How Does Chelation Work?

Chelation is the chemical process whereby a bonding reaction in which an atom of a chelating agent, such as endrate with a negative balance of two, bonds to a metal, like calcium, magnesium, iron, copper or zinc, with a positive balance of two. Only very small amounts of iron and zinc are captured.

This bonding action can be compared to a magnet picking up a piece of metal. The EDTA chemical actually grasps various minerals with a claw-like action or a complex ring structure, thus totally enclosing the mineral, whereby it loses all physiological and toxic properties. This then allows it to be excreted from the body. Also, very importantly, once EDTA is in the body, it does not break down into other components or compounds.

The chemical used in chelation therapy that we will discuss is Disodium Ethylene Diamine Tetra Acetic Acid. This is commonly abbreviated as EDTA. There are a number of chelating agents, but EDTA is inert, or in other words, it does not have any other reaction in the body other than attracting unbound ionic minerals.

EDTA also has industrial uses, such as softening water to increase cleansing action of soaps and detergents. Nuclear plants use EDTA to purify the water being used in the reactors. Most large municipal water treatment plants use EDTA to remove the many heavy metals that are in our drinking water. Although, the metals get back into the water through the pipes that lead to our house. And when our house water is acid, low pH metals are pulled back into our drinking water.

Calcium is the principal mineral removed by the EDTA because of the pH level of the blood. Other minerals are also removed and, fortunately, the first ones are the toxic ones, like lead, cadmium, mercury and nickel. Following these, EDTA will bind zinc, magnesium, copper, manganese, cobalt, iron and chromium. EDTA does not chelate the blood calcium that is bound to protein. And, the calcium in bones and teeth is not readily captured by EDTA because of its strong bond to protein.

Calcium exists in several forms. For instance, in the bones and teeth it is bound to protein and other molecules and in this form usually is not removed by chelation. Also in the blood, some part of calcium is bound to protein, but some is in the readily available ionic form.

Chelation therapy is used in any disease in which there are abnormal deposits of ionic calcium. The most accessible forms of calcium are in areas where it has been abnormally deposited, such as the inner walls of the arteries, around tendons, joints, ligaments, kidneys, pancreas, liver, and skin etc. These deposits are called metastatic or dystrophic. calcium deposits, and they consist mainly of ionic calcium similar to the form found in blood serum.

It is this abnormal calcification. that can be gradually reduced over a period of time.

The EDTA binds or surrounds the calcium or other active metals, thus making it have no physiologic. or toxic properties. Because of this, it is now possible for it to be excreted. The EDTA floating in the bloodstream is usually excreted within 48 hours via the kidneys and the large intestine.

A very precise equilibrium of blood calcium is maintained by the body. If the level of calcium drops, the body quickly replaces it from secondary sources.

The most readily available source of calcium is metastatic calcium. This form of calcium has been left over from chemical reactions or not used in normal body physiologic function. The most readily available metastatic calcium is deposited in or near the blood vessel wall. About 45 percent of the blood calcium is in the unbound ionic state while the remainder is bound to protein. Consequently, a too rapid infusion of EDTA could result in hypocalcemia (low blood calcium). Within minutes, hypocalcemia is rapidly stabilized by slowing or stopping the infusion.

The body's homeostatic'` mechanism will try to return the serum calcium to a normal level, partly through increasing parathormone levels. The initial calcium loss is replaced from the labile calcium stores in the body. Some of these stores are metastatic pathologic calcium, while part is from the other unbound available surface calcium from around the joints and the skeletal system.

The hormone parathormone, from the parathyroid gland, makes possible the release of calcium from deposits to compensate for the unbound calcium that is combined with the chelating compound, which is unavailable for body use.

To prevent low blood calcium, the EDTA is administered in a diluted concentration intravenously at a slow rate over 1-3 hours, all depending on the individual. Approximately 80 per cent of the EDTA has passed through the kidneys in the first six hours. And, almost all has passed through in the first 24 hours.

The only organ retaining more than 5/10th's of 1 percent after 48 hours is the skin. This is beneficial to patients having scleroderma, which is a progressive disease of the connective tissue. Scleroderma is a defect of tryptophan amino acid metabolism. This is often seen in vitamin B6 deficiency. In many people unable to properly use B6, EDTA will aid the enzyme metabolism.

Some of the EDTA calcium complex may dissociate when a metal with a higher affinity becomes available. In other words, metals, such as lead or chromium, have a stronger attraction to the EDTA than calcium; so consequently, the calcium may be dropped in favor of the other metals.

For several months after the last injection, calcium is still excreted. It seems to gain momentum on its own as time passes; however, it is more than likely that in time, additional treatments will be needed.

The loss of calcium through the kidneys may also produce a transient lowering of serum calcium and serum phosphorous, as well as an increase in serum magnesium. This improves myocardial contraction through an effect on transmembrane action potential and, possibly, through electron positioning.

It has been demonstrated that the body is capable of replacing calcium to the blood serum at the rate of 50 mg. per minute. This suggests that up to seven times the accepted dose of EDTA could be given in as little as 1/10th the normal time. (In other words, in 15 minutes rather than in 2 hours or more.)

This discussion on calcium might lead a person to believe that hardening of the arteries can be prevented by a reduction in intake of calcium. However, this is an erroneous thought, as reducing calcium intake could create a deficiency and various serious problems. Calcium is an absolutely essential mineral.

Its function is the transmission of nerve impulses and muscle action, particularly in heart contractions. It is also very important in the health of bones and teeth.