Intravenous Chelation Therapy An Effective Treatment for Heavy-Metal
Poisoning and Cardiovascular Disease
Intravenous chelation therapy has been a respected and widely used medical
treatment for heavy-metal poisoning - especially lead poisoning - for more
than 50 years. Some physicians also promote intravenous chelation as an
alternative treatment for arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries),
including coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease (blockage
or narrowing of blood vessels in the legs) and the mental deterioration
caused by small strokes.
During an intravenous chelation treatment, the synthetic amino acid EDTA
(ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) is administered through a needle into a
vein, often in the wrist. The needle is connected to a long tube which, in
turn, is connected to a bottle of EDTA that is slowly "dripped" into your
body through the tube, needle and vein. The word "dripped" is usually used
because part of the mechanism of measuring the amount of stuff to go into your
body is a part of the tube where the medication "drips" and you can see the
number of drops and thus estimate the speed of flow.
Intravenous chelation therapy is a modern medical procedure offered by more
than 1,000 doctors in the United States. Since it involves a needle in the
vein, only a nurse or doctor can do perform intravenous chelation therapy. Since
it involves putting a substance into your body, only a doctor can initiate the
process.
What is the difference between
intravenous chelation and oral chelation?
The only apparent differences between intravenous chelation therapy and oral chelation
are that the medication is administered by a drip directly into your blood stream,
where it begins to work slightly faster than oral administration. Intravenous chelation
therapy must be prescribed and overseen by a physician.
EDTA travels throughout the body gathering up such toxic metals as lead, arsenic,
and aluminum from various organs. It also removes the plaque buildup commonly found
in diseased arteries.
The term "chelation" is derived from the Greek word chele, which means "to claw."
Like a claw, a molecule of EDTA grabs or binds onto a molecule of metal and carries
it through the bloodstream to be excreted in the urine.
Once the intravenous solution of EDTA enters the bloodstream, it is believed to
attach itself to metal molecules. It then takes about 48 hours for the body to excrete
these substances through the urine. Because the therapy can also remove small amounts
of zinc, copper, calcium, manganese, and other essential minerals from the body,
supplemental vitamins and minerals are often added to the EDTA infusion.
Can intravenous chelation improve
cardiovascular health?
Intravenous chelation therapy using EDTA can be the answer to improved cardiovascular
health because it cleans out the cardiovascular system not only of heavy metals, but
also of the plaque and calcium that restricts and impedes the flow of blood and oxygen
to the organs and extremities.
