Chelation Therapy 26 August 2010
Chelation therapy is a safe and effective treatment for many illnesses which are caused or made worse by heavy metal toxicity and free radicals. Chelation therapy removes lead, iron, cadmium, aluminium, mercury, nickel and some other heavy metals using EDTA (ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetate) which binds to the metals and removes them from the body.
Chelation therapy has been used and found to be effective in the treatment of:
• Lead poisoning (FDA approved)
• Cardiovascular disease- angina, stroke, TIA’s and leg claudication
• High blood pressure
• Tinnitus
• Rheumatoid and osteoarthritis
• Diabetic complications
• Memory loss
• Macular degeneration
• Scleroderma
Chelation therapy involves an intravenous infusion of EDTA with essential minerals and vitamins. A full course of chelation for most people would involve 20 to 30 1 1/2-hour treatments. Millions of people worldwide have received chelation therapy. When administered correctly, side-effects are almost unknown.
Chelation therapy is always combined with other complimentary therapies to manage the illness.
What is Chelation?
Chelation therapy with EDTA was first used after World War II to treat ship painters with lead poisoning. Intravenous EDTA remains the standard treatment for this condition. When patients were being treated for lead poisoning, it was found that many of their other illnesses also improved. This was particularly the case for cardiovascular diseases such as angina and intermittent claudication (pain in the legs when walking caused by arterial blockages). Subsequently chelation therapy was given to patients with angina and intermittent claudication who did not have lead poisoning and many of them experienced a significant improvement.
However because EDTA could not be patented, no pharmaceutical company was interested in developing or promoting it. Therefore research on chelation therapy has been limited and it is not yet an accepted part of conventional medicine.
So why is chelation therapy so effective? Does it just work by removing heavy metals and reducing free radicals or does it have an unknown alternative mechanism of action? We do know that everyone living in our polluted environment has an increased body burden of toxic heavy metals. Our bodies do not have effective mechanisms to excrete these toxic heavy metals so they are stored in tissues to try and prevent them causing damage. The heavy metals can however cause damage to these tissues or slowly leak out and cause damage elsewhere. Lead for example is stored in bone to prevent it causing damage to other tissues. As we age, our bone mass decreases and lead is slowly leaked out. The lead then causes an increase in free radicals which damages tissue by oxidation. It is the same process as metal slowly rusting. Blood vessels are damaged by this process leading to the buildup of plaque and blockages which ultimately cause heart attacks and strokes. The World Health Organisation has stated that there is no safe level of these toxic heavy metals in the body.
EDTA binds to these toxic heavy metals and then carries them harmlessly out in the urine. When used according to guidelines, EDTA is non-toxic, safe and simple to give.
History
Chelation therapy has been practiced around the world for over 70 years. In Russia it is the first therapy offered to patients with symptomatic arterial disease. A few small research studies have been done with positive outcomes but have been criticised. A major study involving multiple countries is currently underway (the TACT trial). It will take several years for the results of the study to be available. Meanwhile many people are suffering needlessly with angina and vascular disease, limbs are being amputated and cardiac surgical waiting lists grow unacceptably long.
The fact that chelation clinics have continued to flourish despite lack of mainstream medical support, suggests some benefits are occurring.
Three recent studies have definitely shown positive benefits. They found that:
The presence of heavy metals increases the risk of arterial disease and cancer, and their removal is beneficial (NHANES study 1).
EDTA chelation therapy has a lower mortality, risk of heart attack and requirement for invasive procedures than other conventional cardiac therapies (Chappell meta-analysis 2). It also suggested that chelation therapy may improve longevity.
EDTA chelation therapy reduces the symptoms in patients with angina and peripheral vascular disease by greater than 70% (unpublished analysis from the Center for Advanced Medicine in Auckland, New Zealand).
Clinical Studies Supporting Chelation
1) Why Removing Heavy Metals Should Reduce Arterial Disease
In the NHANES study (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) the investigators examined 2125 people over the age of 40. They tested the relationship between blood lead levels and peripheral arterial disease (blockage in the arteries to the legs). All the blood levels were below so-called “safe levels” but they found that the higher the lead level, the greater the incidence of arterial disease. The participants in the highest quarter of lead levels had a 250% greater risk of developing peripheral arterial disease compared to those in the lowest quarter.
They also tested the relationship of dying from heart disease to the blood lead levels by following the subjects for 12 to 16 years. Again the blood lead levels were within the so-called “safe levels” but the higher the blood lead level, the higher the risk of death from heart attack.
They concluded that lead has no useful function in the body and that there is no safe lead level. Arterial disease appears to be related to the level of lead within the body. Removal of lead therefore seems a logical treatment.
2) EDTA Chelation Therapy Compared with Current Cardiac Treatments Is Very Effective and Safe
Dr Terry Chappell performed a retrospective analysis of patients who had received chelation therapy. He reviewed sequential patients from eight chelation clinics in the USA. He only included those with proven coronary artery disease who had received at least 20 chelation treatments and had a three-year follow-up. He found 248 patients who fulfilled the criteria.
As a control group he used patients in studies of angioplasty and coronary bypass surgery who had a three-year follow-up.
He then compared the results of chelation therapy with medical treatment, angioplasty and coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). All patients were well matched for age, sex and severity of disease. More than 45% of the chelation patients had been recommended for bypass surgery, but were either too old or declined surgery.
He found that chelation patients had fewer heart attacks and deaths than any of the other conventional therapies. The chelation patients also had fewer subsequent angioplasty or bypass surgery operations over the three years. Of the chelation therapy patients, 158 had symptoms at the commencement of the treatment and at the conclusion 69% had their symptoms relieved.
Heart Attack Death Angioplasty CABG
Drugs 1.3% 1.3% 16% 4.4%
Angioplasty 7.3% 3.2% 22.3% 11.8%
CABG 7.8% 4% 5.5% 1.2%
Chelation 0% 0% 0.9% 2.7%
This study has been criticised because it was not a prospective study. However the data is impossible to ignore. It is indisputable that 69% of patients with coronary artery disease had their symptoms relieved with fewer requirements for procedures and over three years there were no heart attacks or deaths.
Previously in 1993, Chappell had identified 19 studies on chelation therapy in cardiovascular disease. Data on 22765 patients was analysed and found that 87% experienced a favourable outcome3.
3) Chelation Treatment Reduces Symptoms in Patients with Angina and Peripheral Vascular Disease
Dr Gerald Lewis is an invasive cardiologist who in 2005 reviewed 1500 consecutive patients given chelation therapy at the Centre for Advanced Medicine in Auckland, New Zealand. The assessment of benefit was assessed from the patient’s own recordings and the cardiologists review of the notes.
He found that there were no severe reactions to the therapy in any of the patients. Total cholesterol reduced slightly and blood glucose and kidney function were unchanged. In the angina patients, 5% were greatly improved, 48% were much improved and 25% were mildly improved (i.e. over 75% had a reduction in their symptoms).
In the peripheral vascular disease patients, 2% were greatly improved, 44% were much improved and 30% were mildly improved (i.e. over 75% had a reduction in their symptoms).
This study showed that over 75% of people with cardiovascular disease get an improvement in their symptoms. The other 25% will invariably end up seeing a cardiologist or a surgeon (which is why cardiologists and surgeons don’t think chelation therapy works — they only see the small percentage where it doesn’t). The study confirmed the safety of chelation therapy and showed that the vast majority of symptomatic patients receive benefit. For many their quality of life was significantly improved and the need to proceed to surgery or angioplasty may have been avoided.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does chelation therapy work?
Yes, in the majority of cases. 20 to 25% do not appear to improve. However even if their symptoms have not changed, benefits to the arteries and other organs by heavy metal removal is still likely.
How is chelation therapy given?
A solution of EDTA combined with some vitamins and minerals is slowly infused through a tiny needle placed in a vein. Each treatment takes 1 1/2 hours while the patient sits comfortably in a chair or sofa. Occasionally the fluid can cause some minor discomfort in the vein but for most people, there are no side-effects.
How many chelation treatments are necessary?
Each chelation removes the heavy metals from the bloodstream but not from the tissues. Over the next few days, more toxic metals move from the tissues into the bloodstream and are removed by the next infusion. This process is repeated once or twice a week, usually requiring 20 or 30 treatments to remove most of the heavy metals. After the initial treatment course, most people have a further three or four chelations per year to prevent heavy metals building up again.
When is Chelation Therapy Helpful?
a) Chelation therapy is used in hospitals to treat lead poisoning.
b) Cardiovascular disease- angina, post heart attack, heart failure, strokes, TIA’s, intermittent claudication and arterial leg ulcers.
c) Other diseases aggravated by heavy metals or free radicals including rheumatoid arthritis, diabetic complications, macular degeneration and scleroderma.
d) There is anecdotal evidence of improvement in eyesight, hearing, memory, sexual function, energy levels and skin health.
Is Chelation Therapy a Treatment for Cancer?
No, chelation therapy has no role in the treatment of cancer. However there is evidence that patients who have had chelation therapy have an incidence of cancer far below the rest of the population. Chelation therapy, by an unexplained mechanism, appears to protect against the development of cancer. Mortality from cancer decreased by 90% during an 18 year follow p of 59 patients who had received chelation therapy. Only 1 of the 59 (1.7%) died of cancer compared to 17.6% in non-treated, matched subjects.
What Does Chelation Therapy Feel Like?
Discomfort from the intravenous infusion is rare. The infusion is given all sitting in a comfortable chair. Patients can read, eat, nap or use the bathroom during the infusion.
How Quickly Will Benefits Be Felt?
Some people experience improvement after two or three treatments, especially a sense of well-being. Because chelation works by removing the toxic heavy metals and allowing the body to heal itself, most benefits are more delayed. For some people the benefits show up only after the treatment course is finished.
Are There Any Risks or Side-Effects?
For almost everybody there is no problem at all. Occasional side-effects such as mild nausea, a shivering feeling inside or dizziness may be experienced. These are usually preventable. Occasionally chelation therapy can cause the blood sugar to fall so patients are encouraged to bring a snack with them and eat a good meal before treatment. Using the current protocols, over a million people have received in excess of 20 million chelations with not one severe reaction.
Can Chelation Therapy Damage the Kidneys?
No, as long as the therapy is given according to standard protocols. In fact chelation therapy has been shown in several studies to improve kidney function by removing heavy metals from kidney blood vessels. Kidney function is monitored throughout the treatment course.
Is There Any Risk of Getting AIDS?
None at all. The infusion contains no products from human blood and all equipment used is sterile.
If Chelation Therapy Removes Calcium from Arteries, Will It Cause Osteoporosis?
No. While chelation therapy may remove calcium from arterial walls, it does not remove it from bones. Several studies have actually shown an increase in bone density. It appears that chelation therapy can stimulate the hormones which encourage bone formation.
What Else is in the Infusion?
Magnesium, vitamin C and B vitamins. The vitamin C also helps to remove heavy metals.
Does Chelation Therapy Remove Mercury?
The EDTA does remove a small amount of mercury, as does the vitamin C. There are other chelating medications which are much more efficient at removing mercury.
Can I Have Chelation Therapy If I Still Have Mercury Amalgams in My Teeth?
Yes. Because EDTA is such a weak chelator of mercury, there is no risk of precipitating mercury toxicity by accelerating mercury leakage from amalgams as there is with other chelating drugs.
Are There Other Tests Done before Chelation Therapy Starts?
Yes. Chelation therapy is only one part of a comprehensive program that will be designed to help you with your illness. A comprehensive series of blood tests will be obtained to address other risk factors and correct any nutritional or biochemical deficiencies.
Why Do I Need to Take Nutritional Supplements, and Which Ones?
Chelation therapy removes toxic heavy metals allowing the body to repair itself. To do this, the body requires an optimal level of nutrients. Many of these are deficient in today’s foods. Chelation therapy also removes some essential minerals as well as the toxic heavy metals.
Basic supplements that should be taken during chelation therapy include:
• A comprehensive multivitamin and mineral supplement. We suggest you use the ones provided by the clinic. We have chosen them carefully.
• Pharmaceutical grade fish oil.
• Vitamin C 4 grams per day.
Does Chelation Therapy Unblock Arteries?
No. Studies have shown that although heavy metals are removed and symptoms are improved, arterial plaque does not decrease. This is not how chelation therapy works. Chelation therapy works by removing heavy metals from the body. Heavy metals increase free radicals which inflame arteries. Arterial inflammation is the root cause of plaque buildup. Once the plaque has formed, chelation therapy does not decrease it. Chelation therapy almost certainly works by reducing free radicals and increasing chemicals in the arterial wall (particularly nitrous oxide) which allow arteries to dilate and restore blood flow.
How Does Chelation Therapy Compared to Other Therapies For Cardiovascular Disease?
Other therapies include:
a) Drugs — most of these just treat symptoms rather than addressing the underlying cause of the disease.
b) Surgery — angioplasty or bypass surgery. These are very effective in improving symptoms but in almost all cases do not increase life expectancy. They are appropriate interventions in patients who are unstable, worsening rapidly, at immediate risk of heat attack/stroke or when chelation fails.
Chelation therapy can be used in conjunction with these conventional therapies. It has the advantage of being very safe with few side-effects. It also treats the arteries of the whole body — not just a small length of artery to the heart. Arterial disease is a systemic condition. Disease is present in the whole arterial system. Chelation therapy therefore is a good idea after surgery or angioplasty to avoid further surgery in the future.
For this reason it is a good idea to add chelation therapy to any other form of treatment, even if surgery or angioplasty is needed to initially reduce symptoms. If the symptoms are relatively mild and non-threatening, it would seem logical to start with chelation therapy first and only proceed to surgery if the symptoms do not resolve.
NEVER ACCEPT THAT NOTHING FURTHER CAN BE DONE FOR CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE OR ALLOW A LEG TO BE AMPUTATED FOR ARTERIAL DISEASE WITHOUT FIRST TRYING A COURSE OF CHELATION.
If Chelation Therapy Is so Good, Why Isn’t It Used More Widely?
In fact chelation therapy is widely used in most Western countries, with more than 800,000 patients being treated annually. In Australia, conventional medicine has not embraced the therapy because of the lack of double-blind randomised controlled studies, the lack of involvement of the pharmaceutical industry and because it is not supported by Medicare.
Why is There Not More Research?
EDTA is not patentable and therefore pharmaceutical companies are not interested in doing large trails on its use. Chelation therapy is administered by a few passionate private physicians without the resources to do large studies. Of the studies that have been done, they have all had a positive outcome.
Why Do We Need to Remove Heavy Metals?
Lead poisoning remains a serious health risk particularly for expectant mothers and children. The World Bank has identified lead poisoning as the number one environmental disease among children in the industrialised world. The US Center for Disease Control ranks toxic metals (especially arsenic, lead and mercury) as the number 1 environmental health threat to children. Continued exposure in Australia occurs from:
• old paint from buildings built prior to 1970
• soil contaminated from previous use of lead petrols
• industrial exposure — furniture restoration, car batteries, radiators
• plumbing — new taps can contain 4.5% lead and old taps may contain more
• some food cans
• lead smelters
• calcium supplements made from bone meal or oyster shells
• cigarette smoke
The average bone of today carries over 1000 times more lead than bones of humans living 400 years ago. A study published in a 2003 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine showed that no amount of lead is safe and that blood lead levels were inversely related to children’s IQ scores. A study in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2002 showed that all cause mortality is lowered by lowering blood lead. They stated that “morbidity and mortality is going to be lower, the lower you can keep your blood lead levels throughout your entire lifetime.” A study of over 2000 women aged 40-59 reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2003 found that lead stored in women’s bones and released when they reach menopause significantly increases their risk of fatal high blood pressure. The NHANES study published in the November 2002 edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that after adjusting for other confounding factors, individuals with elevated lead levels had a 46% increased all cause mortality, a 39% increased mortality from circulatory disorders and a 68% increased cancer mortality.
In our current environment, avoiding environmental toxins completely is impossible. Research has shown that during a hot 10 minute shower the body absorbs the same amount of chlorine, lead, cadmium and fluoride as would come from drinking 8 glasses of the same water. A recent study of 3800 US adults and children showed traces of 11 heavy metals, six pesticides and several other toxins. Additionally, because heavy metals are stored in bone and bone turnover occurs incredibly slowly there is a constant leaking of heavy metals out of storage which is why oral chelation should be done continuously. Bone turnover and therefore leakage of toxic heavy metals is increased at times of stress, particularly illness. Dr Garry Gordon, the world’s leading authority on chronic heavy metal toxicity states “the moment you stop chelating, the heavy level of lead in the dust, air, food and water will be greater than what you require in your bones and tissues. Therefore, you need to be excreting and removing more of the toxic metals than are coming into your body. Since longevity is increasing, it becomes extremely important to understand that chelation is necessary for those of us who want to be alive at 80 or 90, especially if we want to retain our mental faculties”.
Lead and other heavy metals cause damage by:
• Directly poisoning the cells.
• Inactivating vital enzymes.
• Accelerating oxidation.
By eliminating heavy metals with chelation, the direct toxicity is removed, our cells can work better because the enzymes function properly and oxidation (especially of cholesterol) is much less. This enables the cells to start to recover and rebuild healthy tissues. Chelation therapy works by allowing the body to recover — not by manipulating chemical pathways as drugs do. This means that the effects of chelation may be slow but the result is much more natural. It is simply helping to protect our bodies from today’s toxic world.
Is Chelation Therapy Supported by Any Major Medical Organisations?
In Australia, chelation therapy is taught and supported by the Australian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine (ACNEM). In the USA, the main medical authority is the American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM).
www.acnem.com
www.acam.org
Dr Greg Emerson has trained with and is a full member of both organisations.
1. Lustberg M. Blood lead levels and mortality. Arch Int Med 2002: 162,21
2. Chappell LT. Subsequent cardiac and stroke events in patients with known vascular disease treated with EDTA chelation. Evidence Based Integrative Medicine 2005.
3. Chappell LT. The correlation between EDTA chelation therapy and improvement in cardiovascular function, a meta-analysis. Journal of Advancement in Medicine 1993:6(3):139-160