Hemochromatosis and Autoimmune Conditions

Laura said:
Gawan said:
Okay, I have some results too. May doc planned anyway to test for these two, so I hadn't to ask for it:

Ferritin: 164.4
Fe: 22.3

And liver results were okay too.

According to lab standards everything is in range (and nothing to worry) and could eventually get difficult to convince my doc for blood letting. I felt also a bit better after giving the blood for the lab yesterday and had much more energy than I used to have. But from lunch on, I was sleepy again which lasted then the rest of the day.

It takes a few days to really feel the benefits. The plasma replaces fastest and then the RBCs.

You could possibly feel better at about 50 of ferritin. Since you are young, that number may represent a gradual accumulation. See if your doctor will agree to bringing it down.

Thanks, I like to ask him next week at the appointment.


birk said:
On my last bloodtest my S-ferritin was 224 ( male33 years) and I would like to try to lower it to see if that can help with my eczema.
I will not be allowed to give blood and I suspect my doctor to have issues with me having bloodletting.

This has led me to consider Hirudotherapy(leeches), which is supposed to have quite some health benefits beyond the bloodletting.
Does anyone here have any experience whit this therapy?

Here is a link for anyone interested: _http://www.amazingleeches.com/

My apologies if this is off topic or noise in any way, I did a search on Hirudotherapy on the forum with no hits.

Eventually it could be a bit messy, beside having these things on one: _http://hemochromatosis.co.uk/phlebotomy/leeching-alternative-phleb.pdf But yes, eventually it could be a solution since they can also suck about 250ml plus blood loss afterwards.

And is there a chance to try another doctor too?

**edit**

Leeches where also my first thought cause I don't like to give blood, but as I heard that I can eat before letting blood, or not need to have an empty stomach I was more relaxed.
 
Laura said:
Geeze, before I'd let a leech touch me, I'd find a friend who was a nurse or something and get help unloading about a pint every couple of weeks. Surely you know someone who is trained? Why can't you talk to your doctor about it? Take some papers for him to read?

You are right, I know a couple of people who can propably help me.
I have developed a phobia for the healthcare system over the years and have a tendency to lean towards the "alternative" and " natural" :)
 
Today I donated blood and before donating I gave blood for ferritin testing. It will take a week for ferritin results to come.
 
I was diagnosed, yesterday, as having RCMD - RARS.
Rietti, Greppi, Micheli Syndrome - Refractory Anemia with Ringed Sideroblasts
How does it fit in the topics of this blog ?
 
MIT said:
I was diagnosed, yesterday, as having RCMD - RARS.
Rietti, Greppi, Micheli Syndrome - Refractory Anemia with Ringed Sideroblasts
How does it fit in the topics of this blog ?

Well, have you done any research? Hang on and some others may look into it and see what can be found and sorted out about it.

Have you had genetic tests?
 
MIT said:
I was diagnosed, yesterday, as having RCMD - RARS.
Rietti, Greppi, Micheli Syndrome - Refractory Anemia with Ringed Sideroblasts
How does it fit in the topics of this blog ?

RCMD-RARS and Rietti, Greppi, Micheli Syndrome are two different things ...

RCMD-RARS = Refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia and refractory anaemia with ring sideroblasts
Rietti, Greppi, Micheli syndrome = old name for thalassaemia minor (or intermedia)

The first is one subtype of the myelodysplastic syndrome, where the bone marrow produces defective blood cells and may not produce enough of them. There is a chance that this may progress to leukemia. Iron overload becomes a problem mostly through repeated blood transfusions. A good explanation of the different types with their outcome (but quite technical) can be found here: _http://jco.ascopubs.org/content/23/30/7594.full. Iron toxicity is usually addressed with iron chelation therapy.

The second is a genetic disorder found mostly among Mediterranean people, but blood count is usually fairly normal in th. minor and a bit lower in intermediate th. Here iron stores are high despite the low blood count because the iron cannot be correctly incorporated into the heme molecule (part of hemoglobin, the stuff that carries the oxygen in the red blood cells). So donating blood is not an option, rather iron is offloaded with chelation therapy.

So which one do you have? Both?
 
In this paper posted by Psyche above (http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,30709.msg402792.html#msg402792), Kell lists some possible iron chelators. Besides the prescription drugs, the natural iron chelators are listed as:

1) Food polyphenols in general
2) ECGC in green tea
3) Curcumin (derived from tumeric root)
4) Eugenol
5) Quercetin
6) Melatonin
7) Phytic acid (grains nuts, seeds,etc)

He lists many references that (I assume) support their iron chelation action.
 
Here's a page that discusses things in a straightforward way and says that EDTA and DMSA can be used for iron chelation. DMSA can be obtained via mail from the US and Canada, for sure, possibly other places.

http://www.townsendletter.com/May2009/chelation0509.htm

Apparently the EDTA is better, but the DMSA will do in a pinch. I think the DMSA protocol is posted in its own thread here on the forum and we have used it with no bad effects. Apparently even children can be treated for metal toxicity with this protocol with no side effects.

According to this site "After the patient has had his ferritin reduced below 10, he is declared deironed. "

That's pretty low. I think that between 30 and 50 is considered good.

_http://www.evenbetternow.com/DMSA_oral_heavy_metal_chelation.asp

DMSA Heavy Metal Oral Chelation

DMSA is an abbreviation for 2, 3-Dimercaptosuccinic Acid. It is also marketed under the trade names of Chemet and Succimer. It is an FDA-approved drug for treatment of lead toxicity in children. DMSA chelation therapy is also an effective oral chelating agent for removing mercury from the body.

DMSA heavy metal chelation is taken orally (by mouth), and the usual adult dosage for mercury removal is 500 mg (five 100 mg capsules) first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. This dosage is taken three days a week for three months until a urine provocation challenge is performed to measure mercury levels. If there is still a load of mercury, then another round of DMSA is given.

The main downside to DMSA oral chelation for both adults and kids is that, because it works in the bloodstream, a high dosage has to be given for it to be effective. This can create two problems. Firstly, there may be a “retracing” or toxic crisis – the DMSA unbinds heavy metals from the tissue faster than the organs of elimination can excrete it from the body. If this happens then the body redistributes the metals into different tissue.

Secondly, the higher the dosage of the chelating agent, the more likely there will be a depletion of essential minerals like magnesium and calcium because chelating agents like DMSA also chelate minerals. It is vital – especially for children – that the amounts of DMSA be monitored on each individual child to make sure that metals are excreted safely and not just re-sequestered into different tissues. It is also vital to implement a good essential mineral formula to replenish what might be depleted in doing this heavy metal chelation.

Common side-effects of DMSA heavy metal chelation include: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, appetite loss and rashes. As with other chelating drugs, kidney and liver function needs to be closely monitored.

Ray Sahelian on the topic: http://www.raysahelian.com/chelationtherapy.html
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethylenediaminetetraacetic_acid

EDTA is used to bind metal ions in the practice of chelation therapy, e.g., for treating mercury and lead poisoning.[10] It is used in a similar manner to remove excess iron from the body. This therapy is used to treat the complication of repeated blood transfusions, as would be applied to treat thalassaemia. The U.S. FDA approved the use of EDTA for lead poisoning[11] on July 16, 1953, under the brand name of Versenate,[12] which was licensed to the pharmaceutical company Riker. Alternative medical practitioners believe EDTA acts as a powerful antioxidant to prevent free radicals from injuring blood vessel walls, therefore reducing atherosclerosis.[13] The U.S. FDA has not approved it for the treatment of atherosclerosis.[14]

Dentists and endodontists use EDTA solutions to remove inorganic debris (smear layer) and lubricate the canals in endodontics. This procedure helps prepare root canals for obturation. Furthermore, EDTA solutions with the addition of a surfactant loosen up calcifications inside a root canal and allow instrumentation (canals shaping) and facilitate apical advancement of a file in a tight/calcified root canal towards the apex. It serves as a preservative (usually to enhance the action of another preservative such as benzalkonium chloride or thiomersal) in ocular preparations and eyedrops.[15] In evaluating kidney function, the complex [Cr(edta)]- is administered intravenously and its filtration into the urine is monitored. This method is useful for evaluating glomerular filtration rate.[16]

EDTA is used extensively in the analysis of blood. It is an anticoagulant for blood samples for CBC/FBEs.

Laboratory studies also suggest that EDTA chelation may prevent collection of platelets on the lining of the vessel [such as arteries] (which can otherwise lead to formation of blood clots, which itself is associated with atheromatous plaque formation or rupture, and thereby ultimately disrupts blood flow). These ideas have so far been proven ineffective;[17] however, a major clinical study of the effects of EDTA on coronary arteries is currently (2008) proceeding.[18] EDTA played a role in the O.J. Simpson trial when the defense alleged that one of the blood samples collected from Simpson's estate was found to contain traces of the compound.[19]

EDTA is a slime dispersant, and has been found to be highly effective in reducing bacterial growth during implantation of intraocular lenses (IOLs).[20]

EDTA is in such widespread use that questions have been raised whether it is a persistent organic pollutant. Research indicates that under many conditions, EDTA is fully biodegradable. However, when simulating certain non-optimal degradation conditions (high pH), less than 1% of the EDTA was degraded instead to ethylenediaminetriacetic acid, which can then cyclize to 3-ketopiperazine-N,N-diacetate, a cumulative, persistent, organic chemical with unknown effects on the environment.[23] An alternative chelating agent with fewer environmental pollution implications is EDDS.

EDTA exhibits low acute toxicity with LD50 (rat) of 2.0 – 2.2 g/kg.[3] It has been found to be both cytotoxic and weakly genotoxic in laboratory animals. Oral exposures have been noted to cause reproductive and developmental effects.[21] The same study by Lanigan[21] also found that both dermal exposure to EDTA in most cosmetic formulations and inhalation exposure to EDTA in aerosolized cosmetic formulations would produce exposure levels below those seen to be toxic in oral dosing studies.

^ Ruth DeBusk et al. (2002). "Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)". Retrieved 2007-07-25.

^ "Calcium Disodium Versenate (Edetate Calcium Disodium) Injection [Graceway Pharmaceuticals, Llc]". Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov.

^ "Drugs@FDA: FDA Approved Drug Products". Accessdata.fda.gov.

^ "Home > Medical Reference > Complementary Medicine > EDTA overview". University of Maryland Medical Center.

^ "Postmarket Drug Safety Information for Patients and Providers > Questions and Answers on Edetate Disodium (marketed as Endrate and generic products)".

^ See "les conservateurs en opthalmologie" Doctors Patrice Vo Tan & Yves lachkar, Librarie Médicale Théa.
Green, Saul; Wallace Sampson (December 14, 2002). "EDTA Chelation Therapy for Atherosclerosis And Degenerative Diseases: Implausibility and Paradoxical Oxidant Effects".

^ "Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT) - Full Text View". ClinicalTrials.gov.
 
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/ethylenediaminetetraacetic-acid-000302.htm

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
Overview:

Chelation therapy is a treatment that involves repeated intravenous (IV) administration of a chemical solution of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, or EDTA. It is used to treat acute and chronic lead poisoning by pulling toxins (including heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury) from the bloodstream. The word chelate comes from the Greek root chele, which means "to claw." EDTA has a claw like molecular structure that binds to heavy metals and other toxins.

EDTA chelation therapy is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment for lead and heavy metal poisoning. It is also used as an emergency treatment for hypercalcemia (excessive calcium levels) and the control of ventricular arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms) associated with digitalis toxicity.

Studies by the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council in the late 1960s indicated that EDTA was considered possibly effective in the treatment of arteriosclerosis (blocked arteries). However, most well designed studies have found that it is not effective for heart disease. In fact, many medical organizations -- including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Heart Association (AHA), and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) -- have publicly criticized and denounced the practice of EDTA chelation therapy for heart disease.

Proponents of chelation therapy for heart disease claim that EDTA, combined with oral vitamins and minerals, helps dissolve plaques and mineral deposits associated with atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). But most reports about using chelation for heart disease have been based on case studies and a few animal studies that may not apply to people. Also, several large scale clinical trials published in peer reviewed journals have found that EDTA chelation therapy is no better than placebo in improving symptoms of heart disease. Some medical experts note that the theories about why chelation might help treat atherosclerosis depend on an outdated understanding of how heart disease develops (see Uses section). Finally, and probably most important, the safety of EDTA chelation therapy for people with heart disease is not known.

The NIH National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is funding a study to examine whether EDTA is effective for heart disease. Results are expected in a few years.
Uses:

Lead poisoning and heavy metal toxicity

Chelation therapy using EDTA is the medically accepted treatment for lead poisoning. Injected intravenously and once in the bloodstream, EDTA traps lead and other metals, forming a compound that the body can get rid of in the urine. The process generally takes 1 - 3 hours. Other heavy metal poisonings treated with chelation include mercury, arsenic, aluminum, chromium, cobalt, manganese, nickel, selenium, zinc, tin, and thallium. Chelating agents other than EDTA are also used to clear several of these substances from the bloodstream.

Heavy metal toxicity in humans has been associated with many health conditions, including heart disease, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Alzheimer's disease, immune system disorders, gastrointestinal disorders (including irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS), and autism.

Digoxin toxicity

EDTA has also been used to treat digoxin toxicity, although most doctors prefer to use other methods. In this case, EDTA helps remove excess levels of digoxin, a medication that is used to treat abnormal rhythms of the heart.

Atherosclerosis

So far, there is no good evidence that EDTA chelation therapy is effective for heart disease. Proponents believe it may help people with atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) or peripheral vascular disease (decreased blood flow to the legs) by clearing clogged arteries and improving blood flow. However, the few studies that show it may help have been poorly designed, making the results questionable.

{I think they are fudging on that because treating heart disease with statins is what the pharmaceutical companies want; NO competition is allowed!}

Available Forms:

EDTA is a synthetic chemical and not found naturally. Because there is concern that EDTA may deplete important vitamins and minerals, EDTA chelation therapy is often given with essential nutrients (including calcium, B vitamins, vitamin C, and magnesium).

There are advertisements for oral chelating agents available on the market, some of which contain EDTA. However, they have not been studied in clinical trials.

How to Take It:

Pediatric

For the treatment of lead poisoning: A doctor may give EDTA intravenously (IV) in a clinic or hospital. The dose depends on the amount of lead in the child's blood, as well as the child's height and weight. Daily treatment for up to 5 days may be required.

Adult

For heavy metal toxicity: EDTA chelation therapy is often given intravenously with calcium, magnesium, and vitamins B and C over a period of 1 - 3 hours. The recommended adult dosage varies depending on the size of the person and the amount of lead or other metal in the body. For an average sized person, the amount may range from 700 - 3,500 mg every 12 hours until the substance is significantly reduced in the bloodstream. The amount used would be determined in a hospital setting.

Precautions:

The most common side effect is a burning sensation at the site of the injection. In addition, some people may have an allergic reaction to EDTA. Other serious side effects that have been reported include low blood sugar, diminished calcium levels, headache, nausea, dangerously low blood pressure, kidney failure, organ damage, irregular heartbeat, seizures, or even death.

{Oops! Doesn't sound all that friendly!}

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been deaths associated with hypocalcemia (low levels of calcium) from intravenous chelation therapy.

{What about oral chelation?}

A qualified health care provider will monitor blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol, organ function, and other vital statistics during treatment with EDTA. EDTA may lower levels of nutrients such as calcium, zinc, and potassium. Your health care professional will perform blood tests to monitor vitamin and mineral levels before, during, and after EDTA chelation therapy. Supplements of vitamins and minerals, either orally or intravenously, may be given when needed.

Possible Interactions:


Antibiotics, Cephalosporins -- Animal studies suggest that EDTA may increase the absorption of cefmetazole, an antibiotic in a class known as cephalosporins.

Vitamins and minerals -- EDTA chelation therapy may decrease levels of certain vitamins and minerals in the body, including vitamin C, magnesium, iron, and calcium.

Warfarin (Coumadin) -- EDTA has been reported to decrease the effectiveness of Warfarin. Decreasing the effectiveness of Warfarin can increase the risk of infection.

Insulin -- EDTA can decrease blood sugar, as does insulin. Together they may result in a dramatic decrease in blood sugar.

Alternative Names:

Chelation therapy; EDTA

Reviewed last on: 6/17/2011

Steven D. Ehrlich, NMD, Solutions Acupuncture, a private practice specializing in complementary and alternative medicine, Phoenix, AZ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

Supporting Research

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Deaths associated with hypocalcemia from chelation therapy--Texas, Pennsylvania, and Oregon, 2003-2005. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2006;55(8):204-7.

Chappell LT. Should EDTA chelation therapy be used instead of long-term clopidogrel plus aspirin to treat patients at risk from drug-eluting stents? Altern Med Rev. 2007 Jun;12(2):152-8. Review.

Evans DAP, Tariq M, Sujata B, McCAnn G, Sobki S. The effects of magnesium sulphate and EDTA in the hypercholesterolaemic rabbit. Diabetes Obesity & Metabolism. 2001;3:417-422.

Knudston ML, Wyse DG, Galbraith PD, et al. Chelation therapy for ischemic heart disease, a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2002;287(4):481-486.

Lamas GA, Ackermann A. Clinical evaluation of chelation therapy: Is there any wheat amidst the chaff? [editorial]. Am Heart J. 2000;140(1):4-5.

Lin MC, Nahin R, Gershwin ME, Longhurst JC, Wu KK. State of complementary and alternative medicine in cardiovascular, lung, and blood research: executive summary of a workshop. Circulation. 2001;103(16):2038-2041.

Pajak B. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid affects subcellular expression of clusterin protein in human colon adenocarcinoma COLO 205 cell line. Anticancer Drugs. 2007; 18(1):55-63.

Roussel AM, Hininger-Favier I, Waters RS, Osman M, Fernholz K, Anderson RA. EDTA chelation therapy, without added vitamin C, decreases oxidative DNA damage and lipid peroxidation. Altern Med Rev. 2009 Mar;14(1):56-61.

Seely DM, Wu P, Mills EJ. EDTA chelation therapy for cardiovascular disease: a systematic review. BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2005;5:32.

Shrihari JS, Roy A, Prabhakaran D, Reddy KS. Role of EDTA chelation therapy in cardiovascular diseases. Natl Med J India. 2006;19(1):24-6.

Sinha Y, Silove N, Williams K. Chelation therapy and autism. BMJ. 2006;333(7571):756.

Soleimani M. Comparison of natural humic substances and synthetic ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and nitrilotriacetic acid as washing agents of a heavy metal-polluted soil. J Environ Qual. 2010; 39(3):855-62.

Source: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/ethylenediaminetetraacetic-acid-000302.htm#ixzz2NdIRHyny
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More about EDTA: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm113738.htm

Here is President, Zol Consultants, and formerly Professor of Biochemistry at the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Institute, New York. Dr. Sampson is Clinical Professor of Medicine, Emeritus, at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Editor of the Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine debunking the claims that EDTA can clear out plaques from the blood vessels:
_http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/chelationimp.html

That's a lot of firepower launched against the substance by a guy who probably has a vested interest in teaching that statins are the way to go.
 
You can buy EDTA on amazon. Just use the search. Also books about oral chelation.

If anybody decides to try any of this, get medical advice and/or supervision, and remember that they say you must replace your minerals with a good iron-free mineral combo plus plenty of extra magnesium.
 
Ha! No wonder we don't hear about this EDTA chelation therapy:


EDTA Chelation
The Real "Miracle" Therapy for Vascular Disease
http://www.life-enhancement.com/magazine/article/78-edta-chelation-the-real-miracle-therapy-for-vascular-disease

The story of EDTA chelation therapy is as much political as it is medical. Consider these facts:

EDTA chelation may be one of the most effective, least expensive, and safest treatments for heart disease ever developed, yet it is practiced by perhaps only 2,000 physicians in the United States.
EDTA chelation is not typically covered by medical insurance, even though insurance companies would save billions of dollars each year if they did.
Although they save far more lives than conventional treatments for heart disease and other chronic degenerative diseases at a fraction of the cost, physicians who practice and promote EDTA chelation for these uses have been harassed, vilified, smeared, and, in some cases, driven from their profession by powerful medical societies and government agencies that practice and promote conventional medical treatments.

What Is EDTA Chelation?
EDTA chelation is a therapy by which repeated administrations of a weak synthetic amino acid (EDTA, ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid) gradually reduce atherosclerotic plaque and other mineral deposits throughout the cardiovascular system by literally dissolving them away.

EDTA chelation has frequently been compared to a "Roto-Rooter" in the cardiovascular system, because it removes plaque and returns the arterial system to a smooth, healthy, pre-atherosclerotic state. A better metaphor might be "Liquid-Plumr," because, where Roto-Rooter violently scrapes deposits off the interior surfaces of your plumbing with a rapidly rotating blade, Liquid-Plumr simply dissolves them away.

Roto-Rooter is a far better metaphor for conventional medical treatments for heart disease, all of which are closely tied to the concept of the cardiovascular system as plumbing. When a pipe/artery gets clogged, simply ream it out or flatten the deposits (angioplasty). If that doesn't work, just cut away the bad section(s) and replace it (them) with a new piece of pipe (coronary artery bypass graft, or CABG). It's the same basic strategy older cities use for replacing their century-old water mains. And we know how successful that is!

CABG, known affectionately in the medical profession as "cabbage," is the most frequently performed surgery in the United States. At up to $50,000 per procedure, that indeed amounts to a lot of "cabbage," not only for cardiac surgeons but also for hospitals. As we shall see, these figures provide a powerful incentive for physicians to reject an effective, but inexpensive and unpatentable treatment like EDTA chelation.

It is commonplace for physicians who regularly prescribe EDTA chelation to encounter heart disease patients who have failed all the standard treatments but who make remarkable - even unbelievable - recoveries once given EDTA. Other patients, on waiting lists for CABG surgery, found they did not need the surgery following a series of EDTA chelation treatments.

EDTA exerts its beneficial effects on the body because this molecule is extremely proficient at chemically bonding with mineral and metal ions. This bonding process, known as chelation, is a natural and essential physiologic process that goes on constantly in the body. EDTA's chelating abilities make it ideal for many tasks:

Because EDTA is so effective at removing unwanted minerals and metals from the blood, it has been the standard "FDA-approved" treatment for lead, mercury, aluminum and cadmium poisoning for more than 50 years. EDTA normalizes the distribution of most metallic elements in the body.
Because it is so safe and effective, EDTA is also used widely as a stabilizer for packaged food. Minute amounts of EDTA (33-800 PPM) added to food help to preserve flavor and color and to retard spoilage and rancidity. (Read your food labels.)
Because EDTA inhibits blood clotting so well, it is routinely added to blood samples that are drawn for testing purposes.*
EDTA improves calcium and cholesterol metabolism by eliminating metallic catalysts that can damage cell membranes by producing oxygen free radicals.
Thanks to these and probably other effects of EDTA, it has been reported to have a wide variety of benefits.


EDTA Chelation vs. Conventional Therapy for Vascular Disease
Researchers first started to notice EDTA in the days during and after World War II when men who worked in battery factories or painted ships with lead-based paint began coming down with lead poisoning from their high exposure in these jobs. EDTA was found to be extremely effective for removing the lead from the men's bodies, but what really made people sit up and take notice was an apparent reduction in symptoms of heart disease in many of these men.

The first systematic study of EDTA in people with atherosclerosis was published in 1956.1 When the researchers gave 20 patients with confirmed heart disease a series of 30 I.V. EDTA treatments, 19 of the patients experienced improvement, as measured by an increase in physical activity. Another study 4 years later in a similar population found that 3 months of EDTA infusions resulted in decreases in the severity and frequency of anginal episodes, reduced use of nitroglycerin (a common anti-angina drug), increased work capacity and improved ECG (electrocardiogram) findings.2

It soon became clear from these and later studies that EDTA treatments result in progressive and widespread improvement and stabilization of cardiovascular function. This is in contrast to standard treatments, such as angioplasty or CABG, which instantaneously restore normal function in the few treated arteries, but leave the rest of the body completely untreated (there's every reason to believe that if arteries are clogged in the heart, they're also clogged in other vital organs, like the kidneys and brain). High-tech treatments for heart disease, such as angioplasty and CABG, long hailed as medical breakthroughs, are in fact, oversold, overpriced, and ineffective, especially when compared with EDTA chelation. The truth of this assertion has been demonstrated on numerous occasions over the last 2 decades:

The average mortality for CABG surgery is 4% to 10%.3,4 In fact, CABG has no overall effect on improving survival. According to one study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, "As compared with medical therapy, coronary artery bypass surgery appears neither to prolong life nor to prevent myocardial infarction in patients who have mild angina or who are asymptomatic after infarction in the five-year period after coronary angiography."5 By contrast, mortality rates for EDTA chelation, when carried out according to accepted protocols, approaches 0%.6
Grafted coronary arteries are more than 10 times as likely to close up again within 3 years compared with coronary arteries that are not replaced with a graft.7 Improved blood flow following EDTA chelation therapy is permanent as long as regular EDTA therapy (either oral or I.V.) is maintained.

Significant cerebral dysfunction, especially in older patients, is commonly seen following CABG.8 Because EDTA chelation restores blood flow to the brain, it often results in improved cognition and memory.9
Atherosclerosis is typically a body-wide disease. If your coronary arteries are occluded, it's a safe bet that arteries in your brain, kidneys, lungs, and other vital organs are also occluded. Angioplasty or CABG can clean out only a few arteries supplying the heart. Another surgical procedure, endarterectomy, is commonly used to clear out the carotid arteries that supply the brain. When patients who have undergone carotid endarterectomy are treated with EDTA afterwards, the degree of subsequent restenosis (re-occlusion) drops by 10%.10

Despite the danger and costs associated with these procedures, they are often only temporary fixes. Restenosis of treated coronary arteries occurs within 6 months in as many as one in three cases.11 By contrast, EDTA chelation permanently removes blood vessel obstructions throughout the body without dangerous and expensive surgery. How well does EDTA chelation work?

Virtually every study that has looked at the efficacy of EDTA chelation in vascular disease has demonstrated significant improvements. Here is a brief sampling of a few of the major results:

A 1993 meta-analysis of 19 studies of 22,765 patients receiving EDTA chelation therapy for vascular disease found measurable improvement in 87%.12

In a study of 2,870 patients with various degrees of degenerative diseases, especially vascular disease, almost 90% of the patients showed excellent improvement, as measured by walking distance, ECG, and Doppler changes.13

A small, blinded, crossover study of patients with peripheral vascular disease found significant improvements in walking distance and ankle/brachial blood flow.14

In 30 patients with carotid artery stenosis, there was a 30% improvement in blood flow after EDTA treatment.15

Using retinal photographs in patients with macular degeneration, one researcher demonstrated significant improvement following EDTA treatment.16

EDTA chelation treatment was evaluated in patients with carotid and coronary disease using technetium 99 isotope techniques. Significant improvement in arterial blood flow and ejection fraction (a measure of heart pumping ability) was reported.17,18

When 65 patients on the waiting list for CABG surgery for a mean of 6 months were treated with EDTA chelation therapy, the symptoms in 89% (58) improved so much they were able to cancel their surgery. In the same study, of 27 patients recommended for limb amputation due to poor peripheral circulation, EDTA chelation resulted in saving 24 limbs. {This makes me think of Lisa's condition!}19

Negative Results?
Of course there have been a few studies that did not (at first) seem to support the efficacy of EDTA chelation therapy. The most prominent apparently well-controlled studies have been two Danish trials 20,21 and a New Zealand trial,22 all of which reported no apparent benefits. A close analysis of these studies, however, revealed problems with both the controls and the interpretation of the data.

As noted by Chappell and Janson,6 the standard EDTA chelation treatment protocol was not followed in these trials. They all included primarily smokers (notoriously poor responders) with severe vascular disease who received only 20 I.V. treatments. With such patients, 30 to 40 treatments are normally required before a significant effect is typically seen. Although the New Zealand trial was supposedly placebo-controlled, the "placebo" used actually had chelating properties of its own. Thus, the fact that the differences from "placebo" were small is meaningless.

When the raw data from the New Zealand study were examined, it was found that 26% of the EDTA-treated patients compared with only 12% of the "placebo" controls achieved an improvement of greater than 100% in walking distance; among nonsmokers or smokers who had quit, 66% of the EDTA-treated group increased their walking distance an average of 86% compared with 45% of the controls, who improved by just 56%. Reduced blood flow, as measured by the ankle/brachial index, was found in 6% of the EDTA-treated patients and 35% of the controls. Although the authors of these studies reached negative conclusions, in fact, their data actually supported the use of EDTA chelation.

How Safe Is EDTA Chelation?
EDTA, is a safe, nontoxic substance. The LD50 (so called when the dose will kill 50% of experimental animals) for EDTA is 2000 mg/kg body weight, which makes it about 3.5 times less toxic than aspirin. Although the FDA refuses to approve it for treating vascular disease, EDTA chelation has been the approved treatment for lead or other heavy metal poisoning for 50 years. When administered according to the treatment protocol developed by the American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM), I.V. chelation is more than 300 times safer than CABG surgery. Most side effects of treatment involve minor discomfort (eg, nausea, dizziness, headache) that resolves quickly.

The greatest risks occur when an infusion is given too rapidly or in too large a dose. These risks virtually vanish when EDTA is administered by a properly trained physician who follows the ACAM protocol. To the extent that oral EDTA is a completely noninvasive therapy, it is even safer than I.V. EDTA.

I.V. or Oral EDTA?
Most chelation therapy carried out today involves I.V. administration of EDTA, however, oral EDTA, which has a history at least as long as its I.V. cousin, is an option that is only now starting to be appreciated. Clinical experience suggests that oral chelation provides some, but not all, of the benefits of I.V. therapy. Overall, the difference in benefits is more one of degree and speed than of quality.

I.V. therapy has a direct and powerful effect on the body almost instantaneously. An I.V. session usually lasts about 3 to 4 hours, during which about 1500 mg to 3000 mg of EDTA (plus vitamin C and other nutrients) are administered. The number of treatments necessary (generally about 20-50 sessions) depends on the individual's condition. Candidates for I.V. chelation are people that have been diagnosed with serious atherosclerosis, heavy metal poisoning, or symptoms of vascular occlusion or significant calcification of tissues. Only about 3% to 8% of an oral dose of EDTA is absorbed, compared with 100% of an I.V. dose. Therefore, the time and dosage required to achieve the same benefits with the oral form are quite different. What can be achieved in only a few hours with I.V. EDTA chelation may take several weeks or months with oral EDTA chelation. However, oral EDTA may be appropriate for people whose condition does not demand rapid action. For example, oral chelation can be used to:

avoid complications and diseases that result from heavy metals and calcification
prevent the formation of blood clots, thus reducing your chance of a heart attack or stroke
lower the level of blood cholesterol
help thin the blood
aid in reducing lipid peroxidation, a major cause of atherosclerosis
protect the body against certain carcinogens, pathogens and other toxins that can reduce the quality of health


Oral EDTA is not meant to replace I.V. therapy for those people who have serious vascular disease. It is very useful, though, for people who have completed an I.V. course and want to stay on a maintenance program, for people who "for whatever reason" are unable or unwilling to undergo I.V. chelation, and for those whose I.V. treatments may have been interrupted.

The Politics of EDTA Chelation
Organizations like the American Heart Association and the American Medical Association, which condemn EDTA chelation as ineffective for treating vascular disease, often quote the Danish and New Zealand studies, mentioned earlier, to support their position.20-22 What they fail to mention is that the Danish studies were criticized by the Danish Committee for Investigation into Scientific Dishonesty because of improper randomization and double-blinding, as well as premature breaking of the blinding code, which amounted to a deliberate bias. When the results of the New Zealand study were examined by two independent statisticians, it was concluded that the trial actually supported the efficacy of EDTA.23

It is unlikely that any other issue in modern medicine has been more highly politicized than that of EDTA chelation therapy, and it is clear that most of the opposition to EDTA is due to the threat this therapy represents, not to patients' health but to the bank balances of orthodox physicians, pharmaceutical companies, and hospitals. Treating cardiovascular diseases is big business in the United States (and the rest of the Western world), bringing in tens of billions of dollars each year.

As Garry Gordon, MD, DO, the "Father of Chelation Therapy" has pointed out, "Every time a surgeon does a heart bypass, he takes home a luxury sports car." Each CABG procedure costs between $25,000 and $50,000; each angioplasty costs about $15,000; drugs for reducing cholesterol, lowering high blood pressure, and normalizing heart rhythm bring the pharmaceutical industry hundreds of millions of dollars each year. And these are just the most common examples. What happens when you add EDTA chelation therapy to this mix?

A course of I.V. EDTA chelation therapy costs between $2000 and $4000; oral EDTA is even less costly. To the degree that these therapies reduce the need for the more expensive conventional therapies - a large degree, indeed - they threaten to diminish the income of a significant portion of the medical establishment. Consider this one example: As noted earlier, in a study of 65 patients who were treated with I.V. EDTA while they were waiting for CABG surgery, 58 (89%) no longer required the procedure.19 At $50,000 per procedure not done, that means that surgeons and hospitals gave up nearly $3 million just for these few patients. Now remember, that CABG is the most common surgical procedure performed in the US (368,000 in 1989).24

Given these figures, it's not hard to understand why the medical profession is so in love with CABG and related procedures. As one physician noted, "It pays the bills." So enamored are they of these procedures that they perform them even when they are not necessary. In an article published in no less prestigious a publication than the Journal of the American Medical Association, the authors concluded that only 56% of the surgeries performed were for appropriate reasons, 30% for equivocal reasons, and 14% for inappropriate reasons. The percentage of appropriate surgeries varied from 37% in some hospitals to 78% in others.25 When you consider that even when it is "appropriate," CABG surgery is no better than conventional medical treatments for improving survival,5 you have to wonder whether the real "miracle" of heart surgery does not entail bringing people back from death's door, as much as turning a common chronic degenerative disease into a source of outrageous fortune. If you needed one example of why the cost of health care has gone into earth orbit, you need look no further than the conventional treatment of heart disease.

Given these figures, it's also not very hard to understand why the medical profession has reacted so violently against physicians who practice chelation therapy, often attempting, in the words of that great seeker of medical truth (that's a joke folks), Dr. Victor Herbert, "to put them out of business." Because EDTA has long been approved for treating heavy metal poisoning, and because physicians are free to use any "approved" medication for any use they see fit, as long it does not endanger the patient, EDTA chelation therapy is perfectly legal. This has not stopped medical boards in a number of states from bringing charges against physicians who prescribe EDTA chelation for vascular disease, smearing them as "quacks," and attempting to restrict the use of this therapy. Fortunately, most of these attempts have failed.23

You can be certain that if EDTA had a large pharmaceutical company advocating its use, these problems wou quickly evaporate. But since the patent for EDTA ran out nearly 30 years ago, there are no huge profits to be made from marketing it. With no pot of gold at the end of the EDTA rainbow, no one is going to put up the hundreds of millions of dollars required to do the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials required to get the FDA to approve EDTA for vascular disease. And with few large, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials to refer to, the conventional medical establishment feels justified in condemning EDTA therapy as "unproven." It's a familiar "Catch 22" that faces all natural or unpatentable therapies.

Conclusion

While most American physicians choose to remain blind to the benefits of EDTA, those who prescribe it are free to witness its life-enhancing benefits on a daily basis. One of those physicians is Dr. Garry Gordon, whose own life was saved by EDTA and who has been a leader in chelation therapy since the early 1960s. "I have taken on patients who were inoperable, who had already had every known form of bypass surgery, who had no more veins in their legs to strip out and put into their heart, and who were sent home to die, and I could get those people back to full functioning," says Dr. Gordon.

For an interview with Dr. Garry Gordon, see Exclusive Interview with Garry Gordon, M.D., D.O.: Oral Chelation for Improved Heart Function - Apr. 1997


POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF EDTA CHELATION

Prevents cholesterol deposits
Reduces blood cholesterol levels
Lowers high blood pressure
Avoids by-pass surgery
Avoids angioplasty
Reserves digitalis toxicity
Removes calcium from atherosclerotic plaques
Dissolves intra-arterial blood clots
Normalizes cardiac arrythmias
Has an anti-aging effect
Reduces excessive heart contractions
Increases intracellular potassium
Reduces heart irritability
Improves heart function
Removes mineral and drug deposits
Dissolves kidney stones
Reduces serum iron levels
Reduces heart valve calcification
Reduces varicose veins
Heals calcified necrotic ulcers
Reduces intermittent claudication
Improves vision in diabetic retinopathy
Decreases macular degeneration
Dissolves small cataracts
Eliminates heavy metal toxicity
Makes arterial walls more flexible
Prevents osteoarthritis
Reduces rheumatoid arthritis symptoms
Lowers diabetics' insulin needs
Reduces Alzheimer-like symptoms
Reverses senility
Reduce stroke/heart attack after-effects
Prevents cancer
Improves memory
Reverses diabetic gangrene
Restores impaired vision
Detoxifies snake and spider venoms


Adapted from Walker M., Gordon G., Douglass W.C. The Chelation Answer

References
1. Clarke NE, Clarke CN, Mosher RE. Treatment of angina pectoris with disodium ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid. Am J Med Sci. 1956;December:654-666.
2. Meltzer LE, Ural E, Kitchell JR. The treatment of coronary artery heart disease with disodium EDTA. In: Seven M, ed. Metal-Binding in Medicine. Philadelphia: JB Lippincott; 1960.
3. Edmunds LH, Stephenson LW, Edie RN, Ratcliffe MB. Open-heart surgery in octogenarians. N Engl J Med. 1988;319:131-136.
4. CASS Principal Investigators and the Associates. Coronary artery surgery study (CASS): a randomized trial of coronary artery bypass surgery: Survival data. Circulation. 1983;68:939-950.
5. CASS Principal Investigators and the Associates. Myocardial infarction and mortality in the Coronary Artery Surgery Study randomized trial. N Engl J Med. 1984;310:750-758.
6. Chappell LT, Janson M. EDTA chelation therapy in the treatment of vascular disease. J Cardiovasc Nurs. 1996;10:78-86.
7. Cashin WL, Sanmarco ME, Nessim SA, Blankenhorn DH. Accelerated progression of atherosclerosis in coronary vessels with minimal lesions that are bypassed. N Engl J Med. 1984;311:824-828.
8. Arom KV, Cohen DE, Strobl FT. Effect of intraoperative intervention on neurological outcome based on electroencephalographic monitoring during cardiopulmonary bypass. Ann Thorac Surg. 1988;48:476-483.
9. Olszewer E, Carter JP. EDTA chelation therapy in chronic degenerative disease. Med Hypotheses. 1988;27:41-49.
10. Holliday HJ. Carotid restenosis: A case for EDTA chelation. J Adv Med. 1996;9.
11. Parisi AF, Folland ED, Hartigan PA. Comparison of angioplasty with medical therapy in the treatment of single-vessel coronary artery disease. N Engl J Med. 1992;326:10-16.
12. Chappell LT, Stahl JP. The correlation between EDTA chelation therapy and improvement in cardiovascular function: a meta-analysis. J Adv Med. 1993;6:139-160.
13. Olszewer E, Carter JP. EDTA chelation therapy in chronic degenerative disease. Med Hypotheses. 1988;27:41-49.
14. Olszewer E, Sabbag FC, Carter JP. A pilot double-blind study of sodium-magnesium EDTA in peripheral vascular disease. J Natl Med Assoc. 1990;82:173-174.
15. Rudolph CJ, McDonagh EW, Barber RK. A non-surgical approach to obstructive carotid stenosis using EDTA chelation. J Adv Med. 1991;4:157-166.
16. Rudolph CJ, Samuels RT, McDonagh EW. Visual field evidence of macular degeneration reversal using a combination of EDTA chelation and multiple vitamin and trace mineral therapy. J Adv Med. 1994;7:203-212.
17. Casdorph HR. EDTA chelation therapy, II: efficacy in brain disorders. J Holist Med. 1981;3:101-117.
18. Casdorph HR. EDTA chelation therapy: efficacy in arteriosclerotic heart disease. J Holist Med. 1981;3:53-59.
19. Hancke C, Flytie K. Benefits of EDTA chelation therapy on arteriosclerosis. J Adv Med. 1993;6:161-172.
20. Sloth-Nielsen J, Guldager B, Mouritzen C, et al. Arteriographic findings in EDTA chelation therapy on peripheral arteriosclerosis. Am J Surg. 1991;162:122-125.
21. Guldager B, Jelnes R, Jorgensen SJ, et al. EDTA treatment of intermittent claudication - a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. J Intern Med. 1992;231:261-267.
22. van Rij AM, Solomon C, Packer SGK, Hopkins WG. Chelation therapy for intermittent claudication: a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial. Circulation. 1994;90:1194-1199.
23. Schachter MB. Overview, historical background and current status of EDTA chelation therapy for atherosclerosis. J Adv Med. 1996;9:159-177.
24. Gundy P. Cardiovascular diseases remain nation's leading cause of death. JAMA. 1992;267:335-336.
25. Winslow CM, Kosecoff JB, Chassin M, Kanouse DE, Brook RH. The appropriateness of performing coronary artery bypass surgery. JAMA. 1988;260:505-509.
 
Laura said:
You can buy EDTA on amazon. Just use the search. Also books about oral chelation.

If anybody decides to try any of this, get medical advice and/or supervision, and remember that they say you must replace your minerals with a good iron-free mineral combo plus plenty of extra magnesium.

Atherosclerosis

So far, there is no good evidence that EDTA chelation therapy is effective for heart disease. Proponents believe it may help people with atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) or peripheral vascular disease (decreased blood flow to the legs) by clearing clogged arteries and improving blood flow. However, the few studies that show it may help have been poorly designed, making the results questionable.

Just as a data point, my mother went for about 24 EDTA IV sessions under a Naturopathic MD's care (around 2007). The idea was to try to clear out calcium blockages in the veins and arteries. There was no detectable improvement - objective or subjective. The MD did add vitamins/minerals during treatment.
 
[quote author=Alana]Only about 3% to 8% of an oral dose of EDTA is absorbed, compared with 100% of an I.V. dose.[/quote]

Luckily, today we have a liposomal version of EDTA: _http://www.saylormedical.com/catalog/i21.html
Maybe it can be made at home like Vitamin C?
 
Persej said:
[quote author=Alana]Only about 3% to 8% of an oral dose of EDTA is absorbed, compared with 100% of an I.V. dose.

Luckily, today we have a liposomal version of EDTA: _http://www.saylormedical.com/catalog/i21.html
Maybe it can be made at home like Vitamin C?
[/quote]


Yup, I guess if you get the pure variety, you can make your own. That stuff's pretty pricey.
 
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