IV Therapy & Injections

High-Dose IV Vitamin C

High-concentration intravenous nutrient therapy used as a supportive, integrative part of your cancer care, coordinated by your naturopathic doctor in Ontario.

High-Dose IV Vitamin C — naturopathic care at JOSIE
High-dose IVCAdjunctive care
VirtualOntario-wide
How it works

Why intravenous, and why high dose

When vitamin C is taken orally, its absorption is strictly limited by the digestive tract, capping the concentrations that can actually reach your cells. Intravenous (IV) administration completely bypasses these digestive barriers, safely delivering high-dose vitamin C directly into your bloodstream to achieve levels impossible through oral supplementation alone.

At these elevated, clinical concentrations, vitamin C transitions into a powerful metabolic and systemic support tool for oncology care. It is thought to exert its action through targeted mechanisms, generating oxidative stress that is selectively toxic to cancer cells while remaining non-toxic to healthy cells, lowering systemic inflammation, interfering with tumor blood vessel formation, and supporting immune function by increasing specific white blood cells.

  • Bypasses the gut for full bioavailability
  • Used alongside chemotherapy and radiation, not instead of them
  • Dosing and timing built around your treatment schedule
What it is

A supportive therapy, never a substitute

High-dose IV vitamin C is an evidence-based adjunctive therapy designed to work safely alongside conventional oncology timelines, such as chemotherapy and radiation. It can be used as a supportive and integrative protocol to enhance your overall care and resilience, and it is never used in place of the care your oncology team provides.

JOSIE is a virtual naturopathic clinic, so the clinical thinking behind your protocol happens in your online appointments, where your naturopathic doctor reviews your oncology timeline, current medications, and lab results. When an infusion is appropriate, the in-person sessions take place at our partner naturopathic IV lounge in Etobicoke, Toronto.

  • An adjunctive protocol that complements chemotherapy and radiation
  • Never used in place of your oncology team's care
  • Planned virtually, then delivered at our Toronto partner IV lounge
Supportive frameworks

Where high-dose IVC fits in cancer care

Quality of life

Clinical research demonstrates that high-dose IVC is generally safe and well-tolerated, with a primary benefit of managing cancer-treatment-related side effects. It helps significantly reduce deep fatigue, pain, nausea, and appetite loss.

Supportive outcomes

Early research suggests that IVC may provide benefit for cancer outcomes, including tumor response and survival, when paired with standard treatments, particularly for advanced pancreatic, ovarian, and certain colorectal and lung cancers.

Proactive preparation

Starting protocols early helps build up nutritional reserves, manage treatment-induced depletion, and establish baseline cellular resilience before and during your regimen.

Safety screening

A G6PD blood test is required before booking, alongside careful clinical screening of general markers such as kidney function and electrolytes.

What to expect

Your protocol, individualized

Dosing and timelines are tailored to you and your oncology plan. A typical course looks like this:

  • Sessions are usually scheduled one to three times per week, depending on your custom protocol.
  • Each infusion generally lasts between one and three hours in a calm, clinical lounge setting.
  • Your naturopathic doctor reviews prerequisite labs, including a G6PD test, before any infusion is booked.
  • Physical administration happens at our Toronto partner IV lounge while your monitoring stays virtual through JOSIE.
Coordinated for you

How your in-person care is handled

Physical administration is built directly into your care at JOSIE, so the logistics are handled for you:

See the step-by-step process
  • We handle the booking and coordination with our Toronto partner clinic on your behalf.
  • Your virtual appointments transition smoothly into in-person IV lounge care when an infusion is appropriate.

Common questions

About high-dose iv vitamin c

About the clinic

Latest articles

From the JOSIE journal

Notebook, brass magnifying glass and folded city map on a desk, for a post on choosing a naturopath in TorontoWellness

How to Choose a Naturopath in Toronto and the GTA

Searching "naturopath near me" brings up dozens of options. Here's how to check that an ND is registered, find one whose focus matches what you need, spot red flags, and know what to ask before you book.

Read article
Unlabelled jar of cream, aloe leaf and cotton cloth on linen, for a post on radiation therapy side effects and skin careIntegrative cancer care

Radiation Side Effects: Skin, Fatigue and Recovery

Radiation side effects build slowly, often peak right after your last treatment, then start to ease over the following weeks. Here's what to expect for your skin and energy, what helps, and how long recovery usually takes.

Read article
Brass dial gauge beside a blood test tube on linen, for a post explaining TSH levelsThyroid health

TSH Levels Explained: High, Low and "Normal"

TSH works backwards from how most people expect. High TSH usually means an underactive thyroid, and low TSH usually means an overactive one. Here's what your TSH levels actually mean, and why "normal" doesn't always mean you'll feel your best.

Read article
Naturopathic doctor's desk with a stethoscope, amber tincture bottles, dried herbs and a lab test tubeWellness

What Does a Naturopathic Doctor Actually Do?

A naturopathic doctor is a regulated health care provider who looks for what's driving your symptoms and builds a plan around you. Here's how NDs are trained in Ontario, what a visit looks like and how we work alongside your family doctor.

Read article
Comfort items for chemo on a side table: knit blanket, ginger tea, water bottle, notebook and fresh mintIntegrative cancer care

Chemo Side Effects Week by Week: What to Expect

On a typical 3-week chemo cycle, the first few days bring fatigue and nausea, days 7 to 14 carry the highest infection risk, and week 3 is often the recovery week. Here's what to expect after your first treatment, when to call your team and what can help.

Read article
Cream stone thyroid sculpture with a journal, herbal tea and eucalyptus on linen, for a post on hypothyroidism symptoms in womenThyroid health

Hypothyroidism Symptoms in Women That Get Missed

The hypothyroidism symptoms in women that get missed most often are fatigue that sleep doesn't fix, brain fog, low mood, thinning outer eyebrows, constipation, muscle aches and heavier periods. They're easy to miss when only TSH is tested, or when labs are "normal" but not optimal.

Read article
Editorial still life of a biopsy needle, specimen vial, pathology slides, and medical imaging on a warm neutral surface.Integrative cancer care

Can a Biopsy Make Cancer Spread? Separating Fear From Evidence

For most cancers, no, not in any meaningful way. A biopsy needle can occasionally carry a small number of cells along its path, but true tumor seeding is extremely rare, and biopsies have not been shown to worsen survival in common cancers like breast cancer. The bigger risk, in almost every case, is delaying the diagnosis.

Read article
An editorial still life photograph on a linen surface featuring five focused glass ampoules, an amber dropper bottle, a stone, and a botanical seed pod. In the background, a distinct IV bag containing golden fluid is visible. Soft natural window light with olive branch shadows bridges clinical precision with grounded, warm wellness. Shot for a blog post on targeted IV therapy.IV therapy & nutrients

How IV Nutrient Therapy Fits Into a Complete Treatment Plan

IV nutrient therapy isn't a replacement for medical treatment — it's a support tool. Used well, it corrects deficiencies faster than oral supplements can, bypasses a gut that's struggling to absorb nutrients, and helps the body tolerate treatment better. Used badly, it's an expensive drip with no real plan behind it. The difference is whether it's targeted to what your body actually needs.

Read article

Ready to optimize your treatment plan with targeted, data-driven support?

True vitality means giving your body exactly what it needs, precisely where it can use it best. Let's look at your health data virtually, map out your needs, and seamlessly coordinate your advanced in-person therapies.

Explore our care
Contact