The Mayo Clinic identifies chelation therapy as a medical treatment for lead poisoning and certain other types of heavy metal poisoning, but also notes that the treatment has caught on as an alternative therapy for other medical conditions. The treatment is administered by a qualified physician in a hospital setting, usually in multiple staggered cycles, and requires constant monitoring of vital signs due to the risk of serious side effects. Beyond treatment of metal poisoning, there is no scientific proof that chelation is effective. If you are being treated for any condition, do not drop your ongoing treatment in favor of chelation therapy.
Purpose
According to Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, chelation is a chemical process in which a chelating agent binds with another substance, usually a metal, to create a chelate ring. Once a metal has been bound in a chelate ring, its toxic effects cannot harm the body, and it is eventually processed through the kidneys and passed out in urine. Chelation therapy involving certain chelating agents has been approved by the FDA for use in the systematic detoxification of a limited range of toxins.
Process
The Mayo Clinic says that while there are no special preparations that need to be made for a chelation therapy session, comfortable clothing should be worn, as each session may take several hours. During a session, patients are seated and an IV needle is inserted into a vein in the arm or hand. The chelating agent is slowly administered through the IV until the process is complete. While the agent will bind with toxins in the system, it can also bind with some vitamins, minerals, medications and other substances that contribute to good overall health. As a result, many patients are prescribed a series of vitamins, supplements and medications that are to be taken after the chelated toxins have been expelled in urine. A single treatment is rarely sufficient for most medical purposes; most chelation therapy regimens require between five and 30 sessions.
FDA-Approved Uses
The FDA has specifically approved the chelating agent edetate calcium disodium, a man-made amino acid often referred to as EDTA, as a suitable treatment for lead poisoning. A different agent, edetate disodium, is FDA-approved for chelating toxic levels of calcium and intoxication of Digitalis, a drug that affects the heartbeat. This similarly named agent is also commonly referred to as EDTA, which the FDA notes has resulted in confusion and the administration of the incorrect agent to patients. Other less-common chelating agents have also been approved by the FDA, including pentetate calcium trisodium, or Ca-DTPA, and pentetate zinc trisodium, or Zn-DTPA. Both of these agents may be used to chelate with the toxins plutonium, americium and curium. The FDA notes that such poisonings are rare and are only likely to result from laboratory or industrial accidents in environments with radioactive materials, or, potentially, from terrorist attacks with "dirty bombs."
Other Uses
The FDA, American Heart Association and American Cancer Society have all released statements regarding what they collectively view as a potentially dangerous trend of using chelation therapy as alternative medicine. The American Heart Association notes that anecdotal medical evidence has led to a belief that chelation therapy may prevent or cure atherosclerosis, or the hardening of the arteries, which can lead to heart failure. This belief is based on the fact that EDTA can chelate calcium in the bloodstream, and calcium is instrumental in the hardening of arterial plaque. The association warns, however, that this assertion has not been confirmed by clinically valid double-blind studies, and that its appeal in alternative medicine may dissuade atherosclerosis sufferers from seeking other, more scientifically valid treatments. The American Cancer Society similarly notes that chelation therapy has been promoted as a possible cancer cure, but also underscores the lack of any valid and relevant science. An article published in the Medscape Journal of Medicine chronicles other scientifically unsupported claims that chelation therapy can cure Alzheimer's disease, autism, hypertension and other conditions.
Risks
Chelation therapy risks cited by the Mayo Clinic include pain or burning sensations at the injection site, nausea, headaches, fever and a drop in blood pressure. Severe side effects include kidney damage, kidney failure and even death. The American Heart Association notes that some patients have had to go on kidney dialysis as a result of damage related to chelation therapy, and lists other potential side effects that include cardiac arrhythmia, respiratory arrest, shock, convulsions and bone marrow depression.
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