Vitamins, Electrolytes, and Trace Elements in Human Physiology: A Narrative Review Based on Leroy’s Cocktail Formulation

Abstract

Background: Vitamins, electrolytes, and trace elements are required for normal neurological, hematological, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, immune, metabolic, and tissue-maintenance functions throughout adult life, and adequacy may be challenged by ageing, dietary restriction, multimorbidity, polypharmacy, and impaired gastrointestinal absorption. Leroy’s Cocktail is a three-stage sequential intravenous formulation that combines water-soluble vitamins, electrolytes, trace elements, and the metabolic and redox-support compounds L-carnitine, N-acetylcysteine, and glutathione.

Methods: This focused narrative review prioritized recent systematic reviews, meta-analyses, large cohort studies, randomized trials, and clinical-nutrition guidelines on micronutrient sufficiency, adult nutrition, healthy ageing, multimorbidity, frailty, cardiometabolic health, cognition, musculoskeletal and immune function, respiratory disease, and trace-element nutrition. Evidence was organized by organ-system domain.

Results: Each constituent has established physiological roles across multiple organ systems. Micronutrient status is linked with frailty, functional capacity, cardiometabolic health, cognition, skeletal integrity, and immune competence, although supplementation trials in frailty, fracture prevention, heart failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have often shown small or null effects. Intravenous delivery bypasses gastrointestinal absorption, which is relevant when oral provision is inadequate or absorption is impaired. A five-stage physiological-sufficiency continuum is proposed as a conceptual model. Chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and frailty require individualized nutritional and safety assessment. No clinical data are available for the complete formulation.

Conclusion: Leroy’s Cocktail offers a multinutrient framework grounded in the established physiological roles of its constituents. Its safety, tolerability, and effects on nutritional biomarkers, functional capacity, and healthspan-relevant outcomes should be evaluated in adults with demonstrable micronutrient vulnerability arising from ageing, chronic disease, polypharmacy, or impaired absorption.