Every day we are exposed to heavy metals. They are in the air, water and food. Heavy metals can, over time, build-up in our tissues and cause a variety of symptoms from fatigue and difficulty sleeping to hypertension and neurological disorders.
Heavy metals are toxic substances, and although some people can tolerate higher levels of exposure, many people become burdened by heavy metals and their bodies create a series of symptoms.
Heavy metals also contribute to the aging process, heart and kidney disease and can cause challenges within the detoxification process within the liver. As heavy metals accumulate near lipid cell membranes, with age, they speed the rate of lipid peroxidation and free radical formation, which accelerates the aging process.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a test to measure exactly how much or where the heavy metals are located in your body. We can, however, do tests to check for heavy metals and their metabolites. We can see how well heavy metals are excreted through the urine and we can see if there are bi-products of heavy metal metabolism in the urine as well. The hair can also be used as an indicator of heavy metal burden.
Chelation therapy is the treatment to remove heavy metal burdens. This therapy involves the binding of a heavy metal to a chelator (Latin for “claw”) and removing the heavy metal-chelator complex out of the body through the liver and digestive tract and/or through the kidneys. Chelation therapy can improve circulation and relieve the symptoms of atherosclerosis, and may increase the amount of glutathione (a major detoxifying component) of the liver. Chelators are often also free radical scavengers—and removing free radicals contributes to anti-aging.
Chelation treatments can be an oral therapy using botanical medicine (herbal treatment); certain amino acids; or DMPS, a sodium salt. It can also be done more aggressively through IV using high doses of Vitamin C or components such as EDTA or DMPS.
It is important while undergoing chelation therapy treatments that you are supporting the detoxification processes of the body. Eating a healthy diet, supporting your organs of elimination (lungs, skin, kidneys, liver and digestive tract), exercising, and getting adequate rest are all important components to the chelation process. Your body will naturally remove more of the heavy metal per treatment if you support it with a healthy detoxification protocol.
A healthy detoxification protocol also means reducing your exposures to heavy metals. Drinking filtered water, avoiding certain chemicals and paints, and choosing metal-free cosmetics and skin products are all important ways of reducing heavy metal exposure.
During the chelation process, you must also supply your body with minerals. In many cases, chelation therapies are not specific for heavy metals: they will not just pull out the heavy metals but will also bind to and remove minerals like zinc and magnesium. As you are undergoing a chelation process, make sure you are adequately supplementing your body with the necessary minerals and vitamins to maintain health.
If you feel your symptoms may be related to heavy metal exposure and want to eradicate heavy metals in your body through chelation therapy, schedule a free 15-minute consultation with one of our doctors.