By Dr. Chauncey W. Crandall From Newsmax

The word chelation means “to grab” or “to bind.” Chelation therapy is a chemical process in which a synthetic solution — ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) — is injected into the bloodstream to remove heavy metals and/or minerals from the body.

When EDTA is injected into the veins, it “grabs” heavy metals and minerals such as lead, mercury, copper, iron, arsenic, and aluminum, which then become compounds that are harmlessly excreted.

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The treatment dates back to World War II, when it was used as an antidote against arsenic-based poison gas, and for sailors who were exposed to lead-based paint on ships.

Today, chelation continues to be an FDA-approved method for those uses.

Now, however, the therapy is no longer limited to toxic metal poisoning. In fact, it has been embraced by alternative health practitioners as a means of treating many conditions, including:

• Heart disease

• Parkinson’s disease

• Alzheimer’s disease

• Cancer

• Macular degeneration

• Autism

As a result, the use of chelation is growing. According to a 2008 report from the National Center for Health Statistics, more than 111,000 adults reported using chelation that year — a 68% increase from just five years earlier.

Dr. Chauncey W. Crandall is author of Dr. Crandall’s Heart Health Report newsletter. He is a Yale graduate and is chief of the Cardiac Transplant Program at the world-renowned Palm Beach Cardiovascular Clinic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. He practices interventional, vascular, and transplant cardiology.

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