Our nutrients through an IV then we don't have to worry about eating the wrong foods?

Question

wouldn't it be simpler

Answer 1

what, going around with a hoze in your arm?  it might be simpler for your body, but your stomach would always be growling and you would never be able to taste your food?

if its just for essential nutrients, there is always multivitamins.

Answer 2

What you're referring to is called TPN - Total Parenteral Nutrition - and we give it to patients in hospital who's digestive systems can't handle solids or tube-feeds due to surgery, obstruction, cancer, etc.

And it's hardly simpler than eating.  IV sites need to be changes every 3 days, and IV tubing replaced ever 24 hours.  Furthermore, your GI tract would seize-up and fail if it were not ever used to digest foods.

Answer 3

I feel IV is a wrong food administered in a wrong way.

I loved your sense of humor though!

Answer 4

actually no it wouldnt and it would be dangerous to you..we cannot keep the same needle for an extended period as the risk of inflamation and infection may occur...(usually poor technique causes this)....this would call for frequent needle changes.....long term and/or repeated injection can cause your veins to collapse......we have vitamins for supplementing.....your idea would be neat in theory for those of us who dont like to swallow pills and prefer an injection but in the long run the effects on health would not be good and would defeat the purpose

Answer 5

Perhaps, but I am needlephobic.  Wouldn't an oral supplement do the same?

Answer 6

No, it wouldn't be.  Most stuff available for use in IV's or feeding tubes is animal derived, and/or contains the same foods and nutrients as commercial stuff.  I am allergic to eggs, as well as wheat, soy, corn, and many other common things, and have had to have IV nutrients before-I reacted worse to those than if I had eaten the foods to start with!

Answer 7

No - your veins would not like that very much.  Your stomach would eat itself.  You would look pretty silly walking around with a line attached to you everywhere you went.  



But if you are going that far shouldn't you breathe 'pure air' too?



Then imagine the costs of doing something like that for the entire population.... astronomical.

Answer 8

That would be really expensive and unnecessarily invasive.  I happen to really like to eat.  Once you get your diet under control and know what you can and can't eat you'll feel better.