What is Chelation Therapy? An Overview
Chelation Therapy is a modern day medical treatment for heavy metal poisoning in the body. It involves the injection of a chemical substance, most often a synthetic amino acid inside the body through intravenous infusion or oral consumption. This amino acid attracts the chelating agents or the heavy metal toxins in the body to itself and then, eliminates them in the form of bodily wastes. Derived from the Greek word “chele†which means to grab or claw, “Chelation†indicates the way in which chelating agents bind to the injected substance. In other words, it refers to the way in which the infused synthetic amino acid binds with chelates, the heavy metals like iron, lead, mercury, cadmium and zinc.
How does Chelation Therapy work? Chelation Therapy works with the use of synthetic amino acid called EDTA or ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid. EDTA Chelation involves the infusion of EDTA into the body and then, natural elimination of metal toxins through the kidney wastes. EDTA is a man-made amino acid which has a peculiar affinity to metal toxins like mercury, cadmium, aluminum, lead, iron and other elements. When injected into the body, EDTA meets with these substances, binds them on to it (literally covers them up) and then, eliminates them as bodily wastes. But why chelation? And why do metals are called toxins? How can metals be harmful to the body?
How are metals harmful? Metals are of course needed for the proper functioning of the body. But an imbalance in their proportion can lead to what is called metal poisoning. Lead poisoning is especially a common occurrence among industrial workers. In much the same way, excessive exposure to metals can make them harmful, causing cell disruption and improper functioning of body.
A great example is the way free radicals operate in our body climate. Free radicals are unstable chemicals that unsettle cell structures and damage our vital cellular activities, resulting in cell disruptions. This, in turn, leads to free radical chain reactions and thereby, a damage to body functioning. Lipid peroxidation is a free radical chain reaction that damages cell membranes by absorbing all the electrons from the lipids. Since majority of lipid peroxidation involves the presence of metal ions such as iron, copper or calcium, eliminating these metal toxins through chelation will help the body prevent cell damage. After chelation, you will also have better cell absorption of all antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, resulting in enhanced blood circulation and better functioning of the body.
Why Chelation Therapy? With absorption of nutrients, the body is back to normal and en route to optimum health. Your cell damage is also reduced, making the body free of conditions that result from cellular malfunctioning like coronary problems, arterial diseases, autoimmune conditions, neurological conditions and neuropathies etc. Added to that, EDTA chelation therapy helps with regulation of blood circulation, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
