Volume 4 Issue 2
Summer 2009 Oral Chelation
Oral chelation is a procedure used to help remove toxic heavy metals from body tissues. A chelator drug is a chemical that has a high affinity for binding to and holding onto metals. When taken by mouth, IV or applied to the skin; chelators remove metals from organs throughout the body. Most of the bound metal is excreted in the urine or stool.
Heavy metal toxins are now nearly impossible to avoid. As an example, the average levels of lead in our bones today is 1000 times that found in skeletons from 400 years ago. No safe level of lead has ever been demonstrated. Another common metal toxin found in excessive amounts in people is mercury. Sources of mercury exposure include dental amalgams (comprised of 50% mercury!), contaminated fish, coal-fired power plant emissions, corn syrup, and vaccine preservatives.
The toxic effects of heavy metals are manifested in many ways, depending upon which organs are most affected. High lead levels are clearly associated with high blood pressure. Lowering lead levels has been shown to lower blood pressure.
In order to identify which toxic metals are too high, a chelation challenge test is currently the best available test. A single dose, usually DMPS or DMSA, is taken orally or intravenously. Urine is collected for 6 hours afterwards and sent for analysis. Levels of heavy metals are compared to reference standards. If a level is high and symptoms or diseases known to be associated with high levels of that metal is present in the individual being tested, then a program to chelate and remove the metal is indicated.
Intravenous chelation with EDTA has been used for 40 years. This approach is effective in removing metals but is too expensive and time consuming for most people. Oral chelation with a variety of chelators can be very effective over time. Oral chelators can include DMSA, DMPS, EDTA, modified citrus pectin, liquid zeolite, cilantro, chlorella and others.
I encourage anyone with autoimmune disease, unexplained chronic illness, high exposure to toxic metals (e.g.-people with dental amalgams), or who wants to be proactive in disease prevention to get a urine toxic metal test that measures levels of 15 toxic heavy metals. Visit www.DoctorsData.com and view Urine Toxic Metals.
On a Personal Note
I have recently been listening to a CD series by James Hollis PhD. – a Jungian analyst. His CD "Through a Dark Wood – Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life" is an amazing journey through the psyche. He explains how our adult wounds and dysfunctional behaviors originate in childhood experiences. Our struggles as adults to overcome anxiety, depression, addictions and other psychological issues are a necessary task in order to be able to express our authentic self. Many psychological concepts are introduced and examples given of how they operate in our lives. If you are experiencing emotional challenges and are willing to explore your own inner darkness and unconscious, this series will give you guideposts to following a path towards healing and wholeness. I do not recommend this approach for anyone with serious mental illness or who is looking for a quick "how to fix myself".
Daniel Blodgett MD