Q: Can chelation therapy — chemicals that traditionally have been used to treat heavy metal poisoning — “clean out clogged arteries” as an alternative to coronary artery bypass surgery or interventional procedures such as angioplasty or a cardiac stent? A:
The short — and resounding — answer is no.
What are the dangers of chelation therapy?
- Abnormally low blood-calcium levels (hypocalcemia)
- Sudden drop in blood pressure.
- Drop in bone marrow counts (bone marrow suppression)
- Heart failure.
- Kidney damage.
- Death.
Does chelation therapy remove plaque from arteries?
Artery plaques contain calcium. The chelating drug disodium EDTA binds to this mineral. The idea is that chelation therapy clears it out of the blood vessels.
It removes plaques
, too.
What does chelation therapy remove?
Chelation means “to grab” or “to bind.” When EDTA is injected into the veins, it “grabs”
heavy metals and minerals such as lead, mercury, copper, iron, arsenic, aluminum, and calcium
and removes them from the body.
How often should you have chelation therapy?
Chelation therapy usually requires intravenous medication
several times a week for months at a time
. This often includes hundreds of treatments, which cost between $75 and $125 each.
What can I expect after chelation therapy?
The most common side effect is burning in the area where you get the IV. You might also experience
fever, headache, and nausea or vomiting
. Chelating drugs can bind to and remove some metals your body needs, like calcium, copper, and zinc.
Can chelation cause liver damage?
Liver damage may be seen with some
chelating agents
and some patients may develop liver failure. Damage to the brain leading to a decline in cognitive function. Vitamins and vital nutrients may leave the body along with the heavy metal.
How much does chelation cost?
Each treatment costs
$75 to $125
, and people often undergo dozens of these three-hour-long infusions over a period of several months. All in all, a treatment course can exceed $5,000—and it isn’t typically covered by health insurance.
What is a natural chelating agent?
Natural chelation therapy
What are the symptoms of heavy metals in the body?
- Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea (the hallmark symptoms with most cases of acute metal ingestion)
- Dehydration.
- Heart abnormalities such as cardiomyopathy or abnormal heart beat (dysrhythmia)
- Nervous system symptoms (e.g. numbness, tingling of hands and feet, and weakness)
What removes lead from the body?
Chelation therapy
How long do heavy metals stay in the body?
According to various studies that heavy metal chelation using cilantro and chlorella can naturally remove an average of 87% of lead, 91% of mercury, and 74% of aluminum from the body
within 45 days
.
What is chelation effect?
The chelate effect is
the enhanced affinity of a chelating ligand for a metal ion compared to its monodentate
Can heavy metals be removed from the body?
A heavy metal
detox
aims to remove excess heavy metals from the body. A substance that binds to heavy metals is known as a chelator, and the process that transports them out of the body is called chelation. People may also refer to a heavy metal detox as chelation therapy
Who invented chelation therapy?
The roots of chelation therapy history stretch back to the late 19
th
century when
Alfred Werner
What kind of doctor treats heavy metal poisoning?
If intentional ingestion or overdose is suspected, place the patient in a closely monitored unit, screen for coingestion of acetaminophen, and consult a
medical toxicologist and psychiatrist
.
