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| Chelation Therapy |
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What is EDTA Chelation Therapy? EDTA (ethylene
diamine tetra acetic acid) is a synthetic amino acid which has
the ability to attach itself to metals and minerals, forming a
particular kind of bond called a chelate. Heavy metals such as
lead have a greater affinity for EDTA and form stronger
bonds.Since 1953, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) has recognized EDTA as a treatment for lead poisoning. In
the 1940s and 50s, some doctors using EDTA to treat lead
toxicity in patients who also happened to suffer from heart
disease observed an unexpected improvement in their angina
symptoms. Since that time, doctors have used EDTA to treat
blood vessels diseases, based on their belief from observing
individual patients and on other types of evidence, that EDTA
is useful for that purpose. Scientists as well as the
FDA generally agree that controlled scientific tests are needed
to conclusively establish whether any medical treatment is
effective, and in particular whether EDTA is effective in
treating vascular diseases. Observations by individual doctors
and other kinds of evidence are not considered reliable enough
to ensure that any therapy actually works. Nonetheless, while
FDA has not approved EDTA for treating vascular disease, the
status of EDTA as an approved drug for lead poisoning permits
physicians to use it to treat other conditions, including
vascular disease. This kind of discretionary use of approved
drugs by physicians is common to a number of medical
treatments. Proponents of EDTA for vascular diseases
have two principal theories for how the drug may operate in the
circulatory system. One is by possibly reducing "free
radicals." Free radicals are highly active molecular fragments
formed during the production of energy in the cells. If they
get out of control, they can cause damage to surrounding
tissue, possibly including the linings of the blood vessels,
and lead to the blockages that occur in coronary artery
disease. The presence of heavy metals in the blood stream can
cause an increased production of free radicals and EDTA is
approved by FDA to remove heavy metals that have accumulated in
the body in excessive amounts. But it has not been
scientifically proven that using EDTA will reduce free
radicals; and if so, whether reducing free radicals will
effectively treat blood vessel diseases.Another theory
is that EDTA binds with calcium in the blood stream and creates
a series of actions that results in altering the intercellular
balance of calcium with magnesium. Some scientists, however,
dispute whether these changes have a positive effect on
vascular disease.Despite the lack of controlled
scientific studies as proof of its effectiveness, physicians
have used EDTA chelation therapy for over 40 years to treat
such related diseases as cardiovascular disease, diabetic
arterial disease, decreased mental function from vascular
disease and intermittent claudication (leg pain or exercise).
Many of these doctors also use EDTA in preventive medicine
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How is Chelation Therapy Administered? This therapy involves the intravenous infusions of FDA approved EDTA over a course of treatments in a doctor's office. Under current treatment protocols, EDTA chelation therapy is safe and relatively free of side effects. The infusion time is approxiamtely 30 minutes. Chelation therapy patients are advised to take a comprehensive approach to their treatment and health, including, as needed, diet, exercise, stress management programs and dietary supplements.
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What Are The Benefits of Chelation Therapy?Chelation therapy is widely used for the treatment of atherosclerosis and other chronic degenerative diseases involving the circulatory system. It also has other benefits. Many scientists suggest that the beneficial effect of chelation treatment is from the removal of metallic catalysts that cause excessive free radical proliferation. This reduces the oxidation of lipids, DNA, enzyme systems and lipoproteins. The chelation halts the bad effects and initiates the body's healing process, often reversing the damage. It removes the calcium and copper anions from the blood stream. The plaque lining the artery walls are made porous and brittle. Eventually they may get dislodged. Even if only a microscopic layer of the plaque is removed, it, along with a smoothening of the artery wall due to the healing of the cells that line the arteries, can improve the blood flow to the artery muscles substantially. This can prevent artery spasm and minimize or prevent angina pain. Many patients who could not walk due to muscle pain or angina pain have reported that they can walk without pain after chelation therapy.
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