An Explanation of Chelation
Chelation (pronounced key-LAY-shun) is a process in which chemicals unite with minerals. It comes from the Greek chele, which means “claw.” Like a claw, a chelation agent will grab and chemically bond with minerals, metals or poisons. The process occurs naturally in a body (blood hemoglobin unites with iron and thus oxygen is provided to parts of the body). Man first created chelation agents during World War II to rid the body of toxic metals. Scientists synthesized a ring of molecules which encircled mineral molecules and eliminated them from the body.
As a generally recognized way of ridding the body of heavy metals and poisons, chelation agents are usually administered intravenously. Chelation agents or chelates locate toxins and form a bond with them. Thus the toxin is pulled off the cell it was attached to and washed out of the body. The drawback here is that the toxin is not neutralized in this method and has a chance to attach itself to other cells in some other part of the body. Dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), dimercaptopropane sulfonate (DMPS), or ethylene diaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) are names of chelates currently used.
A very effective chelate is EDTA (Ethylene Diamine Tetra-Acetic Acid), which is a synthetic amino acid. It is used for chelating heavy metals. It is believed to be non-toxic and has almost no side effects. Fifty years ago EDTA was first discovered and used for chelating lead from the body and now it is FDA-approved to be used in therapy for handling poisoning by lead, mercury, aluminum and cadmium. It also assists in eliminating calcium and arterial plaque which stops up blood vessels. However, it must be administered with supplements of vitamins and minerals, because it may also chelate much needed minerals and other substances from the body.
Although chelation is the only way to treat lead poisoning, it’s beneficial results on the bloodstream can be used to treat other medical conditions. In addition to being the only way to treat lead poisoning, it removes unwanted metals, mineral deposits, calcium-based plaques and chemical poisons. Because of this, people with atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries by plaque deposits) and arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries and diabetes may also benefit.
EDTA Chelation Therapy, by Cranton, is a textbook of clinical studies of chelation. Obviously the difficulties of doing double-blind studies to prove or disprove the clinical results of bypass surgery and balloon angioplasty are insurmountable, but the studies in this book show that EDTA chelation treatment obtains better results than either of those drastic measures.
A complete program of chelation therapy involves dietary changes, away from highly refined and processed foods. The use of nonprescription nutritional supplements is emphasized, more than expensive and highly profitable drugs patented and marketed by the pharmaceutical industry. Chelation therapy is performed in doctors’ offices, without the need for hospitals, surgeons, cardiologists and the large team of health professionals who profit greatly in dollars and reputation from the $6 billion per year bypass surgery and balloon angioplasty. It is a well-proven therapy and has been performed on more people than have received bypass surgery.
Most medical treatments have not been “proven” using double blind, controlled clinical studies, yet critics still rant against chelation and non-traditional medical procedures, saying that these strict criteria apply to alternative medicine, but ignoring the fact that they have not been applied to traditional medicine.
In fact, the United States has the most advanced high technology hospital and surgical care in its history, yet 800,000 people die each year from arteriosclerosis and complications thereof. It is absurd to deny patients the option of undergoing EDTA chelation as a less expensive and at least just as effective alternative to surgery and angioplasty. The reduction in cost would be a great savings to medical insurance companies and hopefully result in lowered insurance premiums.
How about the improvement in quality of life?
Although some doctors don’t advertise it, chelation can greatly increase life expectancy. The essential sources of all illness are the small particles of metal, which build up over a lifetime. These metals increase the production of free radicals. As the body is rid of the metals, free radicals also disappear, by a staggering amount, and this slows down aging and makes the patient feel young. Intravenous chelation also lessens the risk of heart disease and cancer.
Billions of free radicals that might have been produced in the body are thwarted by intravenous chelation therapy. Once heavy toxic metals, which create the free radicals, are removed by chelation, production stops.
It puts a stop to all toxins being created in the body, straight away.
The two major killing diseases in this day and age – heart disease and cancer – can be reversed and prevented.
It is amazing what chelation can do in reversing damage already done by free radicals. The benefit is great.
The information contained here in is meant to be used to educate the reader and is in no way intended to provide individual medical advice. Medical advice must only be obtained from a qualified health practitioner.
