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Posted on Dec 30, 2005, 8 p.m.
By Bill Freeman
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Chelation therapy is typically used in patients with heavy metal toxicity. An intravenous (IV) synthetic amino acid called EDTA (ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid) is used to isolate (chelate) heavy metals such as iron and lead, removing them from the blood stream and tissues.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Chelation therapy is typically used in patients with heavy metal toxicity. An intravenous (IV) synthetic amino acid called EDTA (ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid) is used to isolate (chelate) heavy metals such as iron and lead, removing them from the blood stream and tissues.
ROLE FOR ANTI-AGING:
Many believe chelation therapy, along with a proper nutritional program, aids in the breakdown of the plaques that line the arteries and cause arteriosclerosis. The end result of this type of treatment in some people is increased blood flow and a marked decrease of excessive deposits of plaques in arteries and organs such as the liver, kidneys, heart, and brain. In the U.S., chelation is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating heavy metal toxicity including lead poisoning. In 2002, two branches of the US National Institutes of Health - the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute - announced the commencement of the first large-scale clinical trial to determine the safety and efficacy of chelation in people with coronary artery disease.
SIDE EFFECTS/CONTRAINDICATIONS:
Chelation can cause side effects, including: joint pain, headaches, gastrointestinal disturbances, and nausea. Patients with renal failure should not undergo chelation therapy, thus a competent practitioner will carry out renal function tests before chelation therapy is started.
PHARMACOLOGY:
Chelators are molecules that can hold metals in inactive forms so that they are safely excreted by the body, thus preventing absorption.
