Components of a Successful Chelation Program
- Detoxification (40%). Detoxification and drainage are the most important components of a chelation program. These two...
- Drainage (40%). Most chelation practitioners don’t understand the concept of drainage, let alone how to fix it. This is...
- Chelating Agent (7%). Chelating agent refers to a substance that bonds to heavy...
Full Answer
What are chelating agents used in chelation therapy?
One of the most common chelating agents used in chelation therapy is ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA). 1 EDTA is known to remove substances such as lead, iron, copper, and calcium from the blood. Other chelating agents also used include:
What metals can be removed with chelation therapy?
Metals that can be removed with chelation therapy include lead, mercury, and arsenic. Before you get this treatment, your doctor will do a blood test to make sure you have metal poisoning.
What are chelators in dentistry?
Chelation therapy involves injecting a type of medication called a chelator or chelating agent. Some common chelators include ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), dimercaptosuccinic acid, and dimercaprol. Some chelators are better at removing certain metals than others are.
What is a chelate complex used for?
Bifunctional chelate complexes of zirconium, gallium, fluorine, copper, yttrium, bromine, or iodine are often used for conjugation to monoclonal antibodies for use in antibody-based PET imaging.
What ingredients are in chelation therapy?
Chelation therapy involves injecting a type of medication called a chelator or chelating agent. Some common chelators include ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), dimercaptosuccinic acid, and dimercaprol. Some chelators are better at removing certain metals than others are.
What is used for chelating agent?
The iron chelating agents currently in use include deferoxamine, deferasirox and deferiprone, all of which are highly specific for iron and have little or no effect on levels of copper, lead, calcium, magnesium or phosphate.
What is the most common chelating agent?
Calcium disodium ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (CaNa2EDTA) is the most commonly used chelating agent. It is a derivative of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA); a synthetic polyamino-polycarboxylic acid and since 1950s has been one of the mainstays for the treatment of childhood lead poisoning [12].
What are the types of chelation?
Various types of chelated mineralscalcium.zinc.iron.copper.magnesium.potassium.cobalt.chromium.More items...•
What is chelate compound?
Chelate is any of a class of coordination or complex compounds consisting of a central metal atom attached to a large molecule, called a ligand, in a cyclic or ring structure. Many commercial dyes and a number of biological substances, including chlorophyll and hemoglobin, are chelate compounds.
How do you make a chelating agent?
In the first step, methanol with a small amount of citric acid and concentrated nitric acid is used to remove whatever compounds in leonardite ore that is soluable in methanol. The resulting mixture is then mixed with sodium citrate and dried causing the methanol to evaporate. The result is a chelating agent.
What is EDTA chelation?
Chelation therapy is a treatment that involves repeated intravenous (IV) administration of a chemical solution of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, or EDTA. It is used to treat acute and chronic lead poisoning by pulling toxins (including heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury) from the bloodstream.
Is EDTA a chelating agent?
Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is a medication used in the management and treatment of heavy metal toxicity. It is in the chelating class of drugs.
How many chelation treatments are required?
How Many Treatments Of Chelation Therapy Do I Need? Patients may need anywhere between 20 and 60 treatments of chelation therapy over 12 – 36 weeks, depending on the severity of your condition. to see the best results.
What are chelates give two examples?
Chelate ExampleEthylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA)Ethylenediamine.Porphine.Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B-12)Dimercaprol.
What is chelation therapy?
Chelation therapy is a treatment that uses medicine to remove these metals so they don't make you sick. Some alternative health care providers also use it to treat heart disease, autism, and Alzheimer's disease. But there's very little evidence it works for those conditions. In fact, chelation therapy can cause serious side effects -- ...
What metals can be removed with chelation therapy?
Metals that can be removed with chelation therapy include lead, mercury, and arsenic. Before you get this treatment, your doctor will do a blood test to make sure you have metal poisoning.
What is the drug that binds to calcium in the blood vessels?
They also make them less flexible, so less blood can flow through them. 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 happens if you take an IV with a chelating drug?
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. This can lead to a deficiency in these important substances.
Does chelation therapy remove plaque?
The idea is that chelation therapy clears it out of the blood vessels. It removes plaques, too. In 2002, the National Institutes of Health did a big study on chelation therapy, called TACT. It found that this treatment somewhat reduced the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other heart problems.
Does chelation therapy work for Alzheimer's?
To date, no treatment can stop or reverse this disease. Some researchers think that a buildup of metals like copper, iron, and zinc might also play a role in Alzheimer's disease. If this is true, chelation therapy might have a place in treating it. So far, there's no evidence that it works. Heart Disease.
Can autism be treated with chelation?
One child with the condition died after having this treatment. The AAP doesn't recommend using chelation therapy for autism, except in a clinical trial. Alzheimer's Disease. In patients who have this, abnormal proteins called tau and beta amyloid build up in the brain and damage it.
What is the most common chelating agent used in chelation therapy?
One of the most common chelating agents used in chelation therapy is ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA). 1 EDTA is known to remove substances such as lead, iron, copper, and calcium from the blood. Other chelating agents also used include: Dimercaprol: Dimercaprol is commonly used to treat arsenic, gold, copper, and mercury poisoning, ...
What is chelation therapy?
Chelation therapy is a treatment primarily used for metal poisoning, but it is also an alternative treatment option for other conditions. It's based on the process of chelation, in which chemicals are used to remove heavy metals and other substances from the body. Although chelation was originally used to treat conditions like lead poisoning, ...
What is the best chelating agent for lead poisoning?
Succimer: Succimer is an oral chelating agent mainly used to treat lead poisoning, especially in children. Succimer also treats cadmium, mercury, and arsenic poisoning as well. 3. Deferoxamine: Deferoxamine is primarily used to treat iron overload but also treats zinc and copper poisoning. 4. Penicillamine: Penicillamine is used to decrease copper ...
Why is chelation therapy not widely accepted?
A major reason chelation therapy is not widely accepted for conditions other than metal poisoning is due to the risk of side effects, which is significant. Side effects can especially occur when higher doses are used, and include: 15. Diarrhea.
How does chelation work?
In chelation therapy, a chelating agent is introduced into the body through an intravenous (IV) drip or oral pill. Once it enters the bloodstream, the agent binds to certain molecules (such as metals or minerals) and is removed from the body through urination, carrying those molecules with it.
When was chelation therapy first used?
The first clinical use of chelation therapy was in 1956, where improvements were seen through therapy in 19 out of 20 lead-poisoned patients with severe angina. 1 Since then, its efficacy for metal poisoning is well established, but there has been limited support and studies for its use in treating other conditions.
Can chelation therapy cause vomiting?
Vomiting. Flu-like symptoms. In some cases, chelation therapy may trigger serious side effects, such as kidney damage and dehydration. 16 There's also concern that chelation therapy could remove calcium from healthy bones and other tissues.
What is chelation therapy?
Chelation therapy is a medical treatment for people experiencing heavy metal poisoning. Heavy metal poisoning occurs when the soft tissues of the body absorb toxic amounts of metal. Chelation therapy involves substances known as chelators. These substances bind to heavy metals and transport them out of the body. This process is known as chelation.
How much does chelation therapy cost?
Chelation therapy often involves a course of treatment a few times a week over several months. For that reason, the total cost of treatment may be more than $5,000. It is also worth noting that health insurance does not typically cover chelation therapy.
What happens to the kidneys when you chelate?
The kidneys then filter out the heavy metals and subsequently excrete them through urination. Due to the risks and side effects of chelation therapy, the only condition for which a person should receive the treatment is metal toxicity. Last medically reviewed on September 2, 2020. Nutrition / Diet.
What is the best treatment for metal poisoning?
penicillamine. The chelators bind to the metal molecules in the bloodstream. They then filter out through the kidneys and leave the body in the urine. A doctor should only ever prescribe chelators in cases of metal poisoning.
Does chelation reduce cardiovascular events?
The most notable conclusion from these studies was that a chelation drug regimen led to a reduction in cardiovascular events in people older than 50 years with diabetes. There was also a slight reduction. Trusted Source. in the risk of future heart problems in people without diabetes.
Can chelation therapy help autistic children?
For this reason, some people believe that chelation therapy may be useful in this instance to reduce the level of these metals.
Is chelation therapy good for heavy metal poisoning?
Benefits. Side effects. Cost. Summary. Chelation therapy is a proven treatment for heavy metal poisoning. Some people also claim that chelation therapy may be useful to treat heart conditions, Alzheimer’s disease, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, these claims lack substantial scientific evidence.
What is chelating medicine?
Medical uses. Chelation therapy is the preferred medical treatment for metal poisoning, including acute mercury, iron (including in cases of sickle-cell disease and thalassemia ), arsenic, lead, uranium, plutonium and other forms of toxic metal poisoning. The chelating agent may be administered intravenously, intramuscularly, or orally, ...
What is chelating therapy?
Chelation therapy is a medical procedure that involves the administration of chelating agents to remove heavy metals from the body. Chelation therapy has a long history of use in clinical toxicology and remains in use for some very specific medical treatments, although it is administered under very careful medical supervision due ...
What supported the trial and research to explore whether chelation therapy was effective in treating heart disease?
The American College of Cardiology supported the trial and research to explore whether chelation therapy was effective in treating heart disease. Evidence of insurance fraud and other felony convictions among (chelation proponent) investigators further undermined the credibility of the trial.
What are the side effects of chelation therapy?
When used properly in response to a diagnosis of harm from metal toxicity, side effects of chelation therapy include dehydration, low blood calcium, harm to kidneys, increased enzymes as would be detected in liver function tests, allergic reactions, and lowered levels of dietary elements.
How many children died from chelation therapy in 2008?
As of 2008. [update] , up to 7% of children worldwide with autism had been subjected to chelation therapy. The death of two children in 2005 was caused by the administration of chelation treatments, according to the American Center for Disease Control.
What is the medical procedure to remove heavy metals from the body?
Medical procedure to remove heavy metals from the body. Chelation therapy . Two molecules of deferasirox, an orally administered chelator, binding iron. Deferasirox is used in the treatment of transfusional iron overload in people with thalassemia. [ edit on Wikidata]
When was chelation therapy invented?
Chelation therapy can be traced back to the early 1930s, when Ferdinand Münz, a German chemist working for I.G. Farben, first synthesized ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). Munz was looking for a replacement for citric acid as a water softener. Chelation therapy itself began during World War II when chemists at the University ...
What is chelation therapy?
Chelation therapy is a process involving use of chelating agents to remove heavy metals from the body. It is a form of therapy with application in conventional as well as alternative medicine. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) chelation therapy is used as a form of alternative therapy for atherosclerotic heart disease. Its effect is achieved by improving metabolic function and blood flow through blocked arteries throughout the body. This form of therapy has been reported to be associated with acute renal failure due to acute tubular necrosis.37 The mechanism of nephrotoxicity is unknown, but release of heavy metals with subsequent deposition in the tubulointerstitium may be the cause. Patients with preexisting renal disease are more prone to the risk of nephrotoxicity.
What is the best treatment for metal poisoning?
Chelation therapy has been the basis for the medical treatment of metal poisoning. Chelating agents have been used clinically as antidotes for acute and chronic metal intoxication. These compounds bind to and enhance the excretion of toxic elements and in some cases they also decrease toxicity by preventing the metal from binding to cellular target molecules. A number of chelating agents have been suggested for the treatment of metal intoxication. Calcium disodium ethylenediamine tetra acetic acid (CaNa2 EDTA) and meso 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) have been the mainstay of chelation therapy for lead poisoning ( Flora et al., 1995, 2007 ). Although CaNa 2 EDTA needs to be injected intravenously, DMSA could be an oral alternative. DMSA has also been used successfully in animals and in a few cases of human arsenic poisoning. Although at present there is no specific recommended treatment, it has been shown that systemic cadmium intoxication can be alleviated by administration of dithiocarbamate chelating agents ( Jones, 1991 ).
Is chelation therapy good for vascular disease?
Chelation therapy has been proposed as a treatment for atherosclerotic vascular disease. The hypothesized mechanisms of benefit include the binding of calcium in atherosclerotic plaque, as well as reduction of oxidative stress leading to improved vascular function. Reviews of the limited available data suggest no overall benefit of chelation therapy for the treatment of vascular disease.82,83 More information will be available when the results of a $30 million National Institutes of Health study, the Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT), is completed. This study is testing the impact of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) chelation on approximately 2000 individuals following myocardial infarction. 84
Is iron chelation used for transfusional siderosis?
Iron chelation therapy has played a vital role in the management of patients with transfusional siderosis since the introduction of the parenterally administered chelator deferoxamine (desferal) more than 50 years ago. Chelation therapy has been extensively used in thalassemia major patients who have developed transfusional siderosis, and also in some other hemoglobinopathies. This disease group is characterized by structural changes of the hemoglobin molecule, leading to reduced half-life of the red cells, and consequently to a hemolytic type of anemia.
What is the most important component of chelation?
Detoxification (40%) Detoxification and drainage are the most important components of a chelation program. These two help ensure that toxins and metals leave our bodies instead of building up. If they do build up, chelation therapy side effects will often arise.
What is chelating agent?
Chelating agent refers to a substance that bonds to heavy metals and toxins. This helps extract the metals from our bodies. Primarily toxins and metals that are already circulating are bound and pulled out. This creates a gradient that brings more metals and toxins into circulation. The chelating agent helps accelerate our body’s excretion, with the ultimate goal of excreting all of our stored metals and toxins (wishful thinking?!?). The whole next section is devoted to our trials with chelating agents. Note that we didn’t take any chelating agents until we were ready to start chelation.
What is the most common chelating agent used for challenge testing?
The most common chelating agent used for challenge testing is probably DMSA, at a dose of 30mg per kg of body weight. The theory is that the chelating agent pulls out metals that are in proportion to the body’s stored burden of metals. I generally go along with this theory.
What happens during chelation?
Gastrointestinal issues tend to pop up during chelation. As metals are excreted through the digestive tract and kidneys, it can create the perfect environment for the balance of bacteria to shift. We try to stay on top of this before we end up with gastrointestinal symptoms. While chelating, we test proactively for supplements that support a healthy GI tract. The ones we most often end up on while chelating, are Grapefruit Seed Extract, Caprylic Acid, and Berberine. Check out the healing leaky gut section for more details.
Can you take a break from chelating?
If any chelation therapy side effects appear, we take a break from the chelating agent until we can resolve the symptoms. It’s important to let the body excrete what is already circulating before pulling out more. This usually takes quite a bit of debugging effort and time, especially in the beginning.
Can you chelate with other medications?
A: It depends on what the other medications are. Unfortunately chelating agents tax the liver and / or kidneys. The ‘other medications’ probably also tax the liver and kidneys, so it may not good to do chelation at the same time. Sauna sessions and sweating, however, use the skin as the primary organ of excretion.
What is the most commonly used chelation drug?
The removal of some heavy metals from the body is the most largely accepted use of chelation. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, approved the use of one chelation drug, calcium disodium versenate, also known as edetate calcium disodium, for use in lowering the levels of lead in patients with severe cases of lead poisoning. However, in practice, many different chelation agents are given to patients in private doctors' and practitioners' offices for many different kinds of heavy metal poisoning and for other conditions as well. Often, the levels of the drugs in the patients' blood or urine are simply measured before and after the administration of the drugs in order to determine whether or not treatment is successful. Patients sometimes find relief from the treatment, and since it is usually not covered by medical insurance, they pay for it out of their own pockets.
Why do you need to give chelation therapy?
All chelation therapy must be done with caution, as chelation also removes minerals that are essential to the body. Intravenous doses must be given slowly so that the kidneys can handle the toxins as they make their exit.
What are the tests done before chelation?
The patient's blood may be checked for cholesterol levels, kidney function, and infection or problems with immunity. The urine is checked for kidney function and for the presence and amount of heavy metals. If the goal is to treat heart disease, an EKG and/or Doppler exams may be done .
What are chelating agents called?
These ligands are called chelants, chelators, chelating agents, or sequestering agents. They are usually organic compounds, but this is not a necessity, as in the case of zinc and its use as a maintenance therapy to prevent the absorption of copper in people with Wilson's disease.
What is a metal chelate?
According to the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), a metal–amino acid chelate is defined as the product resulting from the reaction of metal ions from a soluble metal salt with amino acids, with a mole ratio in the range of 1–3 (preferably 2) moles of amino acids for one mole of metal.
Why is chelation important?
Chelation is useful in applications such as providing nutritional supplements, in chelation therapy to remove toxic metals from the body, as contrast agents in MRI scanning, in manufacturing using homogeneous catalysts, in chemical water treatment to assist in the removal of metals, and in fertilizers .
What is chelation in the intestinal tract?
Chelation in the intestinal tract is a cause of numerous interactions between drugs and metal ions (also known as " minerals " in nutrition). As examples, antibiotic drugs of the tetracycline and quinolone families are chelators of Fe 2+, Ca 2+, and Mg 2+ ions.
What is a chelator in water?
Citric acid is used to soften water in soaps and laundry detergents. A common synthetic chela tor is EDTA. Phosphonates are also well-known chelating agents. Chelators are used in water treatment programs and specifically in steam engineering, e.g., boiler water treatment system: Chelant Water Treatment system. Although the treatment is often referred to as "softening," chelation has little effect on the water's mineral content, other than to make it soluble and lower the water's pH level.
What is chemical weathering?
In earth science, chemical weathering is attributed to organic chelating agents (e.g., peptides and sugars) that extract metal ions from minerals and rocks. Most metal complexes in the environment and in nature are bound in some form of chelate ring (e.g., with a humic acid or a protein).
What is the strongest chelating agent?
Enterobactin, produced by E. coli, is the strongest chelating agent known. The marine mussels use metal chelation esp. Fe 3+ chelation with the Dopa residues in mussel foot protein-1 to improve the strength of the threads that they use to secure themselves to surfaces.
How does chelating agent work?
The chelating agent's molecules form several bonds to a metal ion and prevent the metal from reacting as it would normally. The bonding to the metal ions re-organizes the ions' core structure and chemical composition. The chemical structures in many metals closely resemble chains.
Why are chelating agents used in boilers?
Chelating agents are used in boilers to dissolve common types of scale during normal operation, and provide effective online and offline scale removal in boilers.
What is chelator used for?
Chelating agents are used for: Scale removal and prevention. Breaking down, isolating or moving heavy metal ions. Deactivating metal ions to prevent plugging, sealing and precipitation.
Can chelating agents be used for corrosion control?
Even though chelating agents can be used for corrosion control, the formation of soluble chelates may provoke stimulation of a corrosion process. Uncontrolled agent application may lead to chelant corrosion. This can be prevented by applying the precise amount that does not leave residuals in the boiler. Advertisement.
History
Process
- In chelation therapy, a chelating agent is introduced into the body through an intravenous (IV) drip or oral pill. Once it enters the bloodstream, the agent binds to certain molecules (such as metals or minerals) and is removed from the body through urination, carrying those molecules with it. One of the most common chelating agents used in chelati...
Who Does It
- Any licensed physician can perform chelation therapy on a patient. However, chelation therapy for uses other than metal toxicity is not conventionally taught in medical school, and physicians who perform it generally are naturopathic doctorsor medical doctors who receive specialized training for it.
Evidence
- The scientific support for chelation therapy's benefits for health conditions other than metal poisoning is limited. There is a consensus that much more research is needed in this area. For example, one comprehensive review of studies on chelation therapy and heart health concluded that there was insufficient evidence to determine whether chelation therapy is effective or not.1…
Side Effects & Safety Concerns
- A major reason chelation therapy is not widely accepted for conditions other than metal poisoning is due to the risk of side effects, which is significant. Side effects can especially occur when higher doses are used, and include:15 1. Diarrhea 2. Weight loss 3. High blood pressure 4. Abdominal pain 5. Gastrointestinal disorders 6. Nausea 7. Skin rash 8. Vomiting 9. Flu-like symp…
A Word from Verywell
- Chelation therapy has been effective in treating metal poisoning, but its efficacy in treating other conditions is unclear. Be sure you talk to your doctor and understand the risks of chelation therapy if you are interested in receiving it.
Overview
Chelation therapy is a medical procedure that involves the administration of chelating agents to remove heavy metals from the body. Chelation therapy has a long history of use in clinical toxicology and remains in use for some very specific medical treatments, although it is administered under very careful medical supervision due to various inherent risks, including the mobilization o…
Medical uses
Chelation therapy is the preferred medical treatment for metal poisoning, including acute mercury, iron (including in cases of sickle-cell disease and thalassemia), arsenic, lead, uranium, plutonium and other forms of toxic metal poisoning. The chelating agent may be administered intravenously, intramuscularly, or orally, depending on the agent and the type of poisoning.
There are a variety of common chelating agents with differing affinities for different metals, phy…
Side effects
When used properly in response to a diagnosis of harm from metal toxicity, side effects of chelation therapy include dehydration, low blood calcium, harm to kidneys, increased enzymes as would be detected in liver function tests, allergic reactions, and lowered levels of dietary elements. When administered inappropriately, there are the additional risks of hypocalcaemia (low calcium levels), neurodevelopmental disorders, and death.
History
Chelation therapy can be traced back to the early 1930s, when Ferdinand Münz, a German chemist working for I.G. Farben, first synthesized ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). Munz was looking for a replacement for citric acid as a water softener. Chelation therapy itself began during World War II when chemists at the University of Oxford searched for an antidote for lewisite, an arsenic-based chemical weapon. The chemists learned that EDTA was particularly effective in tr…
Society and culture
In 1998, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charged that the web site of the American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM) and a brochure they published had made false or unsubstantiated claims. In December 1998, the FTC announced that it had secured a consent agreement barring ACAM from making unsubstantiated advertising claims that chelation therapy is effective against atherosclerosis or any other disease of the circulatory system.
See also
• List of ineffective cancer treatments
• Detoxification
External links
• Chelation Therapy: Unproven Claims and Unsound Theories - Quackwatch