Chelation Therapy for Heavy Metals

Now that you've found that you have heavy metals in your system, what can you do about it?  One answer is chelation therapy.  Chelation (pronounced Key-LAY-shun) means "to grab." Chelation therapy uses a grabbing agent to take hold of the metals that are hiding out in your body and take them out through your urine and feces.  A great video explaining chelation in easy to understand terms can be found here.  IV Chelation is done via--you guessed it--an IV of the chelation agent.  Oral chelation is done via pills containing the chelation agent. 

There are a couple of different main chelating agents:

1. EDTA, which stands for ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, and
2. DMSA, which stands for Dimercaptosuccinic acid.

Both of these have been used for removing heavy metals from the body, including lead and mercury, among others.

Because the chelating process also removes vital nutrients like vitamins C and E, these must be supplemented during the process.  It is very important to have a high protein diet during a heavy metal detox because the sulfur-bearing amino acids in the protein will greatly facilitate detoxification.  If you're not getting enough protein, you can supplement with MSM, which will help boost the sulphur necessary to make the metals more grabable by the chelating agent. It is also important that you include plenty of fiber in your diet during chelation therapy, because you don't want the metals sitting in your bowels, stuck in your body.

As with anything else, there are potential risks to chelation therapy.  Likewise, there are risks with keeping the metals in your body.  Thus, you must weigh the option and make your own decision. "Chelation therapy may produce toxic effects, including kidney damage, irregular heart beat, and swelling of the veins. It may also cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and temporary lowering of blood pressure. Since the therapy removes minerals from the body, there is a risk of developing low calcium levels (hypocalcemia) and bone damage. Chelation therapy may also impair the immune system and decrease the body's ability to produce insulin. People may also feel pain at the site of the EDTA injection. Chelation therapy may be dangerous in people with kidney disease, liver disease, or bleeding disorders. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not use this method." (click her for source) 

I have just begun my own chelation therapy via DSMA.  Because I also had high levels of Barium in my system, it was determined that DSMA would be better for me that EDTA.  I take 2 capsules of DMSA every 8 hours, 3 times per day. This I do for only 3 days at a time, taking 11 days off afterward so as not to overtax my liver and kidneys.  I then continue 3 days on, 11 days off, for a total of 3 months.  I am also taking heavy doses of detox nutrients to replace vitamins and minerals lost in the chelation process, as well as a fiber supplement to make sure I am eliminating all the yuck. I am on day 2 of my first cycle, and the only thing I've noticed is a slight metalic taste after taking the DSMA, a metalic smell to my urine, and bit of tiredness.  That is fine with me.  I am looking forward to having it all out of me and (hopefully) getting my body back in proper working order.

Get the Lead Out!: Heavy Metal is for Rock Bands Only

     I had read all about the effects of heavy metals on the body, and I knew that my mouth had been the home of several amalgam fillings which contained mercury.  I had the last 2 of those replaced a few months ago, and I knew that the process may have exposed me to more mercury.  Thus, I expected to see an elevation in mercury when I did a heavy metals test.  What I didn't expect was a level of lead which extended off the chart!  I grew up in the 70's, when there was lead everywhere. Leaded gas, leaded paint, not just on the walls, but on the toys as well.  So, this elevated lead level should not have surprised me, but it did!

     There are many sources of lead exposure, including lead paints, batteries, solder, some toys and products from China, glazes on ceramics, leaded fuels, bullets, fishing sinkers, lead pipes, and leaded joints in municipal water systems. According to the Wikipedia,

"poisoning by organic lead compounds has symptoms predominantly in the central nervous system, such as insomnia, delirium, cognitive deficits, tremors, hallucinations, and convulsions. Early symptoms of lead poisoning in adults are commonly nonspecific and include depression, loss of appetite, intermittent abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and muscle pain. Other early signs in adults include malaise, fatigue, decreased libido, and problems with sleep. An unusual taste in the mouth and personality changes are also early signs."

     The more lead you're exposed to, the more serious the symptoms, including, in order of severity: impairment in Vitamin D metabolism, red blood cell problems, headache, decrease nerve conduction speed, metallic taste inthe mouth, loss of appetite, constipation, poor hemoglobin synthesis, colic, anemia, tremors, kidney impairment, neuropathy (nerve disorders) and encephalopathy (brain disorders).

     Over-exposure to one metal can cause synergistic problems with other toxic metals as well.  And wouldn't you know it, I have elevated levels of mercury and barium, too.  According to my report from Doctor's Data, Inc., early signs of mercury contamination include decreased sense of touch, hearing, vision, and taste, metallic taste in the mouth, fatigue or lack of physical endurance, and increased salivation.  These symptoms can progress to anorexia, numbness, tingling, headaches, high blood pressure, irritability, and immune problems.  At the advanced level, symptoms can include tremors and loss of coordination, anemia, psychoses, manic behaviors, autoimmune disorders, and kidney dysfunction or failure. 

     You may be exposed to mercury through dental fillings, explosive detonators, a broken mercury thermometer, batteries, and fungicides and pesticides. 

     Barium exposure usually comes from diagnostic medical tests, like a barium enema. You can also be exposed to barium in some decorative glass and paints, insecticides, and some forms of water purification (using barium aluminates).  High levels of barium can interfere with calcium metabolism and potassium retention. 

     There are many other metals that can be problematic for the body, and a chart with symptoms associated with each metal can be found here.  In my next post, I will talk about Chelation Therapy, a method for removing heavy metals from the body.