Definition of Chelation

Chelation--which comes from the Greek word "chele," meaning claw--means to grab out or remove an unwanted substance. Chelation is a term used in the medical and health care field relating to the removal of toxic substances from the body.

Chemical Definition

• According to the online Chemistry Dictionary, chelation is "the formation or presence of bonds (or other attractive interactions) between two or more separate binding sites within the same atom. A molecular entity in which there is chelation (and the corresponding chemical species) is called a 'chelate.' "

Medical Definition

• According to medical dictionaries, chelation is the process by which a molecule encircles and binds to a metal and removes it from tissue.

Health Care Definition

• Chelation therapy in the health care field is a treatment in which an amino acid, EDTA, is put into the bloodstream via a vein to grab onto toxic metals in your body. According to the American Cancer Society, "Chelation therapy using EDTA, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment for lead poisoning for more than forty years."

Treatment

• When EDTA enters the bloodstream, it attaches itself to lead or other toxic metals. These metals are then flushed from your body through your urine.

Process

• Chelation therapy should be done by a qualified, licensed, physician. It can be done in a doctor's office on an outpatient basis. EDTA will be slowly dripped intravenously into your system and cycle through your bloodstream. This process can take up to three hours. The EDTA will flow through your bloodstream and chelate onto toxic substances that will be flushed later when you urinate. Your doctor probably will recommend 20 to 50 chelation treatments over several months.

Risks

• The risks involved with chelation can be life-threatening. Kidney failure has been known to occur in rare cases. Congestive heart failure has been documented as a risk in chelation therapy. Excess removal of calcium from the body is common, but your physician usually will provide a calcium supplement to solve this problem. Swollen and inflamed veins at the site of the intravenous fluid drip also can occur.