Can This Therapy Be a Natural Solution for Heart Disease?
Have you ever heard of chelation therapy? Used in alternative medicine, it aims to remove heavy metals and other substances from the body. Originally, chelation was used to treat conditions like lead poisoning, but now chelation therapy protects against heart disease and other major health problems.
Chelating agents are available solely by prescription and are approved for use only in specific circumstances, such as in the case of lead poisoning or iron overload.
The Uses for Chelation Therapy
Chelation therapy is said to aid the treatment of atherosclerosis (the
hardening of arties). Because calcium deposits are found in
artery-clogging plaques, some believe that using chelation therapy to
remove calcium deposits can restore healthy blood flow in the arteries.
Some proponents also suggest that the EDTA can act as an antioxidant,
protecting against the damaging effects of chronic inflammation.
Consequently, chelation therapy helps to treat osteoarthritis and other
conditions related to inflammation. In fact, chelation therapy is able
to treat the following health issues:
• Alzheimer's disease
• Angina
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Multiple sclerosis
• Peripheral artery disease
• Rheumatoid arthritis
This alternative form of therapy is also
claimed to improve memory, treat diabetes-related complications and
promote recovery from stroke.
Though known to be effective in the treatment of heavy-metal poisoning,
the scientific evidence which supports the claim that chelation therapy
can be effective against other health conditions is not vast. In a
report in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in 2002,
researchers analyzed five previously published studies testing the
effects of EDTA-based chelation therapy in patients with
atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular disease. However, results found
insufficient evidence for chelation therapy's effectiveness in improving
clinical outcomes for such patients.
Furthermore, according to a research review published in the BMC
Cardiovascular Disorders in 2005, scientists looked at seven previously
published studies that focused on the use of EDTA-based chelation
therapy in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. It was found that
the use of chelation therapy in the treatment of cardiovascular disease
isn't supported by the best available scientific evidence. Therefore
using this therapy as a substitute for standard care may cause indirect
harm to the patient.
Adding to this, a report published in the
American Heart Journal in 2000 concluded that chelation therapy should
be considered obsolete as a treatment for heart disease, due to the
possibility of causing severe adverse effects.
Nevertheless, there is some evidence that chelation therapy may be
beneficial to people who have suffered a heart attack.
In National Institutes of Health-funded study published in Current
Opinion in Cardiology in 2014, for instance, researchers evaluated the
effectiveness and safety of EDTA-based chelation therapy in 1,078 people
who had experienced a heart attack. Results showed that there was a
significant reduction in risk of issues such as stroke and
hospitalization for angina. The therapy appeared to be beneficial in
people with diabetes. It was also noted that the chelation therapy may
improve health in heart attack patients by reducing oxidative stress.
What are the Side Effects and Safety Concerns?
A number of side effects have been associated with chelation therapy
including diarrhea, headache, high blood pressure, loose stools, low
blood sugar, nausea, poor appette, skin rash and vomiting. Serious side
effects include kidney damage and abnormally low blood levels of
calcium. There is concern that chelation therapy could remove calcium
from healthy bones and other tissues. Needless to say, children,
pregnant women and people with heart or kidney failure should not
receive chelation therapy.