Chelation therapy

Derived from the Greek word chele, which means “to bind” or “to claw,” (ubkywjgscn) a method of detoxifying the body, particularly of unwanted metals such as lead, iron, copper, zinc, aluminum, and manganese. Through a process that includes the removal of calcium in plaque that occludes arteries, chelation therapy is reported to restore blood circulation and therefore counteract gan­grene, leg cramps, and other vascular disorders; treat Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, muscu­lar dystrophy, asthma, macular degeneration, chronic fatigue syndrome, ulcerative colitis, emphy­sema, thyroid problems, scleroderma, viruses, lupus, and Parkinson’s and other diseases; and reduce the adverse effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy and the need for bypass surgery. The three- to four-hour procedure involves an intravenous (IV) injection of ethylenediaminete-traacetic acid (EDTA) into the hand or a finger. As a treatment for occluded arteries, chelation therapymay be necessary 20 to 50 times, to as many as 100 infu­sions of EDTA; as a preventive measure, the typical number of infusions is 10, administered one to three times a week. The IV solution may also con­tain supplements such as vitamins and minerals, as well as gingko biloba and phosphatidylserine, both of which act as chelators one may take orally as well.

So far, although it is considered safer than aspirin, EDTA has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration only for lead and other heavy metal poisoning and the treatment of hypercal­cemia (an excessive amount of calcium in the blood). Chelation therapy remains controversial as an alternative treatment of other disorders, although some physicians prescribe it for individu­als with cardiovascular problems and claim that it does in fact improve circulation and relieve the symptoms of arteriosclerosis that can lead to more serious problems. Other physicians argue that EDTA is incapable of permeating the arteries’ cell membranes and consequently cannot reach a cal­cium accumulation effectively enough to clear it out. Furthermore, some say the chelation of iron increases the body’s production of free radicals, compound substances that cause oxidation and damage bodily tissues.

A substance originally familiar to plumbers for removing calcium deposits from pipes, EDTA was first used therapeutically by the United States Navy to treat lead poisoning in 1948. Somewhat less effective than intravenous administration, oral chelation involves combining EDTA with other chelators, including garlic, vitamin C, carrageenan, rutin, bromelain, and certain enzymes. The enzyme cysteine, for example, may be prescribed for nickel poisoning and presence of excessive free radicals. Also, the action of the drug penicillamine, used as a conventional treatment of several ail­ments, including metal poisoning and rheumatoid arthritis, is similar to that of EDTA.

A study on chelation therapy was conducted in 1958 in Switzerland to determine the effectiveness of EDTA chelation therapy as a preventive measure against cancer. The 231 adults in the study lived near a heavy-traffic highway that may have been exposing them to lead from vehicle exhaust, to which exposure was attributed high rates of cancer mortality and symptoms including headaches, drug and alcohol abuse, digestive problems, depression, fatigue, and anxiety.