Chelation Therapy for Heavy Metal Toxicity

Mercury levels in seafood has received a lot of attention in recent years. And, while we typically think of heavy metals like copper, lead and nickel as the building blocks of everyday items, they also can be debilitating or lethal when they enter the body. Chelatian therapy may offer a solution to expelling these metals from the body.

Chelation

• Heavy metals aren't easily discharged, they have to be pulled out of the body. Chelation is a process in which chemicals that "grab" toxic metals are injected into the bloodstream. As the chelation chemicals work their way through the bloodstream and throughout the body, they essentially escort the toxic metals out of the body. The patient eventually eliminates the toxins via urination. Urinalysis tests can confirm the metals released, their quantity, which allows for measuring the progression and success of chelation therapy.

Treatment

• Chelation is administered intravenously, usually while sitting in a chair with a drip running for several hours, similar to chemotherapy. Depending on the level of poisoning, a course of chelation therapy can require several treatments. The most common treatments used are ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and dimercaptocuccinic acid (DMSA).

  Typical side effects of treatment are swelling around the ankles and the need to urinate more often that usual, because of the amount of fluid being released into the bloodstream. However, most patients are able to continue with their daily activities after a treatment.

Dangers

• EDTA and DMSA are equal opportunity metal grabbers. They can't tell the difference between toxic mercury, lead or copper and necessary minerals like iron and calcium. Therefore, chelation patients must take significant mineral supplements to ensure they are making up for the vital metals they may lose through treatment.

  Playing around with the contents of the bloodstream is serious business. Imbalances of minerals, electrolytes and other vital components of blood can be deadly. Chelation should always be done in consultation with, and under the supervision of a qualified physician.