Chelation therapy is an extremely controversial treatment used to treat cardiovascular disease, autism and other health conditions. It can be used to treat heavy metal poisoning, according to the National Council Against Health Fraud, and is supported for this purpose. Its value for treating other medical conditions is unknown. However, with the popularity of chelation therapy rising, this may cause patients to fall prey to unethical medical practitioners who make false diagnoses for profit.
History of Chelation Therapy
Chelation therapy has been in use since at least the 1950s, says the National Institutes of Health, when it was commonly used to treat metal toxicity such as lead poisoning. Chelation is derived from the Greek word "chele," which means "claw-like" or "claw." The NIH says chelation therapy is generally used for heavy metal poisoning, as well as to reduce the presence of iron following blood transfusions. One patient receiving chelation therapy in the 1950s also experienced reduced symptoms of angina; hence, its popularity in treating atherosclerosis. Theoretically, chelation therapy removes the calcium that causes artery obstruction, according to the NIH.
How It's Done
Chelation therapy involves a series of treatments in which a man-made amino acid called ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is introduced into the body intravenously, says the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). Side effects are purportedly rare and include burning at the site of the vein, fever, nausea, and vomiting and headache. However, more dire consequences may occur as a result of chelation therapy, such as a precipitous drop in blood pressure, permanent kidney damage, low calcium levels and a drop in blood cell count. The risk for these side effects increases if chelation therapy isn't delivered by a medical professional skilled in this treatment.
Does It Work?
The National Council Against Health Fraud indicates that chelation has been proven effective in removing toxic metals from the blood. However, although used since the 1970s to treat heart disease, chelation is considered experimental for this purpose. Mayo Clinic experts say the American Heart Association doesn't recommend it, nor has the U.S. Food & Drug Administration has approved chelation therapy to treat heart disease--so its safety and effectiveness are unknown.
Research and Studies
The problem with clinical studies is that participants have died from chelation therapy, according to a September 2008 Associated Press report. The largest study on chelation therapy, designed and run by the American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM)--a group of chelation practitioners--and funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and NCCAM was put on hold when federal officials at the Office for Human Research Protections launched an investigation. According to the report, Dr. Gervasio Lamas of the University of Miami conceded that many doctors conducting the study had been disciplined by their state boards or had criminal records. Participants purportedly were not fully informed of the risks involved with chelation therapy before the study.
This was not the first time the ACAM was investigated by federal agencies. According to the National Council Against Health Fraud, in 1998, the Federal Trade Commission charged the ACAM's website and brochure with making unsubstantiated and misleading claims regarding the safety and efficacy of chelation therapy.
Cautions and Concerns
Chelation therapy advocates claim that the treatment can benefit those with heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and autism. Moreover, the National Council Against Health Fraud notes that unethical medical practitioners use hair analysis and other misleading laboratory tests to falsely diagnose people with heavy metal poisoning, such as lead and mercury. However, there is no evidence to indicate that chelation therapy can benefit most medical conditions, aside from confirmed heavy metal toxicity. The Mayo Clinic notes that prior studies on chelation therapy indicate that the treatment doesn't work as well as conventional medicine. According to the AP article, the FDA, American College of Physicians and American Medical Association indicate that chelation therapy is "of unknown value or risk for heart disease patients."
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