On the site, Quack Watch chelation therapy is described as:
"Chelation therapy, as discussed in this article, is a series of intravenous infusions containing disodium EDTA and various other substances. Proponents claim that EDTA chelation therapy is effective against atherosclerosis and many other serious health problems. Its use is widespread because patients have been led to believe that it is a valid alternative to established medical interventions such as coronary bypass surgery. However, there is no scientific evidence that this is so. It is also used to treat nonexistent "lead poisoning," "mercury poisoning," and other alleged toxic states that practitioners diagnose with tests on blood, urine, and/or hair.The proponents' viewpoints have been summarized in four books: The Chelation Answer: How to Prevent Hardening of the Arteries and Rejuvenate Your Cardiovascular System (1982), by Morton Walker, D.P.M., and Garry Gordon, M.D.; Chelation Therapy: The Key to Unclogging Your Arteries (1985), by John Parks Trowbridge, M.D., and Morton Walker D.P.M.; A Textbook on EDTA Chelation Therapy (1989), by Elmer M. Cranton, M.D.; and Bypassing Bypass: The New Technique of Chelation Therapy (2nd edition, 1990), by Elmer Cranton, M.D., and Arline Brecher. The scientific jargon in these books may create the false impression that chelation therapy for atherosclerosis, and a host of other conditions, is scientifically sound. The authors allege that between 300,000 and 500,000 patients have safely benefited. However, their evidence consists of anecdotes, testimonials, and poorly designed experiments."
On their site, American Heart Association, they note that
"The American Heart Association has reviewed the available literature on using chelation (ke-LA'shun) (E.D.T.A., ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid) to treat arteriosclerotic (ar-te"re-o-skleh-ROT'ik) heart disease. We found no scientific evidence to demonstrate any benefit from this form of therapy."Google lists another 1 1/4 million search results for chelation therapy. One is Aetna Insurance's using the Harvard Consumer Information service at Aetna Intellihealth which notes that:
"Chelation may cause many severe side effects, including severe kidney damage, reduction of the body's ability to make new blood cells in the bone marrow, dangerously low blood pressure, fast heart rate, dangerously low calcium levels in the blood, increased risk of bleeding or blood clots (including interference with the effects of the blood-thinning drug warfarin [Coumadin]), immune reactions, abnormal heart rhythms, allergic reactions, blood sugar imbalances and convulsions. There have been reports of headache, fatigue, fever, nausea, vomiting, gastrointestinal upset, excessive thirst, sweating (diaphoresis), low white blood cell counts and low levels of blood platelets. People using chelation have had severe reactions in which they have stopped breathing. Death has been reported, although it is not clear if chelation therapy was the direct cause.
Article comments
1 - gypsyman
Nice one Alpha. I've always been of the mind that is no such thing as alternative medicine, instead it should be called complimentary medicine. Any and all treatments should be considered by a patient and a physician when delaing with a specific health issue.
This treatment you've described here sounds far too much like one that should be just discarded, and looks like it ranks right up there with the laetril for curing cancer. (I think I got the spelling right on that last one) Snake oil for the gullible and the desperate.
It's sad that we have people out there who are still willing to try and take advantage of people's desperation and fear. It's these type of people that put genuine complementary practioners in a bad light.
gypsyman
2 - Al Barger
This article does not jibe with my reading and personal experience with EDTA chelation. There have been fairly many studies suggesting good positive effects from EDTA chelation. Several members of my family would report good personal benefits from chelation.
Chelation seems to be especially good often at opening up circulation in the extremities. This makes it of special interest to diabetics, for one thing.
Also, it's not THAT expensive. A hundred bucks or perhaps a bit less per treatment. Even just half a dozen treatments over a couple of months can be significantly helpful depending on your particular situation.
I get the distinct impression that Alpha knew what conclusion he/she/it was going to reach before doing the research, and sought out proof for what Alpha already thought rather than seeing where the evidence led.
I particularly and emphatically reject Alpha's absolutely unfounded presumption to discredit any doctor who uses or advocates chelation therapy. This is just totally ill founded.
3 - alpha
Al: You are right that I did make a decision about chelation therapy about 12 years ago after a massive heart attack and the beginning of congestive heart failure which should now be in its last stage (or even further). I, therefore, examined a lot of therapies (now I sport a bi-ventricular pacing device with an internal cardioversion defibrillator in my chest with cables into my heart and a long list of medications) -- but I am still here. I also take traditional medication in quantity plus some nutrients prescribed both in the US and by my Mexican doctor. Plus diet, meditation, exercise (swimming) and visualization. Surviving the deadly diseases takes work.
I still watch articles, journals, news reports and books for possible new therapies and treatments or changes in the manner or view of therapies I previously considered. I continue to consider chelation therapy to be probably useless. And, indeed, the doctor who pushed me toward it was rejected not just because of that but for money hungriness and a lack of concern for me that I considered a poor recommendation for his therapies. I also have rejected traditional transplantation as too risky for the benefits that might be received.
Since I always am looking for ways to stick around and write controversial pieces for BC; my mind could be changed. Originally I did not ever want bypass but a cloddish cardiologist broke the coronary artery and I had an emergency one a few minutes later. I was not a happy camper. I did not envision a computer in my chest with Radio Shack wires snaking around and into the Valentine organ; but it is there and working amazingly well.
If you can change my mind; great for both of us. This is not really a controversy but a way of survival. And I repeat: it is a field ripe for charlatans and those suffering or awaiting death should definitely, absolutely look before they leap.
4 - Al Barger
From your description, you obviously have some major issues. I've got some significant issues, but you sound like you're in a lot worse situation than me. But for exactly that reason, you might stand to benefit a lot.
I would suggest that chelation would be a low risk and moderate cost (relative to potential benefits) therapy that would be likely to be beneficial in several ways. You might likely start noticing some benefits from as little as two or three treatments.
The risks are way overstated in your article relative to my experience with and around it. The couple of practices I've been around that use the therapy would routinely do simple screening for kidney function. It would be inappropriate if you're just absolutely having kidney failure. That's the main likely issue.
But those dangers are small, and mostly seem to refer to olden days when the therapy was new and more experimental.
As I understand it, EDTA chelation was developed originally circa WWII as a treatment for people painting ships for the Navy. They had a lot of problems with lead poisoning from the paint, and the EDTA chelates with the metals and other heavy substances, and carried them off.
But they noticed a lot of other benefits from the therapy as well, improved circulation and lowered blood pressure and such. I've never seen an exact chemical explanation, but it seems to bind to and breakdown heavy stuff in the plaque that builds up in the blood vessels. This makes chelation useful in improving circulation way down to the toes.
There were some problems in the early days of using this treatment with kidney failure and perhaps a couple of related fatalities, 50ish years ago. That was partly because they were still figuring out dosing. They would use sometimes 5,000 to 10,000 MG of EDTA per dose, treating sometimes daily. Whereas now, a treatment dose is typically 1,500 to 3,000 MG, thrice a week max.
Best I can tell, EDTA generally provides moderate to sometimes fairly dramatic benefits for a fair range of conditions, particularly things related to circulatory problems. It is moderately priced and low in risk.
I can't speak to your bad experience with a particular practitioner, of course, but I know of the treatment as something that my long term regular doctor provides as one of many possible tools.
It seems to be marginalized as a therapy partly because it doesn't involve any patent medicines. There's no big money to be made in charging out the yin-yang for a patented drug, so no one has much incentive to do a lot of study and promotion.
5 - Lew Baum
Some years ago after a visit to my parents, my wife suggested I should get prepared for my Dad to pass on. I agreed that he probably wouldn't get out of bed again. From the age of five he was a diabetic, and he was now in his 60's. He decided to try chelation. My next trip back home just included me and my Son. When we arrived home my wife asked our son how's Grampa? My Son replied Grampa better! That was an understatement, he was out of bed, walking without his four legged cane, driving his car, and in a condition I hadn't seen in a few years. He stayed in this condition until he passed away at 75. The last time I saw my Dad I wanted him to go back for treatments, he complained that it was expensive, and time consuming, etc. He also said He didn't know if we would have another Christmas together, we didn't. I don't think you could convince anyone in our family that chelation doesn't work. You could see the circulation had been restored to his feet! I think to be fair you have to talk to people that have had first hand experience with chelation.
6 - michael
I think that whatever the therapy, people who are desperate need to be given hope. That in itself is therapy.