Chelation Therapy: Taking The Harm Away

In the previous article, I explained in simple terms what Chelation Therapy entails, with the focus on EDTA as a chelation agent. Of course, there are many other chelating agents which are used for different forms of heavy metal toxicity and are administered in different ways.

Common chelating agents:

• Desfuroxamine Mesylate: used for iron toxicity. Preferred route of administration is intravenously.
• Dimercaprol (BAL): used for lead toxicity as well as the preferred agent for arsenic and mercury toxicity. Preferred route of administration is intramuscularly (injection directly into a muscle).
• DMSA (Meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid): DMSA is a potent chelator of mercury, lead and arsenic. Preferred route of administration is intravenously (IV) but can also be administered orally. Some practitioners also administer DMSA transdermally but be warned that DMSA has a pungent odour as well as poor stability in a topical formulation.
• D-penicillamine: This is an oral chelating agent used for arsenic, lead and mercury poisoning. It is also used as a form of immunosuppressant to treat rheumatoid arthritis and in Wilson’s disease, a rare genetic disorder of copper metabolism. Penicillamine treatment relies on its binding to accumulated copper and elimination through urine.
• EDTA: This agent can be used in conjunction with BAL in lead toxicity. It “s rarely used alone to treat lead toxicity because it chelates only extracellular (outside the cells) and not intracellular (penetrating the cell walls). EDTA is the most popular chelating agent and has been used safely for over 60 years. Although IV chelation with EDTA has been proven safe, some practitioners encourage a slower approach to avoid a fast and massive heavy metal flush-out. EDTA can also be administered with a rectal suppository, however the benefits in absorption is still under debate.

Chelation for heavy metal toxicity

Diagnosis of heavy metal toxicity is serious and should be made by a reputable doctor or qualified natural health practitioner based on clinical symptoms and in conjunction with the necessary blood tests. Chelation agents have the potential to be toxic and should not be used without the supervision of a reputable doctor or qualified natural health practitioner.

To put it plainly: Chelation is heavy-duty stuff. It should not be considered as a feel-good-therapy or as a just-in-case-treatment.

Considerations before you start a Chelation Programme

The protocol for Chelation Therapy varies between practitioners and since it is more widely available in the US than in the UK, the protocol also varies from country to country. Below are general guidelines for your consideration (to discuss with your doctor or health practitioner) before committing to Chelation Therapy.

Be specific about the course of action that will be applied: Some practitioners believe that starting with EDTA straight away (in the case of heavy metal toxicity) can temporarily, but significantly, increase mercury toxicity in the brain (up to 100 times, according to studies on the subject). Dr. Haley at University of Kentucky Medical Centre, in the US, conducted numerous studies on this. If IV EDTA is used first, it will not only flush out huge amounts of lead, but also cause cells to be more prone to mercury damage. This can result in severe damage to important brain cell structures called “tubulins”, leading to Alzheimer’s-like dementia.

• Ask about glutathione Chelation: Ask your doctor or health practitioner if a form of “gentle chelation ” will be used first. Glutathione should be considered since it’s the body’s natural chelating agent. A breakdown in the body’s glutathione stores, production and recovery can be a prerequisite to developing mercury toxicity.
• Insist on a kidney and liver function test: Chelation Therapy can be very heavy on the kidneys and liver and if you have problems with both these major organs Chelation Therapy should best be avoided. ?¢ Renal (kidney) function and support during the Chelation Programme: Kidney injury is a consequence of mercury poisoning. Albuminuria (protein in the urine) is a classic result of this. Push fluids should be recommended along with a vegetarian, CF/GF (Gluten Free and Casein Free), no sugar diet for kidney support.
• Bowel and intestinal support: The primary route of excretion for mercury is the bowels. To minimize reuptake of mercury from the bowels, your doctor should use different binding agents, such as chitosan, charcoal and fibre. To improve bowel function during chelation, it may also be useful to look at a diet that utilizes quick boiling and frying with no oils or butter.
• Preventing intestinal imbalance: Probiotics and naturopathic remedies should be used prior to and during the Chelation programme to treat and prevent intestinal dysbiosis (microbial imbalances mostly common in the digestive tract). If you have Candida, an antifungal remedy should be used prior to the treatment. During the treatment, your diet should consist of antiparasitic and antifungal foods, including organic garlic, cilantro, grape seed extract and pectin, ginger, flax seeds, chlorophyll, raw cabbage, sauerkraut, coconut and virgin coconut oil. During this time, raw sweet fruit and juices should be avoided. All of these measures should be in place along with a mineral replacement strategy in order to support the digestive track and intestines during Chelation Therapy.
• How will it be administered? Know how the Chelation will be administered: Orally, intravenously, rectally or transdermally. Ask questions about the success of the chosen method of administration. The last thing you want to do is to go through a treatment where you use a chelation agent rectally whilst its absorption and success in treatment is best when it is taken intravenously. Discuss all your options.

What to expect

Once you have decided on using a reputable and experienced doctor or natural health practitioner and discussed the entire protocol of your therapy with them, what else is there to expect? In most instances (in the UK) Chelation will be given intravenously and it usually involves up to 30 intravenous infusions which is given twice a week. So you are looking at a minimum of 8 weeks ” depending on your level of toxicity. In the UK, chelation is “theoretically available ” on the National Health Service (NHS) we are aware of two cases where it was given to patients, however it is not yet an “accepted procedure ” as it has never gone through a double blind study.

However, several small scale studies have been carried out. In an unpublished review of more than 40 published reports into chelation therapy, Dr Terry Chappell, assistant professor of family practice at Wright State School in the US, concludes that 87 per cent of the 22,502 patients covered had favourable outcomes.

Chelation therapy has been available in the UK for nine years, including five at the Arterial Disease Clinic. In that time, the clinic has treated around 5,000 patients, and claims about an 85 per cent success rate.

What about over the counter “Chelation Supplements “

There are many “Chelation Supplements ” available from numerous online resources -either to be taken orally or rectally. Of course, at a time when heavy metals show up in tuna tins and children “s toys it “s only natural to worry about the metals and levels of toxicity in our bodies.

Then there is also the worry of arterial disease, autoimmune conditions, coronary disease etc. and the possibility that Chelation Therapy may act as an alternative therapy in these conditions. So, you may be tempted to trawl the internet and order something bogus in a bottle called, ClearVains (not a real name) or something of the like.

The truth is DMSA and EDTA are mainstream medications and should be used by qualified doctors and health practitioners ONLY. As this article illustrates, Chelation Therapy is a complex process which may hold many benefits but only if it is applied with care, attention, under the right circumstances and under medical supervision.

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Disclaimer: Bear in mind the material contained in this article is provided for information purposes only. We are not addressing anyone’s personal situation. Please consult with your own physician before acting on any recommendations contained herein.

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Sources:

“DMSA (dimercapto succinic acid) ” published online, worldwidehealthcenter.net

“Different chelation protocols ” by Dr. Elen Koles – U-OK Optimal Health Center, published online, u-ok.net

“Chelation: the newest, non surgical solution ” published online What Doctors Don “t Tell You, wddty.com

“Chelation Therapy and Insurance Fraud ” by Dr. Stephen Barrett and Dr. Robert S. Baratz, published online, quackwatch.org

“HgEDTA Complex Inhibits GTP Interactions with the E-Site of Brain B-Tubulin ” by Dr. E.F. Duhr, Dr. J.C. Pendergrass, Dr. J.T. Slevin, and Dr. B.E. Haley, published Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 122, 273-280, 1993

“Over-the-counter chelation agents are unproven, risky ” by Chris Woolston, published online 16/06/08, articles.latimes.com

“Chelators for Iron Overload ” published online, sickle.bwh.harvard.edu