Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, widely abbreviated as EDTA, is an amino acid that can be given IV to bind up heavy metals and rid them from the body.
Heavy metals are common in today’s world, but they are often overlooked as the cause of a number of health conditions. Heavy metals can often be the underlying root cause. Fortunately, a number of methods exist to identify and eliminate heavy metals from our bodies.
Intravenous EDTA in the form of chelation therapy, is a relatively new treatment for many of the diseases of aging. Chelation therapy with EDTA has been documented to be safe and effective in numerous studies done around the world over the past 40 years. When chelating EDTA is used in conjunction with lifestyle modifications, improved diet and increased exercise, most patients can expect improvement in medical conditions caused by circulatory impairment.
EDTA is administered intravenously along with a mixture of vitamin C, magnesium sulfate, B-complex vitamins, B6, B12, procaine and heparin. In addition, other materials such as trace minerals may be added in individual cases.
How Does Chelation Therapy with EDTA Work
The word “Chelation” comes from the Greek word “chele” which means a claw of a crab or lobster and implies a strong, pincher-like grasping. Chelation therapy with EDTA works by the EDTA grasping a metal atom or heavy metal and removing it from the body. Heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, nickel, uranium and antimony have been shown to relentlessly accumulate in human tissue over a lifetime. These poisonous metals disrupt the normal biochemical processes and can lead to chronic health conditions developing. Therefore, it is important to safely remove the metals using chelation therapy with EDTA.
History of EDTA and EDTA Therapy
The history of EDTA begins in the 1930s when German chemists were looking for something that would remove calcium from the water. When linens were washed, the calcium would stain the fabric, particularly if it had a pattern printed on it. At the same time, Frederick Bersworth was experimenting with different compounds before patenting EDTA in the United States.
In the 1950s, two American doctors, Dr Clarke and Martin Rubin, PhD., began using EDTA intravenously to remove lead from patients. They noted that high levels of lead would be excreted in the urine of patients who had undergone EDTA therapy and that most of them reported a feeling of wellbeing after treatment. Dr. Clarke became well-known for pioneering EDTA therapy and he regularly administered it to other physicians for health reasons and they, in turn, took it back to their offices and began using EDTA therapy with their own patients.
Effectiveness of EDTA
Because of the effectiveness of EDTA, chelation therapy is recommended to patients whose test results have indicated high levels of certain heavy metals. Patients often report the effectiveness of EDTA when it appears to improve their circulation and when they notice a decrease in their metal-toxic symptoms.
What Are The Side Effects?
In the early years of chelating with EDTA, excessive doses of EDTA were used and adverse side-effects followed. No nutritional support was given during therapy at that time and treatments were given on a daily basis, five or six days per week. As a result of the publication of a very few reports of poor EDTA side-effects, the interest in treatment waned for a time. However, because of the dramatic improvement in so many patients, the benefits of chelating EDTA outweighed the side-effects and doctors continued to offer the treatment.
Today, EDTA side-effects are usually minimal and can be remedied very easily. Side-effects may include:
- Burning at the site of the infusion. This can be alleviated by slowing down the infusion rate or adding more magnesium or procaine.
- Dizziness, muscle spasm and numbness of the hands due to lowering of calcium. These symptoms are easily corrected by slowing the infusion rate, adding extra magnesium, potassium, or calcium to the I.V.
- Fatigue and slight nausea caused by the lowering of the blood sugar level. These symptoms can be avoided by eating a substantial meal before treatment.
The most serious complication of chelation therapy with EDTA is kidney damage. Kidney function should be evaluated before and periodically during the treatments. If any diminished function is found before treatment, smaller doses of EDTA can be administered or treatments may take place less frequently or treat less frequently.
Safety of EDTA
EDTA is safe when prescribed by a medical practitioner. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have independently assessed the health safety of EDTA and have set the acceptable daily intake of EDTA at 2.5 mg/kg/person/day or roughly 150 mg/day for the calcium disodium salt. Chelating EDTA typically exists in liquid form and since it is primarily water it is not considered hazardous
Success with EDTA
It is becoming increasingly evident that we are all intoxicated with numerous toxic metals. Many of these metals are successfully chelated and removed by EDTA. Periodically detoxifying the body with a series of 10 or 20 EDTA treatments can benefit well-being, prevent toxic metal induced disorders later in life and very often results in a reduction of minor symptoms such as headaches, muscle aches/spasms and fatigue.In fact, studies proving effectiveness and success of EDTA in removing calcium deposits from tissues and reducing chest pain in heart patients date back to the 1960s.
Improvements in metabolism and circulation often result in changes, which can appear to be “reactions” or “side effects”. These include improvement in vision, which results in thecurrent optical prescription needing a change as well as, the need to decrease insulin requirements in diabetics. Most doctors who give chelation with EDTA report that the majority of their patients experience success with EDTA and definite improvements in their symptoms. These improvements include increased exercise tolerance, reduction in chest pain, improved vision, reduced joint pains, and better memory.
Using EDTA with Other Therapies
Using EDTA with other therapies includes:
- Intramuscularly for lead poisoning and related brain damage.
- In the form of an ointment for skin irritations produced by metals such as chromium, nickel, and copper.
- Eye drops containing EDTA are used to treat calcium deposits in the eye.
Where to find Chelation Therapy with EDTA
LifeWorks Wellness Center is recognized as one of the foremost natural health clinics in the US. At our Tampa Bay, Florida alternative medicine office we have been offering chelation therapy with EDTA for a long time and many of our patients have benefitted from it. Our patients fly in from all over the world because they simply can’t find clinics offering chelation therapy with EDTA where they live.
We have helped many patients regain their health and we would love to help you, too. To become a patient, or for more information, feel free to call our New Patient Coordinator at (727) 466-6789 or simply submit an online web inquiry with your request.
