Chelation therapy is a type of medical treatment that involves injecting a compound into the body that is capable of binding to potentially poisonous heavy metals or other unwanted substances. Herbal chelation therapy differs in only one main aspect. According to sites like All 4 Natural Health, it uses amino acids contained within herbs to chelate, or bind, and remove certain substances from the body. Although chelation therapy has many proponents, all nationally recognized medical associations discourage the use of chelation as a treatment for any medical problem.
Chelation Therapy
According to the American Heart Association, chelation therapy typically consists of introducing the amino acid EDTA -- also known as ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid -- into the body as a method for binding to and eliminating heavy metals like lead and mercury before they can cause damage to organs and tissues within the body. The Mayo Clinic reports that treatments involving chelation are safest when conducted under the supervision of a physician, with the EDTA solution introduced into the body through an intravenous line.
Herbal Chelation Therapy
The All 4 Natural Health site reports that herbs like cilantro and yellow dock root as well as plants like garlic, sheep sorrel, hibiscus and Indian gooseberry have natural chelating properties that make them as effective as EDTA at binding to and eliminating potentially poisonous heavy metals. According to the site, cilantro is an effective chelator for lead, aluminum and, in particular, mercury that has built up in the tissues of the nervous system. Yellow dock root can bind to and remove both mercury and lead, and garlic contains methionine and cysteine, two amino acids known to act as chelators for arsenic, lead, mercury and cadmium.
Uses
There are two main uses for herbal chelation therapy. The first, as reported by the American Heart Association and the Mayo Clinic, is as a treatment for poisoning by metals like lead or mercury. The chelating agents create a compound with the bound metal ion that is then safely excreted from the body. The second use is as a treatment and preventative measure for atherosclerosis -- the hardening of artery walls due to fatty plaque buildups. Proponents of chelation therapy claim that chelating agents are able to bind to the calcium ions located within the plaques and to pull the plaques off artery walls, allowing them to be eliminated from the body.
Benefits
Herbal chelation therapy practitioners believe that using herbs instead of synthetic compounds like EDTA is a healthier chelation option because it utilizes the natural amino acids contained in the herbs as the binding agents. Amino acids like cysteine, glutathione, histidine and compounds in the metallothionein family of amino acids are used by the body regularly to filter out harmful substances. Supporters of herbal chelation claim using herbs rich in these amino acids aids the body's natural defense systems without the introduction of an expensive man-made substance.
Considerations
The Mayo Clinic points out that chelation therapy can cause a number of side effects, including vomiting, headache, sharp decreases in blood pressure, kidney problems, fever and overall mineral deficiencies that may result in the body lacking enough minerals to produce adequate amounts of healthy blood cells. Because of these potential problems and lack of scientific evidence, the American Heart Association strongly advises against using any type of chelation therapy as an alternative treatment for medical problems. If you choose to use herbal chelation therapy as a treatment, do so only after discussing your decision with your physician since the effectiveness and possible harm of this type of treatment is not fully understood.
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