1. Learn About Chelation Treatment
Chelation is a holistic healing process where heavy metals are removed from the body usually through a series of intravenous infusions, but sometimes patients swallow a pill. Each infusion is a 500 to 1,000 milliliter solution made up of 4 to 20 grams of vitamin C, several B-vitamins, heratin/commonly used to treat blood clots, magnesium chloride and 50 milligrams of EDTA (ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid), which is a man-made amino acid that's supposed to bind the toxic metals to it to be later released by the body. The solution is infused into your body over 3 to 4 hours for 1 to 3 times a week. It's suggested that most people get 30 treatments.
2. FDA-Approved for Metal Poisoning Only
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Chelation therapy using EDTA to treat lead poisoning or other heavy metal poisoning, so it is an actual medical treatment. However, it is not approved to treat coronary artery disease (CAD), where the arteries to the heart become blocked with a fatty substance called plaque. This plaque prevents nutrients from getting to the heart and could lead to a heart attack. Some alternative medical practitioners promote chelation therapy as a way to treat CAD. The argument is that the EDTA in chelation therapy removes the calcium in the plaque and causes it to break down. Some people believe that chelation therapy reduces the inflammation of the arteries, so they clear up on their own.
3. Not a Treatment to Be Taken Lightly
The most common side effect is a burning at the injection site of the EDTA. Other side effects include a sudden drop in blood pressure/hypotension, abnormally low blood calcium levels/hypocalcemia, fever, nausea, vomiting, headaches, fallen blood cell counts/bone marrow depression and kidney injuries. These side effects are rare if administered by a trained health professional.
4. Out-of-Pocket Treatment Costs
Chelation therapy for heart conditions isn't covered by insurance companies, so people who choose this treatment for anything other than heavy metal poisoning will need to pay for it themselves. Costs begin at around $60 and go up to well over $100 per single chelation therapy treatment.
5. Other Views on Chelation Therapy
The FDA does not approve chelation therapy for treatment of heart conditions like CAD. Neither do other health organizations, like the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the National Institute of Health and the American College of Cardiology. The American Heart Association recommends against chelation therapy for CAD on the grounds that the benefits aren't scientifically proven. The American Medical Association calls it "experimental" and the American College of Physicians calls it "investigational."
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