Chelating agents are chemical substances that contain molecules capable of bonding securely to minute particles of metal called ions. In addition to directly supporting vital body functions, this bonding process---called chelation---provides a means of trapping harmful metals in your bloodstream and making them susceptible to safe excretion in urine. The process of chelation, called chelation therapy, is commonly used in the treatment of heavy metal poisoning.
Basics
When a chelating agent bonds with a metal ion, the resulting compound is called a chelate, according to Bassam K. Shakhashiri, Ph.D., of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The chelating process is responsible for the formation of the blood component called heme, which plays a vital role in transporting oxygen to various tissues. Chelation also forms vitamin B-12, which all humans require for survival and proper body function. Common examples of chelating agents include the substances porphine, ethylenediamine and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, or EDTA.
Metal Poisoning
You may receive an intravenous solution of EDTA or another chelating agent to treat symptoms of chronic or acute poisoning with heavy metals such as mercury, lead and cadmium, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC. Other forms of heavy metal that can be eliminated through chelation include manganese, nickel, chromium, cobalt, thallium, tin, zinc and selenium. In some cases, you may also receive EDTA chelation to treat life-threatening heart rhythm abnormalities caused by excessive levels of the heart medication digoxin. In addition, you may receive chelation if you have life-threatening elevations of blood calcium.
Heart Disease
Some alternative health practitioners recommend EDTA chelation as a treatment for heart disease, according to the American Heart Association, or AHA. According to their theories, using EDTA's ability to chelate calcium can help dissolve buildups of calcium-containing plaque which cause the dangerous artery-hardening process called atherosclerosis. However, medical evidence as of 2010 does not support this use of chelation, the AHA reports. In some cases, the positive results reported by alternative practitioners may actually result from the significant changes in diet and activity level they encourage their patients to participate in during treatment.
Side Effects
The UMMC lists relatively common side effects of EDTA use that include burning at the site of intravenous treatment and allergic reactions to the chelating agent. In some cases, you may also experience serious side effects such as nausea, headaches, low blood sugar, low blood calcium, irregular heartbeat, seizures, organ damage and kidney failure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have also reported some fatalities resulting from low calcium levels associated with chelation therapy.
Considerations
To protect your health during EDTA chelation, your doctor or qualified practitioner should monitor vital processes that include your organ function, blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, the UMMC reports. You should also receive blood tests to assess your mineral and vitamin levels throughout the chelation process. In addition to calcium, chelation can significantly lower your blood levels of zinc. Vitamins and minerals that can also be depleted by chelation include iron, vitamin C and magnesium.
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