase the flow.
Common ideas surrounding health and wellness are shifting away somewhat from ‘reactive’ treatment – with value recognised in taking active steps to prevent and protect.
There is no evidence to suggest that IV drips offer any protection from COVID-19. But the growing popularity of health-boosting services like nutrient therapy does reflect how people are starting to think differently about wellbeing.
According to Sarah Lomas, REVIV’s President and CEO, believes that one of the few silver linings of the pandemic is that new, modern ideas about health are now reaching high places.
“The World Health Organisation is starting to make this connection of nutrition being key to our ability to fight off viruses such as this,” she told The Manc last year.
“We’ve heard a lot about how people without underlying conditions are being affected by the virus.
“But having no underlying conditions is very different to actually being healthy.”
Sarah built an entire business off the back of an idea people might be interested in seeing their own body’s blueprint – and REVIV have services in place to do exactly that.
The company has also responded to COVID by launching testing at some sites – with several clinics also preparing to administer vaccine shots in due course.
But here at Manchester on this chilly January afternoon, it’s business as usual; IVs and insightful health checkups.
By the time we’ve popped plasters on our inner forearms and begun to head out the clinic, nurses are already prepping for fresh appointments.
REVIV is currently offering immunity support bundles – providing multiple health benefits all in one package. Included is a Megaboost Wellness IV, a Glutathione Push and additional Vitamin C. Priced at £225 – a saving of £58.
Feature
You can ‘run and rave’ as part of this new charity-driven social in Manchester city centre
Danny Jones
If you’re looking for a fun new way to spend a night out or thinking about getting into running but maybe haven’t quite found the right way in for you just yet, this new Manchester run socialthat starts and ends with a good old-fashioned party might be right up your street.
Run The Streets MCR is a community-led and charity-driven fitness and social event that recently launched in Manchester and has already developed a bit of a cult following in the space of only a couple of months.
The concept is simple: it’s a running social where you can meet new people whilst getting your yards in, just not quite as you know it. Instead of people turning up for a 5k and then heading home, the fun carries on at a host venue where people can keep chatting and mingling whilst having a boogie.
And the best part is that not only is it more of a causally paced, low-pressure jog and crucially social-first, but it’s all for a good cause too.
Started out by East Manchester locals and lifelong mates, Liam Parker-Worsley and Sarah Edwards, (‘Sezzle’ to those who know her among the Manc running circles), Run The Streets started out as a running social concept at its very core but has now become truly bigger than the sum of its parts.
While the ‘run and rave’ idea has been done before, this particular event is the first of its kind in Greater Manchester and after facing some serious obstacles to get it off the ground and plenty of adversity at the very first hurdle – for lack of a less punny phrase – they’ve managed to turn it into a force for good.
After pivoting the model at the start of 2024 to be completely non-profit, the monthly event is now helping bring people together for a good time, from the tarmac to the tiles, all whilst raising money for the likes of The Running Charity (TRC).
Not only do all the proceeds from the super affordable tickets – we’re talking the same price you’d pay for a decent pint in town these days – go straight back into running the next social, but they also help fund the chosen charity for that month.
Be it national causes like TRC, which recently received huge support from the incredible ‘Hardest Geezer‘s run across Africa, or charities strictly local to Manchester, everyone involved is striding towards a goal – quite literally.
Offering a different kind of night out
Speaking to The Manc, co-creator Sezzle says the mission statement is simple: “Everyone’s welcome and you can meet new people whilst running but at the same time we’re giving back to the community.
“We’re supporting local charities, artists and DJs, as well as local running clubs who want to get involved. Essentially, it’s just about bringing people together, which is what run clubs do, but we’re also in a big city and not everyone wants to go out and just drink at a bar all night.
“You want to keep fit, it’s good for your mental health, but you also still want to be social and enjoy yourself. Run The Streets is that Mancunian through and through but everyone’s invited.”
Sober for five months now, she acknowledged that outlets like this are crucial, insisting: “I don’t want to stop going out and having a good time or meeting new people, so this is a way that you can still go out on a Friday night and enjoy a party atmosphere with no pressure to drink”.
This is what the start of a night in trainers, hi-vis and glow sticks looks like. (Credit: Supplied)
The ‘by Manchester for Manchester’ ethos
Her partner in crime Liam echoed that party-run description, reiterating that whilst people can still get a bit boozy if they like, it’s all about “providing an alternative for anyone who doesn’t want to drink and want to be included but might have felt a little alienated otherwise”.
A fellow Tameside native, he explained how Run The Streets has already partnered with zero-alcohol brands like Clean Break for their inaugural event back in March and now alcohol-free favourite Lucky Saint for their sophomore social this month.
“It’s not about the financial aspect for us”, says Liam, “we only charge for tickets to sustain the event and pay for the talent, hiring spaces and so on… It might be different venues, different charities etc., but as long as we focus on core issues to Manchester with a cultural element that’s important to us, we’re happy with that”.
Sez couldn’t agree more, adding: “At the end of the day, we’re Mancs, we’ve watched the city grow into what it is today. When it comes down to it everyone knows about the Manchester spirit, it’s a hard-working area and there’s such a community to this place – we want to make sure everyone feels welcome.
“We look out for each other. That’s how it’s always been.”
Their recent running event with Matchroom ahead of the Gill vs Barrett fight at AO Arena. (Credit: Run The Streets MCR)
Roots in the running and wider Greater Manchester community
Chatting with Tom Lewis, founder of Manchester’s annual 24 Hour Run Against Homelessness and Chairman for the Run The Street’s official host club, Manchester Road Runners, he said that they became interested because they “really liked the idea of sponsoring different charities every month”.
Confessing that it felt like “a natural crossover” given MRR’s size and ethos, as well as their own non-profit work with the British Heart Foundation and Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity, he said the “overall response from the first event was incredible – everyone just loved it”.
“There were people dancing on the streets as they saw us come past and there were so many videos on social media. That sort of stuff can really help get people into running who wouldn’t necessarily consider it in the first place.”
“I think it’s going to grow really quickly; the first event sold out and I think the next ones will too, definitely. It’s great to see what just a random group of friends can accomplish when we come together.”
Manchester Road Runners is helping bring huge numbers to the event already.
Liam himself couldn’t speak highly enough of the Castlefield-based group, insisting that “me and Sez find a lot of happiness and solace” at MRR.
While they are affiliated with others like KOKO (Keep On Keeping On’s Manchester arm) and Stretford Run Club that they want to help promote, the hope is that events like this might help people who run but don’t attend a club might give them a try in the future.
Regular ambassador and volunteer at both organisations, Natasha Barclay – who herself is over a year into her own sobriety journey – described the flagship event as “such good fun, really welcoming” and filled with plenty of people who had never even run before.
Nat also urged people not to be scared if they’re first-timers to run socials or running full stop, reassuring that “no one gets left behind; even if you can’t really run, you’ll always make it back, have a good time and meet others in the same boat”.
She went on to add: “Run The Streets MCR is all about giving back to the running community which I think can often get overshadowed by social media and certain brands. The spirit can sometimes get taken out of it but this run social puts its straight back in whilst helping Manchester business and DJs.”
When we asked the guys to sum this whole experience up in three words or less that weren’t ‘rave and run’, they came up with some pretty telling answers too. “Community, soul and fun”, “alternative Friday fun” and our personal favourite: “Simply for Manchester”.
It’s also worth reiterating that these guys have done it completely off their own backs and are doing so on an entirely voluntary basis on top of their full-time jobs, sometimes juggling two or three different roles. It’s been built over countless late nights and dinner hours, all for the love of running and the city.
The second ever Run The Streets MCR running social and party kicks off this Friday, 26 April from 7pm at Joshua Brooks, with a light 5k around our lovely city centre starting at 7:30pm before heading back to the venue for more tunes, dancing, glowsticks and general good vibes from 8pm onwards.
You can grab the last few remaining tickets HERE and we hope to see a few of you there on the night.
Come rain or shine, there’s always tunes to keep you going.The turnout at the last Run The Streets Manchester social at The Deaf Institute.Credit: Supplied/The Manc Group
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Run The Streets MCR
Feature
What to expect from Soho House when it finally opens in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Soho House Manchester is surely one of the city’s most hotly-anticipated (and long-awaited) new openings.
The luxury members’ club has been slowly transforming the Old Granada Studios in the city centre into a multi-storey hub that will include restaurants, bars, bedrooms, event spaces, a gym, and – notably – a rooftop pool.
At one point, its grand opening was locked in for 2022 – but now we’re in 2024 and still no official opening date has been announced.
But there’s good reason for that – you cannot rush perfection. And you can expect perfection when annual membership costs close to £3,000.
We may still be looking at the same set of artist impressions for Soho House Manchester, but after a whistle-stop tour of several other of their UK locations, we finally have an idea of what to expect from their first venture north.
One thing you’re guaranteed to find is attention to detail.
Not one inch of Soho House is overlooked when it comes to their design – every corner, nook and cranny has been considered and made beautiful.
Every site is different from the last, lifting inspiration from the building it takes over and the history of the local area.
Bedrooms at White City House in LondonA lounge area at Soho House’s White City HouseWhite City House’s barPen Yen, a Japanese restaurant in Soho HouseAnother Soho House lounge spaceThe rooftop pool at White City HouseClick or swipe through the gallery above to see inside Soho House’s White City House
For example, White City House, constructed within the iconic, circular former BBC HQ, has collages of nostalgic programmes, analog TVs stuck to the walls, and mid-century modern furniture that tastefully nods back to the building’s most significant era.
But then you head to the very first Soho House location, tucked in a tall townhouse in the heart of bustling Soho, and it’s all about elaborately patterned wallpapers, plump colourful cushions, chintzy curtains.
With Soho House Manchester taking shape inside Old Granada Studios, we can expect a nod to our city’s broadcasting heritage, probably some 1960s-inspired interiors (this building held the Beatles’ first television performance in 1962), and hopefully not a Hacienda stripe in sight…
You want another example of attention to detail? Every Soho House even has its own stripe, used on its towels and stationery and other items dotted around the spaces. For Manchester, it’s going to be a navy and ochre wave pattern.
So while there are similarities between every location, this is far from being a copy-and-paste brand.
The same applies to the customer service. It’s quite remarkable to sit and watch how staff at each House will greet members by name at just a glance, very much like that scene in The Devil Wears Prada but I can’t see a panicked Emily Blunt whispering in anyone’s ear here.
Another recurring feature at Soho House will be total privacy. There’s a strict no-photos policy that means even the most A-list of guests (yes, including Harry Styles) can relax and enjoy the space without the fear of having their picture sold to a tabloid.
The pool at Soho FarmhouseSoho Farmhouse bedroomsPrivate dining space at Soho FarmhouseThe ‘Lazy Lake’ hot tubs at Soho FarmhouseAnother Soho House restaurantA look around Soho Farmhouse before Soho House opens in Manchester
If you whip out a phone, you’ll be told politely but firmly not to take photos or videos… not that many people even try. The application process to become a Soho House member is rigorous, so once you’re in, almost everyone plays by the rules.
And it really is private. One does not simply walk into Soho House, even if you do have cash to spend. In fact, the only way you can set foot into these hallowed halls without being a member is to be invited as a guest of an existing member.
Memberships are generally offered to those working in the creative industries, so you’re never more than a few metres from artists, music industry bigwigs, actors, dancers, writers, designers and more.
Inside any one house, you probably will spot a famous face or two (on our trip to Soho Farmhouse I clocked a legitimate Hollywood A-lister), but you might not notice – they’ll be treated the same as every other guest, and will be relaxing safe in the knowledge that they’re not about to be pestered for a selfie.
Restaurants for Soho House Manchester haven’t been confirmed yet, but our tour of existing locations included several signature restaurants that would be very welcomed in our city.
We could get Pen Yen, a vibrant Japanese restaurant; or Little Berenjak, a sister site for the Persian restaurant in London that is so popular, it’s nigh-on impossible to get a table.
Picante, Soho House’s signature cocktailAttention to detail even includes complimentary condoms in the bedroomsAn event space in the original Soho HouseBikes at Farmhouse
One thing we’re sadly not likely to experience here in Manchester is the peace and tranquility enjoyed at Soho Farmhouse, where features include a heated outdoor pool and hot tubs sunk into the lake, pretty green bikes you can cycle around on, and cosy rooms built into wooden cabins or ‘piglet’ style huts.
But if you sign up for the ‘Every House’ membership, you can at least pay it a visit.
But what is on the cards for us is a rooftop pool with sunbeds and a bar; an enormous gym space (Soho House has said this is a priority, and after seeing how busy the gym at White City House is, I can see why), fitness studios; a steam room and sauna; a ninth-floor late-night bar and live music space; casual lounge areas serving food and drink; a formal restaurant; an events space with a bar and DJ booth; 23 bedrooms of varying sizes; and an 80sq metre two-bedroom private apartment. Phew.
Set to be the first Soho House site in the north, it will join other UK sites across London, in Oxfordshire, in Somerset, in Windsor and in Brighton.
An exact opening date for Soho House Manchester is expected to be confirmed soon.
Soho House Manchester – memberships and application process
The full membership gains you access to all 41 Soho Houses globally, and costs £2,950.
But if you want to just use Soho House Manchester, that will cost £1,925.
There are cheaper memberships available for under-27s.
As part of the application process, you’ll need to supply a headshot, information about your work and industry, links to your online profiles, and several other titbits about yourself.
It helps if you already know a couple of existing Soho House members who can refer you, too.
And you must confirm that you’ll abide by the house rules, which you can see here.
Soho House Manchester memberships are open now and you can apply here.