What is Chelation?
For those
who have experienced the rare misfortune of having lead poisoning,
mercury poisoning, or any other toxic metal poisoning, their
doctor likely recommended a procedure called chelation. "What
is chelation?" the patient must have asked. "What
is chelation going to do to my body?"
Chelation is the use of a chemical substance which binds molecules
like minerals and metals and excretes them from the body through
the urine. The chemical substance is EDTA, ethylene diamine tetra-acetic
acid, a man-made amino acid that binds the metals and minerals
to remove them from the body. If the body is poisoned by an
excess of certain metals, it could possibly lead to illnesses
of the kidneys, gallbladder, central nervous system, cardiovascular
system and liver. Chelation has been approved to treat metal
poisoning by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and every
year 1 million people in the United States use chelation treatments.
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