Chelation therapy
Chelation therapy is a medical treatment that involves the intravenous administration of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), a synthetic compound primarily used to remove heavy metals from the body. Initially explored as a potential therapy for heart disease due to its ability to eliminate calcium deposits in arteries, research has since shown that these deposits are a symptom rather than a cause of heart disease. Despite proponents claiming significant benefits, extensive clinical trials have failed to demonstrate its effectiveness beyond a placebo effect. The medical community has documented concerns regarding the safety of chelation therapy, particularly the risks of severe side effects such as kidney damage when not administered correctly. Currently, the FDA approves the use of EDTA for treating heavy metal poisoning, but its use for conditions like heart disease and autism spectrum disorder remains controversial and unsupported by scientific evidence. Caution is advised regarding over-the-counter chelation products, which may be unregulated and potentially harmful. Overall, while chelation therapy may have legitimate applications, its effectiveness for heart disease and similar conditions is highly debated.
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Chelation therapy
DEFINITION: Therapy for heart disease using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, a synthetic substance that removes calcium and heavy metals from the body.
Overview
When medical researchers first investigated the phenomenon known as hardening of the arteries (closely related to atherosclerosis), they discovered that the damaged, brittle vessels found in people with heart disease were lined with calcium deposits. This finding inspired the notion that calcium deposits were the cause of the problem.
Some early researchers investigated the possible therapeutic effect of removing such deposits. However, subsequent research indicated that the calcium deposits of atherosclerosis were a symptom rather than a cause, and mainstream interest turned elsewhere. Certain physicians maintained an interest in removing calcium; thus, chelation therapy was born.
Chelation therapy for heart disease consists of intravenous infusions of a chemical called ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). This synthetic substance is used in conventional medicine to remove heavy metals, such as lead, from the body. However, it also affects calcium, which is why it came into use in chelation therapy.
Proponents claim that EDTA chelation is an effective alternative to heart surgery and offers many other health benefits. Proponents cite numerous anecdotes of cures apparently brought about by its use to support these claims. However, anecdotes cannot possibly prove a treatment effective. Only double-blind, placebo-controlled trials can do so, and such studies have failed to find chelation therapy effective.
A highly respected researcher reviewed the literature on chelation therapy in the early twenty-first century and concluded that,
"The most striking finding is the almost total lack of convincing evidence for efficacy. . . . Only 2 controlled clinical trials were located. They provide no evidence that chelation therapy is efficacious beyond a powerful placebo effect. . . . Given the potential of chelation therapy to cause severe adverse effects, this treatment should now be considered obsolete."
After this review, a well-designed study compared chelation therapy to placebo in eighty-four people with coronary artery disease. People receiving EDTA chelation showed improvement; however, those receiving a placebo also improved and did so to the same extent. This finding is a reminder of why double-blind, placebo-controlled studies are necessary to establish the effectiveness of a treatment. If researchers had performed this study without a placebo group, they might have concluded that EDTA chelation works. Instead, the fact that the same level of benefits was seen in the fake-treatment group indicates that chelation therapy does not work.
Another double-blind study evaluated the potential benefits of chelation therapy when added to conventional therapy in treating people with coronary artery disease. Researchers were looking for improvements in the ability of a blood vessel in the arm (the brachial artery) to dilate, but they did not find any. However, this study had several limitations in its design, making its results less meaningful than they might have been.
All Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved chelation products require a prescription and should be taken under the supervision of a physician. Many over-the-counter chelation products are marketed to consumers illegally by claiming to be approved for circulation. The FDA warns consumers to be cautious of these products, as they may be harmful or contain undisclosed ingredients.
In the mid-2020s, chelation therapy remains in use for its FDA-approved purpose of treating heavy metal poisoning. Proponents of alternative uses continue to argue for the use of chelation therapy to treat heart disease and, even more controversially, autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This latter proposed use is especially dangerous because it lacks scientific evidence and promotes misconceptions about ASD.
Safety Issues
EDTA chelation not only appears to be ineffective, but it also may present some safety risks. This treatment is generally given in a series of ten to thirty sessions. If the practitioner fails to take proper precautions, severe adverse consequences, such as kidney damage, may result. While it appears to be the case that properly performed chelation therapy is unlikely to cause harm, there is no justification for using such an invasive method in the absence of evidence that it will help.
Bibliography
Anderson, T. J., et al. "Effect of Chelation Therapy on Endothelial Function in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease." Journal of the American College of Cardiology, vol. 41, 2003, pp. 420-425.
"Chelation for Coronary Heart Disease: What You Need To Know." National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, www.nccih.nih.gov/health/chelation-for-coronary-heart-disease-what-you-need-to-know. Accessed 10 Sept. 2024.
Knudtson, M. L., et al. "Chelation Therapy for Ischemic Heart Disease." Journal of the American Medical Association, vol. 287, 2002, pp. 481-486.
Lopez-Jimenez, Francisco. "Chelation Therapy for Heart Disease: Does it Work?" Mayo Clinic, 13 June 2023, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/expert-answers/chelation-therapy/faq-20157449. Accessed 10 Sept. 2024.