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The Lead connection
Lead is a toxic element that has many undesirable health effects.
Evidence links excess lead with cardiovascular disease, cancer and other disorders.
Researchers have found that cancer rates are higher amongst people living near heavily-traveled roads and it was suggested that this increased risk is due to higher levels of lead in air.
This led researchers to test effect of a lead-removing substance - EDTA (ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid),a man-made amino acid and chelating agent - on cancer rates in people living near high-traffic roads.
After 18 years those treated with EDTA had one-tenth of cancer rate of those not treated with EDTA.(1)
What is Chelation Therapy?
This is use of chelating agents, orally or by injection, in order to bind and remove harmful metals from body.
The man-made chelating agent EDTA can remove most toxic metals.
Intravenous Chelation
This therapy has been used by doctors as an effective alternative to bypass surgery for atherosclerosis since 1950s, giving hope that having hardening of arteries need not lead to coronary bypass surgery, heart attack, stroke and numerous other related diseases.
Doctors noted reduced pain and blood cholesterol levels as well as other favorable changes.
EDTA chelation therapy has been reported to help in many conditions now thought to be related to free radical pathology: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and others.
EDTA and Calcium:Magnesium Ratio
Another effect of EDTA is that it changes calcium/ magnesium ratio in body.
EDTA removes calcium more efficiently than magnesium which reduces ratio.
Lowering ratio improves flexibility of blood cells, reduces tendency of blood to clot and reduces blood cholesterol and blood pressure.
So benefits of EDTA are not entirely due to removal of toxic metals but also calcium/magnesium balance.
In case of intravenous chelation, EDTA is used as chelating agent. It is carried in a glucose formulation together with synthetic B Vitamins. It takes several hours and requires 80-100 treatments.
Oral Chelation
Oral EDTA therapy can also be used. One or two oral doses of EDTA per day, over a period of months can have a long-term preventative effect.
The original Oral Chelation product was formulated by Harry W Hersey and has been available in US since 1983.
For an oral chelation supplement that has been tested and certified to lower bad cholesterol by The University of Illinois, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition Click Here
But beware! - there are many so-called oral chelation supplements on market containing few or no chelating substances!
References:
1. Blumer,W, et al Environmental International 3: 1980, pages 465-471
Bibliography:
New Answers to Old Questions, The Free Radical Story by Harry W Hersey
Jakki Francis operates 'Natures Remedies' a health and nutrition business selling cutting-edgeherbal nutrition products. They are based in the UK and also trade in Europe, USA and Canada http://www.naturesremediesuk.com Whilst there, don't forget to subscribe to her F*REE Ezine, "Health News You Can Use" Who is Jakki Francis? http://www.JakkiFrancis.com