Frequently Asked Questions

It is the vernacular term among doctors and nurses for the intravenous formula most commonly administered to dehydrated, vitamin-deficient patients in the ER. This clear IV solution turns "banana" colored once we infuse vitamins into the bag just prior to administration. The Banana Bag's purpose is to restore the body with water, electrolytes, and critical vitamins.

By having the same vitamins and electrolytes available in a drinkable solution, all the benefits of a Banana Bag can now be taken ORALLY to effectively alleviate fatigue and dehydration in situations where IV access is not feasible, or desired, for that matter.

Not at all. The original solution has a slight lemon/lime flavor. Our new Pediatric option tastes much better, with an organic orange/tangerine-like flavor. I did not want to candy coat this hospital grade product with unnecessary sugars and sweeteners. Our Oral Solution is a powerful re-hydrating formula containing salts, vitamins, and only a small amount of sugar (dextrose)... nothing else. This product is built to work as efficiently as possible to give IV-type relief to people who need results.

Unless you are unconscious or have intestinal issues that compromise nutrient absorption, there is a lesser need for an IV to be administered. Thanks to the science behind the Banana Bag Oral Solution, it is easy and convenient to replenish your beaten-down and dehydrated body with this simple to use, fast-acting and efficient drink mix. Banana Bag Oral Solution gets you to 100% and keeps you there. It is also no secret that dehydrated, nutrient deficient alcohol binge users are well-acquainted with IV Banana Bags. But if you think about it, dehydration and poor dietary habits are quite common among many of us who don’t even drink. Whether during high levels of physical exercise or stressful job activities, or episodes of diarrhea and vomiting, you may need to drink something with a strong mix of electrolytes and vitamins in order to bounce back physically and mentally. That is where the Banana Bag Oral Solution is unique because it is not only replacing electrolytes and fluids, but it is also providing the body with a large dose of vitamins that help restore energy, cognitive function, immune support... the list goes on! To be quite honest, we all need a Banana Bag once in a while.

In order for water to be adequately absorbed into the blood stream, especially when the body is in a dehydrated state, plain water is simply not good enough. To put it simply, water follows sodium across the gut, and glucose (sugar) is a necessary component to facilitate that movement. But the amount of each is very important here. Sports drinks either have too much sugar or none at all, or not quite enough sodium. Energy drinks with caffeine and loads of sugar will only dehydrate you further. Coconut water lacks certain critical vitamins (as do most sports and energy drinks) and it’s just not that potent in terms of hydration. Now there is no reason you can’t also have one of the previously mentioned beverages, but remember, our goal here is to restore a combination of electrolytes AND vitamins… not just “any liquid” can do this.

The amounts of sodium and dextrose in an IV solution are too concentrated to be taken by mouth. So, the Banana Bag Oral Solution is designed to have a sodium to dextrose ratio optimized for absorption of water and electrolytes, following the new guidelines by the World Health Organization. Also, we had to increase the vitamin contents and change a couple of them (B12 & folic acid) to their active metabolites to ensure that a sufficient amount is absorbed through the GI tract and already in their active state. We added a very small amount of organic flavoring which is carried in the organic dextrose. With that said, the fundamentals of hydration, extra thiamine, extra folic acid, and nutrient supplementation are the same in the intravenous and the powder packet. Plus, 100% of the ingredients in the oral solution are utilized by the body. There is nothing in this formulation that is unnatural to your body, unlike the IV multivitamin, which contains polyethylene glycol, and preservatives.

It is hard to beat IV delivery when it comes to putting medicine in the bloodstream quickly. However, intravenous delivery is not always necessary when it comes to hydration and vitamin supplementation, and for the vast majority of us these same nutrients are absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract rather easily. And as mentioned before, the Banana Bag Oral Solution meets the new recommendations by the World Health Organization for oral rehydration therapy, recommendations that showed a reduced need for supplemental IV therapy. There are also some studies that show ORAL rehydration having the advantage over IV rehydration when it came to physiological strain, heat tolerance, RPE (rating of perceived exertion), or thermal sensations during exercise in the heat. The answer to this very important question is this… There really is not much of a difference between the two in efficiency, but only when the ORAL solution is made correctly.

One packet. Once daily. 240 - 500 ml (8 - 16 oz) of water. If you're into osmolarity for maximum electrolyte/h2o absorption (in cases of severe dehydration), the ideal range is found closer to 240 ml (8 oz) of water. If you want to dissolve it in a liter of water and nurse it over several hours, that is perfectly natural (the majority of us do not drink enough water on a daily basis anyway), and we highly recommend that.

That is a bad idea. Do not ingest without dissolving in water first.

No artificial sweeteners. No preservatives. No dyes. No artificial flavors. No GMOs. No gluten. Vegan.