Chelation Therapy

Chelation therapy consists of using certain chemicals (chelating agents) to bind and remove heavy metals from the body. In many parts of the world, the therapy is used in conventional and alternative medicine. Most of the times, chelation therapy involves the injection of ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA). Certain times, however, the chelation is given orally (oral chelation) or in suppository form (EDTA chelation suppositories)  

Oral chelation was initially less popular than intravenous chelation. But little by little, it has won over intravenous chelation. This is mainly due to price difference and easiness of taking the oral form.  Intravenous chelation requires intervention of a health care professional, and has the risk of vascular infection and intrusion. Other side effects or complications can include redness and swelling at the injection site, fever, joint pain, drop in blood pressure, stomach upset, irritation of the kidneys and liver and skin rashes from time to time. Oral chelation, in the other hand, is as simple as taking a vitamin. 

While, intravenous chelation is far less expensive than other conventional body detoxification methods, it is still more expensive than oral chelation. Oral chelation requires no prescription, which makes it easy for anyone to buy it; unlike intravenous chelation therapy which is expensive and the administration can be complicated. Another advantage of oral chelation is its ability to remove mercury from the body; EDTA IV or intravenous chelation, however,   cannot be Incapable of associating with mercury.  

Although less expensive and easier to take, oral chelation has its setback; it tends to work slowly, comparably to intravenous chelation. In fact, some oral chelation products can take up to six months - taken on a regular basis - to achieve the same results that intravenous chelation can be achieved within two or three cycles of administration. For this reason, patients who have painful symptoms or who have a life-threatening disease are not advised to take oral chelation; intravenous injection or in suppository form would provide better results.