Chelation therapy is a form of treatment which is used for the purpose of body detoxification. It involves the use of specific type of chemical compounds known as chelating agents for the purpose of removal of poisonous metals from our body. It can be administered through injections into the blood or muscle or can be taken orally. These chemical compounds form chemical bonds with the toxic metals present in the body and then they are excreted out of the body usually through urine. Most of the chelation therapy side effects are minor but some of them are dangerous and can be fatal.

Uses of Chelation Therapy

A person undergoes the treatment of chelation therapy when there is a high level or concentration of some heavy metal in the body. These metals have no useful function and if they remain in the body for a long time can cause injury to various organs. Some of them can affect the functioning of the brain as well. People who are being treated by chelation therapy due to heavy metal poisoning are as follows:

Lead Poisoning: People who are in the occupation of soldering, welding, smelting and battery reclamation are exposed to lead poisoning. Children living in old houses may get exposed to the metal through dust and chips at home.

Mercury Poisoning: People who are involved with manufacturing of batteries or thermometer, tannery workers and dental workers are at high risk of getting affected by mercury poisoning. Large amount of mercury can get into the body as a result of consumption of contaminated seafood as well. Read more on mercury poisoning.

Arsenic Poisoning: There are so many insecticides, rodent poisons and herbicides which contain arsenic as an ingredient. It can enter the body if a person is exposed to them in any way. Manganese, cadmium, cobalt, copper, zinc and nickel are some of the other heavy metals which, when get into our body, cause poisoning.

Side Effects of Chelation Therapy

Here is a list of common side effects that are observed in people taking the treatment of chelation therapy and the possible measures to minimize the effects are also given below:

Burning Sensation: This is a common side effect and is observed at the site where the chemical is infused. There is nothing to be afraid of as it is a temporary effect and usually gets resolved after some time.

Lowering of Blood Pressure: This is more common in those people who have high blood pressure. As a result, people often get a fainting like sensation. One can get rid of this by lying down for an hour or so, keeping the feet at an elevated position. This will ensure blood flow into the brain and will make one feel better. Sometimes, doctors administer nutritional supplements to tackle this.

Joint Pain: This side effect is found in those patients of metal poisoning who take the therapy quite frequently; about three times a week. If you report this problem to your therapist, he will change the dose to once a week. 

Fatigue: This is mainly caused due to deficiency of useful minerals like potassium and zinc. These substances are useful for our body and when they are removed as a result of chelation therapy, one might feel fatigued. Proper intake of food that are rich in potassium will be helpful in such cases. Read more on fatigue.

Headache: This happens because of decrease in the sugar level in the blood after the infusion. Therefore, one should not go for infusion with empty stomach. Moreover, within an hour of infusion if a ripe banana is eaten one, can easily prevent this bad headache which occurs after chelation therapy.

Serious Side Effects: Apart from the minor problems that we have discussed so far, there are some serious side effects that can occur in some people. They are cardiac arrhythmias due to blood pressure fluctuation, low blood cell count due to bone marrow depression, kidney failure, respiratory arrest, etc. All these conditions are life threatening and hence should be treated immediately or else can cause death.

Other Rare Side Effects: Irritation of skin, upset stomach, fever and muscle cramps at night are some of the chelation side effects that are noticed in very few people. Proper diet along with right nutritional supplements often help in getting over these problems quite easily and is nothing to worry about.

While undergoing the treatment, if you notice any of the chelation therapy side effects, it should not be neglected and you should inform your therapist about it, as all the chelation therapy side effects can be treated successfully. Your therapist will suggest you on what needs to be done in order to tackle the problem.

Article Source & Author: Bidisha Mukherjee