Physician Assisted Heavy Metal Detoxification

EDTA (ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid) is a synthetic amino acid, which has the ability to attach itself to metals and minerals, forming a particular kind of a bond called a chelate. Heavy metals, such as lead have a greater affinity for EDTA and form strong bonds, which permit the metals to be bound-up until eliminated from the body.

In the 1940's and 1950's, EDTA was found to be a safe and effective treatment for lead toxicity and was approved for use as a drug for that purpose. It still remains FDA approved for lead toxicity. In many cases, patients who coincidentally had symptoms of heart disease, such as angina, improved after undergoing lead toxicity treatment. Since that time, scientific opinion and evidence that EDTA chelation therapy (heavy metal detoxification) is effective in treating blood vessel disease has been growing. FDA approval of EDTA for lead toxicity permits physicians to use it for other conditions, including vascular conditions, detoxification of other toxic heavy metals (e.g. mercury, cadmium, nickel) and slowing of the aging process.

EDTA has been shown to improve blood flow and benefit patients in several different ways, including:

  • EDTA dramatically lowers the burden of lead and other toxic metals in the body. As stated above, it is the FDA's treatment of choice for heavy metal lead toxicity. New findings confirm that lead is toxic to the kidneys, nervous system, and cardiovascular system at much lower levels than previously believed. It is hypothesized that the removal of lead via chelation is one of the mechanisms playing a role when improvement in cardiovascular disease is experienced.
  • EDTA improves blood circulation by increasing production of nitric oxide in the endothelial cells, which line the arteries. The nitric oxide acts as the endothelial-relaxing factor, which ultimately improves circulation by relaxing the vessels and by decreasing the resistance to flow, even though plaques are still present. This increased flow improves the delivery of oxygen and other nutrients to the tissues.
  • EDTA is a potent anti-oxidant that helps block the effects of free radicals in many parts of the body. It reduces free radical damage to the blood vessels and improves their function. It also helps neutralize the free radicals that contri-bute to the obvious signs of aging, such as wrinkling and loss of skin elasticity. It even helps block the effects of free radicals which people become exposed to via environment factors like polluted air, substances in certain foods and drug side effects.
  • EDTA also reduces blood clotting that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. EDTA appears to have an effect against all clotting mechanisms, whereas common anti-clotting therapies like aspirin and coumadin are effective against only about one-third of excessive platelet aggregation and coagulation.
  • EDTA reduces certain protein sugar complexes, which are called accelerated glycosylated end products. These complexes can result in damage to arterial walls and the formation of premature plaque.

EDTA chelation therapy (heavy metal detox-ification therapy) involves the intravenous infusions of EDTA over a course of treatments in a doctor's office. Patients are also advised to take a comprehensive approach to their treatment and health, including, as needed, diet, exercise, stress management programs and dietary supplements including oral chelation.

The development of the heart-lung machine has allowed the growth of more invasive techniques for cardio-vascular problems such as bypass surgery and angioplasty with the placement of stents to treat vascular diseases. These procedures are not without risk and may not be right for every patient. EDTA chelation therapy (heavy metal detoxification therapy) has been used safely for nearly 50 years and may be a meaningful alternative choice for some patients.

Although bypass surgery and angioplasty are usually the only treatments paid for by insurance companies, chelation therapy (heavy metal detoxification therapy) can be a cost effective alternative for some patients because its cost is so much less than surgical options where costs may not be paid 100% by insurance policies. Chelation also has the added benefit that it can be used in conjunction with other treatments like hydrogen peroxide therapy to improve the outcome in vascular disease and other ailments. Many patients would like to have at least one non-surgical option to consider, and chelation (heavy metal detoxification therapy) offers that option.

Debate and controversy have, and should, always exist because it is in the best interest of the patient. The area of treatment of vascular disease is no different. Debate is currently taking place about surgical and non-surgical treatments like chelation (heavy metal detoxification therapy).

Although surgery would be considered the more conventional approach today, the prestigious journal, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) has carried articles suggesting 30% or more of vascular surgeries are unnecessary. Since chelation therapy (heavy metal detoxification therapy) has a favorable safety and side effect profile, and does not preclude the current and subsequent use of other treatments, chelation therapy is worthy of consideration by those who are suffering vascular disease as well as other chronic illnesses.