Chelation therapy is derived from the Greek word “chele” meaning “claw of a crab”.
It refers to how, in a pincer like fashion, a chelating agent grabs onto an electrically charged mineral ion such as lead, copper, iron or calcium. EDTA is a chelating agent that was developed in Germany in the 1930’s and was at first used for treatment of lead poisoning. In the 1950’s physicians observed that other medical problems such as arthritis or atherosclerosis also improved when chelation was utilized.
This therapy is an accepted treatment for detoxification of certain heavy metals, and has also been effectively used for prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis, heart disease and stroke. Laboratory testing can show the levels of metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium and aluminum that are stored in the body which can be slowly removed by chelation.
Chelation therapy involves the intravenous infusion of EDTA which removes unhealthy metals from the body, improves calcium and cholesterol metabolism and lowers free radical damage to cells. Free radicals are linked to many common health conditions such as atherosclerosis, cancer and cellular aging.