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What is Chelation Therapy?

Chelation therapy is a series of intravenous injections of the synthetic amino acid EDTA, designed to detoxify the body. It is also often used to treat arteriosclerosis. Most frequently, this is administered in an osteopathic or medical doctor's office.

Further reading on Chelation Therapy:

Chelation therapy is the administration of chelating agents to remove heavy metals from the body. For the most common forms of heavy metal intoxication—those involving lead, arsenic or mercury—the standard of care in the USA dictates the use of Dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA). Other chelating agents, such as 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid (DMPS) and alpha lipoic acid (ALA), are used in conventional and alternative medicine.

Chelation therapy is used as a treatment for acute mercury, iron (including in cases of thalassemia), arsenic, lead, uranium, plutonium and other forms of toxic metal poisoning. The chelating agent may be administered intravenously, intramuscularly, or orally, depending on the agent and the type of poisoning.

One example of successful chelation therapy is the case of Harold McCluskey, a nuclear worker who became badly contaminated internally with americium in 1976. He was treated with diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) over many years, removing 41 MBq (1.1 mCi) of americium from his body. His death, 11 years later, was from unrelated causes.

Several chelating agents are available, having different affinities for different metals. Common chelating agents include:
    * Alpha lipoic acid (ALA)
    * Aminophenoxyethane-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA)
    * Defarasirox
    * Deferoxamine
    * Diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA)
    * Dimercaprol (BAL)
    * Dimercapto-propane sulfonate (DMPS)
    * Dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA)
    * Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (calcium disodium versante) (CaNa2-EDTA)
    * Ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA)
    * D-penicillamine