Tag: Banana bags

Originally developed in the mid-20th century, the 'banana bag' became a staple in emergency departments for treating patients with severe nutritional deficiencies from chronic alcohol use. Yes, hospitals still use banana bags, but the traditional, one-size-fits-all formula has evolved significantly due to new evidence in modern pharmacology.

According to a 2016 review in PubMed, the traditional "banana bag" approach to delivering thiamine and other vitamins likely fails to optimize delivery to the central nervous system, leading to its decline in use. The shift away from the classic "banana bag" formula reflects a broader movement in medicine toward more specific, evidence-based treatment protocols.