AMES, Iowa — While many people may dread the idea of going to the doctor and getting an IV put into their arm, others are voluntarily using IVs as a source of hydration.

Dr. Antoinette Thompson is one of the owners of Live Hydration Spa in Ames. She, like many doctors, advises that staying hydrated during the summer is important. With the Iowa State Fair coming up, Thompson says that her business can help prevent dehydration, which can be expedited when someone is outdoors in the heat for a prolonged period and if they are drinking alcohol.

“Sometimes if you wait too late, it’ll be too late, and they’ll be taking you in an ambulance. If you think ahead and you think about these places, like Live Hydration, you can get an IV bag even before you go to the State Fair,” says Thompson.

Thompson suggests that using an IV is like drinking water, except the effects are felt faster.

“[The IV] goes directly into your bloodstream, directly into your body, directly into your cells. The water that you drink has to metabolize… and then get into the body, so it takes a little longer,” Thompson said.

Live Hydration Spa can be found in Ames and West Des Moines.