Re: Chelation therapy - an Alternative?

Posted By Nathan Jones on December 16, 1998 at 12:49:01:

In Reply to: Chelation therapy  - an Alternative? posted by Rob on December 16, 1998 at 09:56:49:






Chelation therapy originated in Detroit, Michigan in 1949 as a result of the observations of doctors Norman Clarke, father and son, who were using EDTA to treat lead poisoning. Lead was removed from the bloodstream and other body storage areas by means of an intravenous infusion of EDTA. A certain number of these patients also had arteriosclerosis, and it was observed that there was marked improvement in the symptoms of arteriosclerosis as well as improvement in the symptoms of lead poisoning. This discovery sparked a great deal of interest and extensive experimentation followed, involving a number of investigators. The result was the development of successful techniques for reversing the catastrophic effects of arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) in the lower extremities, the heart, and even the brain (as well as the general arterial circulation).
Subsequent clinical application by numerous physicians has not only verified the efficacy of the earlier experiments, but in all the thousands of cases treated with EDTA there has not been a single reported fatality due to the treatment program itself.
With arteriosclerosis being the number one killer in the United States today, if the story stopped here it would stand as one of the greatest medical advances of the century - why don't we see it happening?

Dear Rob:
     Unfortunately all is not as good as it sounds.  My understanding is that chelation poses serious risks for kidney damage.  I am close personal friends with the head of the Renal department at University of California San Diego.  We discussed chelation and he explaianed several instances where a person underwent chelation and never (for the rest of their life) passed a drop of urine.  He is an expert in such therapy and strongly indicated that it is dangerous and over-hyped.  Thus, be very, very, careful before considering such a treatment.