What is Chelation therapy?
Chelation therapy is a medical treatment designed to remove toxic heavy metals such as lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium from the body. This process involves the intravenous administration of chelating agents like calcium-EDTA and DMPS, which bind to these harmful metals and facilitate their elimination through the kidneys.
While chelation therapy is widely recognized for treating heavy metal toxicity, research has also explored its potential cardiovascular benefits, particularly in individuals with a history of myocardial infarction (MI) and diabetes. Some studies suggest that EDTA chelation therapy may improve vascular health in these patients. However, it is still regarded as “experimental” and not to replace standard treatments of care for these conditions.
Body Retention Factors
Heavy metals build up when natural detox falters due to high toxin loads, poor nutrition (low zinc, selenium, antioxidants), or genes like MTHFR variants hindering clearance. This chronic buildup sparks ongoing issues across systems.
Exposure Pathways
Heavy metals enter via air (combustion, smelting), water (runoff, post-fire pollution), and soil (fertilizers, pesticides in farming/orchards/wineries), climbing food chains—tuna tops mercury lists over mackerel. Forest fires and volcanoes release them too, as the diagram shows via leaching and long-range spread.
High-Risk Sources
Mercury: Dental amalgams, big fish (tuna, swordfish), jobs in dentistry/mining.
Lead: Aging pipes/damaged infrastructure after fires, old house paint, construction/renovation work.
Cadmium: Battery production, smelting, smoking, industrial sites, forrest fires exposure
Arsenic: Tainted wells, rice, pesticides in agriculture.
Toxicity Signs
• Neurological: Fatigue, fog, memory loss, anxiety/depression, tremors, neuropathy, Parkinson’s-like onset.
• Cardiovascular: High blood pressure, irregular beats, artery hardening.
• Immune/Other: Inflammation, autoimmunity, gut/liver/kidney woes, hormone imbalances, infertility.
Occupations at Risk
Dentists, miners, construction workers, firefighters (fire smoke), farmers (pesticides), welders/smelters face elevated exposure.
Video Resource
Watch “How Mercury Causes Brain Neuron Degeneration” from University of Calgary's Physiology
Dept. Click here to watch
Testing and Chelation Protocol
• Prior to chelation must ensure proper detox pathways, kidney and liver function
• Labs to ensure there are no nutrient deficiencies (ie iron) and to assess for good kidney and liver function
• Ensure good digestion ie. having daily bowl movements
• Contraindications to chelation: severe heart or kidney disease, pregnancy, breast feedings, children.
• Patient prep prior to urine testing
• Avoid fish and shellfish for 1 week prior to the test.
• No non-essential medication or supplements for 48hours.
• Heavy metal testing:
• Provocation test: Urine is collected over six hours following a provocation IV containing chelating agents (calcium-EDTA +/- DMPS). Provocation test are best to asses heavy metal toxicity in the body, while pre-provocation test can assess if there is current exposure happening in one’s daily life (hobbies, occupation etc)
Treatment
• Chelation IV are done either weekly or bi-weekly. This will be considered with the doctor.
• Each treatment is follow by by the administration of glutathione (1 gram) to support detoxification pathways.
• After four chelation treatments, re-mineralization through IV therapy is recommended.
Alternatively, can take a daily multivitamin, ensure is 24 hours after each treatment
• Total treatments: individually based, but range from 10-30 treatments. Patient Note before chelation
• Bring a small protein snack and water - chelating IVs can cause hypoglycaemia.
• Ensure have 2 cups of water prior to IV and to continue to stay hydrated after the IV.
• Avoid any supplements (vitamins and minerals) on day of chelation - the chelation agents will bind to minerals and prevent their absorption.
Re-testing:
• After 10-15 treatments.
• Retesting is important because, as metals are removed from the body, the levels of other metals can shift, which may require adjustments in treatment.
Dr. Kyla Stewart ND, who is trained and certified in chelation therapy, will determine your personalized chelation dose and treatment protocol based on your heavy metal test results.
