Chelation Therapy: Risks, Benefits, and Safety Concerns

Chelation therapy is a medical procedure using chemicals to form bonds with and remove toxic metals from the bloodstream. Promotion of the treatment as a cure for everything from heart disease to autism has prompted medical experts to warn about the safety of chelation and the associated risks.

Lead Poisoning

• Chelation may put patients at risk of environmental poisoning if exposed to toxic metals while receiving therapy. The Arizona Department of Human Services warns lead exposure must be prevented in children undergoing treatment.

Hepatic Fibrosis

• The National Institutes of Health reports chelation therapy can cause hepatic fibrosis (excessive scarring of the liver).

Renal Failure

• The U.S. National Library of Medicine stresses the importance of monitoring lead excretion to prevent renal failure and ensure the safety of chelation patients.

Heart Disease

• The American Heart Association asserts chelation therapy is an unsafe treatment for most heart conditions due to significant side effects, including heart rhythm disturbance.

Expertise

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises physicians to increase the safety of chelation by seeking expert opinions prior to treatment and conducting the procedure only in qualified intensive care facilities.