Chelation therapy involves injecting the synthetic amino acid called ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid, or EDTA, into a vein. Treatments typically take up to four hours, with patients often undergoing up to 30 treatments initially and then receiving regular monthly treatments afterwards for preventative reasons, according to the American Heart Association. Since chelation therapy is not widely accepted in the medical community for all claimed purposes, you should consult a trained health-care provider before using it.
Significance
The human body cannot process heavy metals, according to the American Cancer Society. Consequently, toxic amounts of heavy metals can accumulate in your body and endanger your health. When administered intravenously, EDTA enters your bloodstream and binds, or attaches to, heavy metals like lead, mercury, cadmium, iron and zinc. The binding process then forms a substance that exits your body later in your urine, says the American Cancer Society.
Claimed Results
Certain scientists began to claim in the 1950s that EDTA can help the body remove the mineral calcium, and thereby reduce clogged arteries that cause heart problems, according to the American Cancer Society. After early research claimed chelation therapy with EDTA improved the condition of people with heart disease, some health-care providers began using it to treat cancer, circulation problems and heart issues, such as the plaque buildup found in atherosclerosis. Although both large and randomized scientific studies have failed to support the claimed alternative benefits of EDTA chelation therapy, the American Cancer Society reports thousands of people still undergo chelation therapy in the United States to treat heart disease.
Supported Results
Scientific evidence confirms that administering EDTA intravenously is a reliable method of removing heavy metals from the body, according to numerous health organizations, including the American Cancer Society and the Mayo Clinic. As a result, intravenous chelation therapy with EDTA is a common, medically accepted remedy for treating heavy metal poisoning, such as lead poisoning. As of August 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has only approved EDTA chelation therapy for treating heavy metal poisoning, according to the American Cancer Society. However, scientifically sound clinical research is underway through the National Institutes of Health to determine if chelation therapy using EDTA is a valid treatment option for coronary heart disease, states the American Heart Association and the Mayo Clinic.
Reasons for Claimed Results
People believe chelation therapy helps to treat heart disease and other medical problems for several reasons, despite the lack of scientific proof. Positive reports from people they know who have had chelation therapy influence some believers, according to the American Heart Association, and some supporters actually do feel better after undergoing the therapy. However, the American Heart Association cautions that perceptions of improved health are probably due to lifestyle adjustments that patients frequently make when receiving treatment for health conditions, such as eating better and stopping smoking.
Autism and Chelation
The 2009 article "Safety and Efficacy of Oral DMSA Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders" published in the journal BMC Clinical Pharmacology, suggests oral chelation therapy using the drug dimercaptosuccinic acid, or DMSA, may help autistic children. The study's authors report autistic children between the ages of 3 and 8 excreted substantial quantities of lead and other heavy metals after taking DMSA by mouth. According to the results, the DMSA also had no detrimental effect on the children's liver or kidneys, although the American Cancer Society warns that chelation therapy can damage your kidneys and even cause death. As with all claimed benefits of chelation therapy besides removing heavy metals from the body, more scientific research is required to support such results.
References
- American Cancer Society: Chelation Therapy
- American Heart Association: Questions and Answers About Chelation Therapy
- American Heart Association: Recommendation on Chelation Therapy
- "BMC Clinical Pharmacology"; Safety and Efficacy of Oral DMSA Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Part A - Medical Results; James B Adams, Matthew Baral, Elizabeth Geis, Jessica Mitchell, Julie Ingram, Andrea Hensley, Irene Zappia, Sanford Newmark, Eva Gehn, Robert A Rubin, Ken Mitchell, Jeff Bradstreet and Jane El-Dahr; 2009
- Drugs.com: Chelation Therapy Drug Found Safe and Beneficial for Children With Autism
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