EDTA chelation therapy has been used as an effective, FDA-approved treatment for heavy metal poisoning cases since the middle of the 20th century. It's also been used as a treatment for several other conditions, even though it's only been proven effective in the treatment of a rare type of genetic blood disorder. If you use EDTA chelation to treat conditions like coronary heart disease, cancer, or autism, you risk losing both your money (a course of treatment cost about $3,000 in 2008, according to the American Cancer Society) and your health.
EDTA Chelation Uses
EDTA chelation is usually used to treat heavy metal poisoning, such as lead poisoning or mercury poisoning. It is also used to treat people with major beta thalassemia, also called Cooley's anemia. People with this severe genetic disorder of the blood have to undergo frequent blood transfusions. The ongoing blood transfusions lead to a buildup of iron in the blood, which then must be removed through EDTA chelation.
How EDTA Chelation Works
During EDTA chelation, a man-made amino acid (EDTA) is introduced into the bloodstream. The amino acid binds itself to heavy metals, such as iron, lead, or mercury. Normally, the body can't get rid of these heavy metals, but the compound that the EDTA forms when it binds with the metal can leave the body in the urine or feces. Over time, repeated chelation treatments reduce the level of poisonous metals in the body.
The Chelation Process
EDTA can either be injected into the body or given as a pill. During injection treatment, the drug Desferal is administered through an infusion pump strapped to the stomach or legs. The pump may have to be worn for hours on end. Unsurprisingly, demand for a less uncomfortable chelation method led to the development of the oral chelator Exjade, which was approved in 2005. This drug is dissolved in liquid and swallowed; a single dose is sufficient for a day's worth of chelation. Whether injected or swallowed, EDTA chelation treatment is a recurring process. Patients who do not have to undergo lifelong treatment for major beta thalassemia can expect one course of EDTA chelation therapy to consist of anywhere from 5 to 30 treatments in a month, with most patients undergoing more, rather than fewer, treatments.
Side Effects
Immediate side effects of EDTA chelation include pain at the injection site, gastrointestinal side effects like nausea and vomiting, and temporary low blood pressure. EDTA chelation can also have several dangerous long-term side effects. EDTA chelation does not just remove harmful metals; it also removes calcium from the body, weakening the bones over time. It can also cause kidney failure, necessitating dialysis, and it may weaken the immune system.
Warnings
While EDTA chelation is a useful treatment for poisoning and for major beta thalassemia, it is often touted as a cure for other conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Unfortunately, there is little evidence that EDTA chelation is helpful in curing these conditions. The American Heart Association found that studies of people undergoing chelation for cardiovascular conditions, including a 2002 study published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association," showed no evidence that chelation had an effect on cardiovascular health. The American Cancer Society reports the same lack of evidence of EDTA chelation's usefulness in studies of cancer patients.
Autism
EDTA chelation is sometimes used as a treatment for autism, based on the idea that mercury in vaccines administered in childhood somehow triggered the onset of autism. Removing the mercury through EDTA chelation, according to this theory, should reverse autism. However, there is no solid evidence that mercury preservative in vaccines causes autism. Chelation also has serious side effects, especially for children, which make it of dubious value as an alternative autism treatment.
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