NATUREMED CLINIC

EDTA CHELATION THERAPY

Dr. Steve Parcell, ND of Boulder/Denver Colorado has been certified in chelation therapy since 2003 through the American College for the Advancement in Medicine (ACAM). NatureMed is located in Boulder along Rt 36 and serves the greater Boulder/Denver area.

Chelation means "to chemically bind to." Chelation therapy is used to remove toxic metals such as lead and arsenic, or minerals such as iron and calcium from the blood. Chelation can be administered either orally or intraveneously. Chelation has many effects on the body. The net effect is a reversal of many age related changes. Chelation is one of the most profound anti-aging treatments available.

At least 20 books have been authored on the subject of chelation therapy. The majority of these books were written by respected medical doctors. Though many medical doctors use this therapy in their private practices it has not gained widespread acceptance. Using chelation therapy for the treatment of heart disease is still considered to be an experimental treatment. Chelation must be administered by a trained medical professional because it can affect kidney function. Currently the only certification course on EDTA chelation is offered by the American College for the Advancement of Medicine (ACAM).

What is EDTA chelation therapy?
In medicine, chelation is used to rid the body of excess or toxic metals such as lead or calcium (as in hypercalcemia). For example, a person who has lead poisoning may be given chelation therapy in order to bind and remove excess lead from the body before it can cause damage. In the case of EDTA chelation therapy, the substance that binds and removes metals and minerals is EDTA (ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid), a synthetic, or man-made, amino acid that is delivered intravenously (through the veins).

EDTA was first used in the 1940s for the treatment of heavy metal poisoning. EDTA chelation removes heavy metals and minerals from the blood, such as lead, iron, copper, and calcium, and is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in treating lead poisoning and toxicity from other heavy metals.

Although it is not approved by the FDA to treat heart disease, some physicians and alternative medicine practitioners use EDTA chelation as a way to treat this disorder.

Does EDTA chelation therapy have side effects?
When used as approved by the FDA for treatment of heavy metal poisoning, chelation with EDTA has a low occurrence of side effects. The most common side effect is a burning sensation experienced at the site where the EDTA is delivered into the veins. Rare side effects can include fever, hypotension (a sudden drop in blood pressure), hypocalcemia (abnormally low calcium levels in the blood), headache, nausea, vomiting, and bone marrow depression (meaning that blood cell counts fall).

Injury to the kidneys has been reported with EDTA chelation therapy, but it is rare. Other serious side effects can occur if EDTA is not administered by a trained health professional.

How does EDTA chelation therapy work to clear blocked arteries?
Several theories have been proposed for the mechanism of action. One theory suggests that EDTA chelation might work by directly removing calcium found in fatty plaques that block the arteries, causing the plaques to break up.

Another is that the process of chelation may stimulate the release of a hormone that in turn causes calcium to be removed from the plaques or causes a lowering of cholesterol levels.

A third theory is that EDTA chelation therapy may work by reducing the damaging effects of oxygen ions (oxidative stress) on the walls of the blood vessels. Reducing oxidative stress could reduce inflammation in the arteries and improve blood vessel function. Since EDTA is also an anticoagulant it may work by preventing the collection of platelets which can lead to formation of blood clots on the walls of blood vessels.

In addition, intravenous treatments often include high dose magnesium and vitamins which have their own beneficial effects. Magnesium, in particular, is an effective treatment for high blood pressure, coronary spasm and, congestive heart failure. Magnesium reduces inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and platelet aggregability. Magnesium also acts as a mild calcium blocker and as a vasodilator. Chelation therapy may actually work because of the sum of all the biochemical and physiologic effects that is has.

Is there evidence that EDTA chelation therapy works for coronary artery disease (CAD)?
There is a lack of definitive research on EDTA chelation therapy's effectiveness for CAD. The bulk of the evidence supporting the use of EDTA chelation therapy is in the form of case reports and case series, published in peer review journals but lacking the numbers of patients we typically like to see. Many patients who have undergone chelation therapy have improvement in CAD symptoms such as chest pain. Chelation may also be able to lower plaque in the arteries as measured by EBCT heart scans, though this finding has not been published.

In addition, there are approximately 12 published descriptive studies and 5 randomized controlled clinical trials regarding the use of EDTA chelation for CAD. Although each descriptive study did report a reduction in angina, they were uncontrolled clinical observations or retrospective data, typically with a small number of participants. Of the five clinical trials in which patients were randomly selected to receive chelation therapy or a placebo (a "dummy" solution), the most rigorous way of assessing a new treatment, three trials involved so few people that only a dramatic improvement could have been detected.

The fourth study was never published in final form, so its conclusions are uncertain. Finally, the fifth study reported that EDTA chelation was associated with an improvement in ability to exercise, but it had only 10 participants. There is currently a large study underway and we hope that it will demonstrate a clear positive outcome.

Can chelation therapy be used to prevent restenosis in patients following percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA)?
Recently a multicenter, retrospective study was completed on 220 patients with known vascular disease treated from 1992- 2001 with I.V. EDTA and followed for three years. This study demonstrated that in those patients who received chelation fewer cardiac events occurred and less procedures were needed than the untreated group. Of the patients who received chelation only 4% needed repeat angioplasties and none required coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG).

In the untreated group 22.3 % needed repeat angioplasties and 11.8 % needed CABG.
Download this study here.

How frequently is EDTA chelation therapy used?
It is estimated by the American College for Advancement in Medicine, a professional association that supports the use of chelation therapy, that more than 800,000 visits for chelation therapy were made in the United States in 1997 alone. Since the 1950s millions of EDTA infusions have been administered. Typically, 30 to 40 initial IV infusions are given and then the patient is re-evaluated for maintenance therapy.

What is the cost of chelation therapy?
This will depend on the frequency of treatment and dose of EDTA. Typically it costs between $2,000 and $3,000 for an effective course of treatment over one year.

Why is chelation therapy not more widely accepted?
The answers are as follows:

We are still waiting for more studies with larger numbers of patients. Because of this chelation therapy (for cardiovascular disease) is not taught in hospitals or medical schools.

The patent ran out on EDTA many, many years ago so there is no financial incentive for drug companies to do the studies. This is why the current study is being paid for by the National Institutes of health (US government funded).

It is an very inexpensive treatment as compared to interventions such as coronary bypass surgery and angioplasty. I’m not saying it completely replaces these procedures but if more people underwent chelation therapy it could lead to less of these procedures being performed. Doctors that perform these procedures would lose money as a result.

To make an appointment for a consulation call 303.884.7557