It's no secret that for quite some time I've been doing a weekly self-administered 30ml "Push IV" (fully legal for athletes, by the way) with a potent cocktail of vitamins and glutathione, along with a weekly NAD IV.

And while you may not be quite willing to hunt down a vein in your arm and administer your own IV, the doctor who I've been getting these IV's from is finally making his first appearance on my podcast. I've received plenty of questions about IV's (and stem cell infusions, and NAD IV's), and he's going to blow your mind with his broad range of knowledge on these topics.

His name is Dr. Craig Koniver.

Dr. Koniver has been practicing Performance Medicine for over 18 years and is the founder of Koniver Wellness in Charleston, South Carolina. Not satisfied with the disease-based model of modern medicine, Dr. Koniver seeks to help his clients optimize their health and performance through time-tested, nutrient and science driven protocols that are the cutting-edge of medicine. He is the founder and creator of the patent-pending FastVitaminIV® as well as re-engineering the NAD+ IV protocols, now called Brain Refuel™.

Dr. Koniver’s client list includes Navy SEALs, NFL players, PGA golfers, Hall of Fame NHL players, world-class professional athletes, Fortune 100 Executives, well-known celebrities and TV personalities. In addition, Dr. Koniver offers a comprehensive training program of the Koniver Wellness Model to physician practices across the country.

During our discussion, you'll discover:

-What is performance medicine, and how did you get into it?...

• Family medicine trained; wanted to open his own practice.
• Saw an opportunity to meet a need in the market by focusing primarily on IV's.
• Realized that people just want to feel better; focus on that, and they'll be receptive to outside the box solutions.

-Why is injecting into the bloodstream more efficacious than other means of injection (oral, etc.)?...

• We only absorb around 20% of nutrients we take orally via food, supplements,etc. (even less with gut issues)
• IV's are a more sure way of ensuring the nutrients make it into the bloodstream.
• Pneumonia is a high cause of death; you treat it via intravenous antibiotics.
• Same principle applies with nutrients.

-What ingredients are in the different types of IV's that you make, and what do they do?...

• Biggest deficiencies in people are:
  • B vitamins
  • Magnesium
  • Amino acids.
• Craig focuses primarily on these ingredients in his "core" IV, rather than having a large variety of options to choose from.
• The difference between a push IV and a drip IV, and which one is more effective:
  • A push IV gets a much more robust response.
  • 30 cc's vs. 500-1000 cc's.
  • Focuses more on the nutrients than the water.
  • It's technically the only way to get a professional vitamin IV.
• Magnesium:
  • Conventional wisdom says to go slow, play it safe.
  • Craig has found the opposite to be true.
  • Never had an adverse reaction to it.
• Amino acids:
  • Whey protein, BCAA, glutamine.
• A total of 19 different nutrients in the 30 cc's of fluid.

-How can people administer these IV's without flying to Dr. Koniver's clinic in Charleston?

• There's a network of certified nurses around the country.
• People can purchase from the nurses and administer themselves, either at a clinic or in their home.

-What is the Brain Refuel?

• Combination of Intravaneous NAD Plus, and the Fast Vitamin.
• Achieves the "sweet spot" where people can tolerate the IV (length of treatment) and derive the most benefits from it.
• NAD can't be mixed with any other nutrient; but the Fast Vitamin IV helped transport the NAD to the mitochondryia.

-How to deal with the unpleasant experience of injecting the IV...

• Don't do it while you're stressed out, or just finished traveling; do it while you're in a "good place" mentally and physically.
• Breath work; relaxing music.
• "This too shall pass". Just like a workout sucks while you're doing it, you feel great afterwards.
• An IV is basically a workout for your cells.
• First NAD treatment is always the worst; once you realize it's safe, it's more tolerable in the future.
• No adverse side effects.

-Whether or not the NAD treatment is absorbable into the cells, and any proof to back it up...

• Article: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide is transported into mammalian mitochondria
• Glutathione is not to be mixed with NAD.

-Dr. Koniver's work with stem cell infusions...

• Umbilical stem cells are freshest, most potent.
• Mitochondria directs how stem cells work.
• NAD 3 day program; inject NAD 3 days prior to stem cells.
• Safety concerns: Cleanliness, foreign cells, etc.
  • Umbilical stem cells are immune naive; very low likelihood of a reaction.
  • Stem cell banks, private companies developing safer practices.
  • Frozen in liquid nitrogen, where nothing can live. Injected immediately after thawing out.
  • Follow a clear protocol, do your due diligence to minimize risk.
• Are stem cells regulated by the government?
  • Nothing significant.
  • Stem cell companies require thorough documentation.
  • Doctors administering are well-trained. Clear protocol.
  • Companies who cut corners will be weeded out when they produce a subpar product.
• What can you administer to aid in the absorption and utility of stem cells?
  • Intravaneous NAD
  • Intranasal oxytocin
  • Injectable peptides

-More detail on the injectable peptides...

• BPC 157 systemically; inject anywhere.
• Growth hormone releasing peptides; coupled with CJC-1295.
  • Helps to stay in the system longer.
• GHK-Copper.
  • 3 week treatment promotes healing

-How Dr. Koniver engages in "distance medicine" and trains other doctors in the practice of IV treatment...

• Enables people to receive the treatment they need remotely.
• Patients often eventually travel to Charleston to continue treatment.
• Doctors don't receive this type of training in med school.
• Different mindset: disease treatment vs. health and performance perspective.

-Ben's word of advice: Don't be like me! Proceed with Caution!...

And much more!

Resources from this podcast:

-Click here to buy the IV's. -30 minute patient phone call with Dr. Koniver to review health goals. At end of call, Dr. Koniver will outline a strategic game plan for optimizing patient health and performance. Click here and use code BEN for 20% discount (brings $400 to $320)

-1 hour physician practitioner phone call with Dr. Koniver to discuss how to implement Performance Medicine into your practice. At end of call, Dr. Koniver will outline specific steps to start. Click here and use code BEN for 20% discount (brings $500 to $420)

-4 Day NAD IV Therapy (Brain Refuel Program). Patient flies to Dr. Koniver’s office in Charleston, South Carolina to receive the loading dose. Click here and use code BEN for 20% discount (brings $400 to $320)

-Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Program. 3 days of NAD IV Therapy followed by umbilical cord stem cell infusion. Includes injectable peptides as well as select nutrients to aid in absorption of stem cells. Click here and use code BEN for 20% discount (brings $8750 to $7000)

-The latest research on NAD absorption

-My podcast with Charles Brenner on NR supplements

-My first podcast and second podcast with Thomas Ingoglia on NAD injections

-My podcast on genetics/glutathione with Dr. Karim Dhanani

-Halland Chen's article on muscle gain with stem cells and NAD combined

Episode Sponsors:

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Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Dr. Koniver or me? Leave your comments at bengreenfieldfitness.com/ivpodcast and one of us will reply!