Benefits and Uses of Chelation Therapy
- April 12, 2024
- Written by : Rebecca LaMarca, MSN, APN-BC, CNS
Metals like arsenic, mercury, iron and lead can be toxic to your body if they build up. Chelation therapy is an easy way to treat this concern and remove other toxins from the body. The many benefits of chelation contribute to its continued use in the health field as an alternative procedure.
This therapy often requires an IV, but oral methods can be effective for some patients. Below, you will learn more about the benefits of chelation therapy and how to use it to address various health concerns and symptoms. We’ll also guide you to a nearby provider where you can access chelation therapy.
How Does Chelation Therapy Work?
Chelation therapy utilizes specific chemicals to remove metal from your body. These metals build up over time and can result from dental fillings, lead exposure, frequent consumption of farm-raised fish, some vaccinations and other exposure possibilities. These metals will not often leave the body naturally, but chelation can reduce these levels over time. This therapy binds metal in your blood, allowing them to move out of your system when you go to the bathroom.
Along with detoxifying your body, chelation therapy also replenishes vital nutrients. B-complex vitamins, magnesium chloride, multi-mineral compounds and other nutrients can lead to increased benefits necessary for normal body growth and function. For example, you may notice less stress or inflammation and enhanced blood flow as a result of chelation therapy.
Providers will gather a baseline for various levels in your body and help depict your necessary dosage and therapy frequency. They will often do a blood test to verify whether you have metal poisoning before treating this condition. You can also expect lab testing to determine whether your body can handle the therapy. For example, your provider will address your kidney and liver function to understand your baseline support and determine the correct gram dosage. You may also undergo a urine mold test and urine heavy metal test to determine how many treatments you need before you can expect normal post-therapy results.
What Is Used In Chelation Therapy?
Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is involved in chelation therapy. EDTA is a binding agent that adheres to the body’s toxins and flushes out with urine. EDA attaches to iron, lead, calcium and other heavy metals, binding them into one compound and pushing them through your body. This chemical is like a claw that grabs toxins and heavy metals and removes them from your body, detoxifying you and reducing uncomfortable or painful symptoms. Many providers utilize EDTA in chelation for heavy metals, but this chemical is also in some cancer-fighting medicines.
Benefits of Getting Chelation Therapy
Our world has plenty of toxins and heavy metals that can impact your health. Your body can absorb toxins whether or not you’re unaware of it, and you can experience other health concerns that impact your wellness. Chelation therapy is a simple way to treat a range of symptoms. Benefits include:
- Reducing fatigue: Fatigue is one of the many harmful symptoms of toxic metals in the body. Even small amounts can make you feel mentally foggy, physically weaker or tired. Removing these toxins empowers your body and allows your concentration and energy levels to reach their fullest potential.
- Being safe, quick and easy: A simple IV makes it easy to receive this treatment at home, work, a provider’s office or another convenient location. Depending on your lab results and medical conditions, you may need only a few treatments to experience post-therapy results.
- Lowering risks of heart attacks or strokes: Studies have shown chelation therapy can produce a moderate reduction in cardiovascular events. In some cases, people with diabetes experienced a 40% reduction in heart disease death risks, nonfatal heart attacks and nonfatal strokes. Additionally, 52% of this same group saw a reduction in recurrent heart attacks and a 43% reduction in any cause of death over a nearly five-year period.
- Addressing root causes: This therapy addresses the root causes of your symptoms, providing lasting relief over the long term. Symptoms of heavy metal toxicity can include anxiety, depression, muscle and joint pain, cognitive decline, chronic fatigue and more. A chelation IV can improve these symptoms while working to remove the metals from your body for increased overall health.
- Reducing symptoms for various health concerns: You can improve symptoms of metal poisoning by using chelation therapy for lead, mercury, iron and similar. You can also relieve symptoms from other health concerns, such as swelling and pain. EDTA can act as an antioxidant for some patients, reducing damage from free radicals and effectively reducing inflammation and associated pain.
Uses for Chelation Therapy
Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved chelation therapy for treating heavy metal poisoning through prescriptions, you may also notice an improvement if you have several other conditions or concerns.
Some people report less pain from lupus, arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. EDTA can act as an antioxidant, making it a source of protection from inflammation in the body. EDTA also protects blood vessels, which can help slow some diseases and their associated symptoms.
Chelation therapy has also grown popular as a method of treating Fibromyalgia. Due to chelation therapy’s cleansing properties, this method can help prevent cellular damage that can lead to future or more significant health concerns. This treatment may reduce symptoms like fatigue, urinary problems, gastrointestinal symptoms and respiratory problems.
You may also notice an improvement in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Many patients with neurodegenerative diseases also have elevated levels of toxic metals, which EDTA helps remove. This means that chelation therapy could ease some associated pain and make symptoms more bearable.
Potential Risks or Side Effects
Every medical treatment possesses some risks. Thankfully, chelation therapy is a relatively effective and safe option for treating metal toxicity and other symptoms. However, some conditions prevent chelation administration. If you have any of the following, you should not receive this therapy:
You can often reduce or eliminate potential side effects by adjusting the treatment dosages and rates. Some people may experience some side effects, including:
- Reactions from the IV fluid
- Nausea
- Dizziness or weakness
- Fever
- Minor pain at the injection site
Find Chelation Therapy Near You
IV therapy is a quick way to improve symptoms and optimize your wellness potential. Whether you’re looking for a chelation heavy metal detox or want to reduce symptoms from another health concern, IV Elements has the experienced staff and simple treatment options to make it happen. We make it easy to administer our services, empowering clients to receive treatments at home, in one of our therapy locations, at work or anywhere else.
We proudly serve clients in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York, so you can find a convenient location. Reach out to learn more about our IV drips or book a therapy appointment with one of our skilled providers.
REFERENCES
1. Questions and Answers on Unapproved Chelation Products: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/medication-health-fraud/questions-and-answers-unapproved-chelation-products
2. EDTA: https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/edta-uses-and-risks
3. Chelation for Coronary Heart Disease: What You Need to Know: https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/chelation-for-coronary-heart-disease-what-you-need-to-know
4. Can chelation therapy treat heart disease?:https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/expert-answers/chelation-therapy/faq-20157449
5. Heavy Metal Poisoning: https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/heavy-metal-poisoning/
6. Heavy Metal Poisoning (Toxicity): https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23424-heavy-metal-poisoning-toxicity
7. Chelation Therapy Associated With Antioxidant Supplementation Can Decrease Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Multiple Sclerosis: Preliminary Results: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10376540/
8. Melanin Nanoparticles for Safe and Effective Iron Chelation Therapy for Beta-Thalassemia During Pregnancy: https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(21)01314-4/fulltext
9. Calcium Channel Blockers for Preventing Cardiomyopathy Due to Iron Overload in People With Transfusion-Dependent Beta-Thalassaemia: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6513605/
10. Chelation Therapy Side Effects: https://www.news-medical.net/health/Chelation-Therapy-Side-Effects.aspx
11. Essential Nutrient: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/essential-nutrient
12. Chelation Therapy for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7198985/
13. Chelation Therapy: https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/health-wellness/health-encyclopedia/he.Chelation-Therapy.ty3205spec
14. EDTA Chelation Therapy for the Treatment of Neurotoxicity: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6429616/
Share 
Tweet 
Share 
Email 
