For those of us with the propensity to look, the evidence is there:  EDTA has an impact on vascular disease, reduces clotting problems, reduces iron & heavy metal stores already in the body and results in reduced free radicals.

Exhibit 1: The Binding Capacity of EDTA to Copper and Iron.

This clearly documents the strong binding capacity of EDTA to copper and iron. This is cited as "the primary reason that 90 million pounds of this substance are utilized annually, mostly as a food additive.

Exhibit 1A: A Lowering of Prothrombin Activity

"A Comparative Study of the Use of Ferric Chelate in Iron Deficiency Anemia" by C.F. Herridge, from The British Medical Journal, Vol. 2, pg 140, July 19, 1958, reports that there was a lowering of the prothrombin activity found in half of the group, though it was not thought to be of clinical importance at that time.

Exhibit 1B: The Influence of EDTA on Iron Bioability

This exhibit contains 11 abstracts and 17 published articles regarding the influence EDTA has on iron bioavailability, and includes the following:

"The effect of Various Ligands on the Absorption, Distribution, and Excretion of Iron following Oral Administration," by W. Forth, et al, Arch. Expti. Pathol. Pharmakol. 252(3), 242-57 (1965) Germany. In the presence of EDTA, diminished iron retention appeared to be due to a marked increase in excretion. Furthermore, EDTA-bound iron is poorly utilized by the erythropoietic system.

Food iron absorption in man; the effect of EDTA on absorption of dietary non-heme iron." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1976: 29(6), 614-620. This study reports a decrease of absorption on hon-heme iron of 72% when EDTA is present at 2:1 molar ratio.

"Effect of orally administered EDTA on iron absorption in man." P.S. Davis et al. Australis Ann. Med. 16(1), 70-4, 1967. EDTA significantly reduces iron absorption when present in a ratio of 10:1 or more.

"The Enhancement of Iron Excretion in Iron-Storage Diseases," W.G. Figueroa. Metal-Binding in Medicine, M.J. Seven, M.D., ed., J.B. Lippincot, Chapter 17 (1960). This study claims that oral EDTA does not increase output of iron in the urine.

"The Effect of the Prolonged Intake of EDTA on the Utilization of Calcium and Iron by the Rat," B.A. Larsen, Canadian Journal of Biochem. Physiol., Vol 38 (1960), pgs 813-817. This article states that EDTA ingestion causes less iron to be absorbed and more of what is absorbed to be excreted.

"Effect of pH and chelating agents on iron binding by dietary fiber: implications for iron availability." M.J. Leigh, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 38: Aug, 1983, pages 202-213. This article states that all iron research must take into account the level of ascorbic acid. The key end result may be assumed to be due to the great stability of the iron/EDTA complex at all pH levels.

"A Comparison of the Effect of Fe-3-Specific EDTA on urinary iron excretion in a Patient with Hemochromatosis." F.Gilbert McMahon, Journal of Lab and Clinical Medicine, page 600, October 1956. This reports a two-fold increase in urinary iron excretion from intravenous administration.

"Design of Chelates for Therapeutic Objectives." Martin Rubin, Fed Proc 20 (Suppl. 10; Pt. 2): pgs 149-157, September 1961, states that EDTA is able to hold iron in the presence of even a specific iron-binding protein (siderophilin) of the plasma. Dr. Rubin states that iron, presented to the cell in the form of an EDTA chelate, is unavailable for incorporation into hemoglobin. This strongly suggests that it is not available to catalyze free radical pathology!

Although the evidence regarding the removal of copper was limited to 3 out of 6 cases in Wilson’s Disease and although oral EDTA was not always beneficial in iron overload, the evidence that oral EDTA inhibits the absorption of iron and copper seems overwhelming. Even that beneficial and probably life extending activity may not be as important as the potential for continuous, economical, and convenient presence of EDTA in body fluids binding copper and iron so tightly that they are largely unavailable for biological activities including catalyzing free radical reactions.

Exhibit 2 : The Ascending Order of some of the Metals Chelated by EDTA

Prolongation of Prothrombin Time by EDTA

Does Oral EDTA chelate out normal minerals?

How does EDTA treat malabsorption problems?

Those doctors only partially familiar with the workings of oral EDTA could be concerned that oral EDTA might chelate out normal minerals through the GI tract. This concern has been more than adequately answered by the 21 abstracts and/or portions of published articles in Exhibit 2. They, in fact, show that oral EDTA appears to treat malabsorption problems and that it is apparently absorbed as the complexes of several minerals. In this exhibit, there are two rat studies that indicate increased deposition of calcium and phosphorus in the bones following oral EDTA administration. (See Abstracts No. CA 55:5762e, Vozar, and CA 54:25290h, Vozar).

This information comes from the Annals of Internal Medicine, volume 47, 1957, "Editorial: Chelation." Page 1037 of this article lists the well known ascending order of some of the metals of biological interest that are chelated by EDTA. It also states that there are reports showing that one of the effects of EDTA is to prolong prothrombin time, citing the American Journal of Clinical Pathology 24: 39, 1954; and the Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine 42: 550, 1953, as references.

Dr. Garry F. Gordon believes that generally the anti-clotting effect of EDTA is far more subtle and probably works in a synergistic way with other anti-clotting, anti-platelet substances such as garlic, Gingko, polysaccharides, EPA, etc.

Exhibit 3: The Lowering of Cholesterol through oral EDTA

Herewith are six references regarding the benefits from oral EDTA, all documenting a lowering of cholesterol. There is one article showing an increase in cholesterol levels but this was only in rats. I think the preponderance of favorable evidence regarding cholesterol lowering in humans from the ingestion of oral EDTA is clear.

EDTA has been able to virtually substitute for zinc in zinc-deficient animals, and has been shown to enhance the absorption of heparin, Vitamin B12, and increase the blood levels of antibiotics in chickens by 100%. Special salts of iron EDTA are being considered for worldwide application because of these well documented studies. (EDTA is commonly used as a feed additive for animals and thus has been studied extensively.)

Researchers calculate the average human is already ingesting 15 to 50 milligrams of EDTA daily in their standard diet. Dr. Garry Gordon thinks an effective therapeutic dose of EDTA in products ought to be at least 500 mg, or (preferably 800 mg or more).

Exhibit 4: Significant Lead Lowering with Oral EDTA

The 88 abstracts and portions of 27 published articles (courtesy of Mr. Scharffenberg) in Exhibit 4 come from mainstream medicine and indicate an increase of excretion of lead with oral EDTA from 3 to 30 times (without exception). Virtually every one of these articles describes significant lead lowering benefits from the oral ingestion of EDTA.

Was Oral EDTA intentionally secreted to the sidelines of mainstream medicine?

The main problem that led to the loss of favor of oral EDTA around 1960 was the AMA’s strong concern regarding its potential for abuse by industrial physicians who would use the tablets instead of demanding that management improve the working environment.

It is well documented that all of us provably have adverse health effects because of the levels of lead found in everyone today. Since there is no safe level and these adverse effects have been documented at every measurable level, the widespread employment of nontoxic and inexpensive therapies for removing lead must take on greater importance. Oral EDTA must once again be brought to center stage and evaluated versus penicillamine and DMSA, both of which are far more expensive and clearly more toxic.

Patients acutely lead poisoned must be removed from all known sources of lead.

There may be some relative contraindications to the use of oral EDTA in the case of an acutely lead poisoned person unless the intestinal tract is emptied with something like an enema, as per the review article "Lead Poisoning, Review of the literature and report on 45 cases." R.K. Byers, Children’s Hosp., Boston, Harvard Med. School, Pediatrics 23: 585-603 March 1959. It apparently enhances lead absorption from the gut so it would seem rather obvious that good medicine requires that, whenever possible, the doctor first removes patients from all known sources of lead for maximum effectiveness.

Oral Calcium EDTA increases urinary lead excretion without modifying its intestinal excretion:

The issue regarding the absorption of lead from the intestinal tract has been studied in some depth. "Effects of calcium sodium ethylenediamin-tetra-acetate on the kinetics of distribution and excretion of lead in the rat," N. Castel-lino and S. Aloj, Brit.J. Indust. Med., 1965, 22, 172, reviewed this issue and concluded that oral administration of calcium EDTA caused a great increase of urinary lead excretion without modifying its intestinal absorption. They reported that approximately 18% of orally ingested lead was absorbed by rats whether they were treated with EDTA or not.

Natural Zinc and Mineral Supplements should accompany Oral EDTA Therapy.

Because of the dangers of low level lead toxicity, many alternative medicine doctors facilitate the removal of lead with the use of natural therapies including Vitamin C, garlic, zinc, and calcium. Oral EDTA is a vitally important additional method of increasing lead removal from the body. These natural adjunctive lead cleansing therapies provide significant protection to patients because, for example, by aggressively administering zinc, any potential for zinc deficiency associated with oral EDTA therapy is entirely avoided. These recommendations, therefore, should help to mitigate any of the criticisms ever leveled at oral EDTA, such as the fear of mutagenesis if zinc is allowed to become deficient. Just as we chose to point out where the early researchers with intravenous EDTA had erred, and we were able to overcome their errors successfully through such cautions as mineral replacement.

Consider the Stability Constants when regarding the therapeutic potential of oral EDTA in vascular disease.

There has been a legitimate confusion regarding the therapeutic potential of oral EDTA in vascular disease. It would seem likely that if we look at stability constants, however, EDTA certainly prevents excess iron absorption, and (depending on other factors such as pH, etc.) it is really chelating iron out of the body as the literature indicates. The published stability constants clearly indicate that oral EDTA would decrease the circulating levels of free iron and copper because they are now bound to EDTA and therefore not biologically available to catalyze free radical reactions. While these actions may be considered by some to be theoretical, the removal of lead from the oral ingestion of EDTA cannot be considered as anything other than established fact.

All studies clearly show the dangers of gradually accumulating levels of toxic metals such as lead and cadmium in tissues with aging, especially in the brain (esp. the pituitary gland) Since oral EDTA clearly helps to prevent and possibly even reverse this problem, and since EDTA has been documented to be an effective food preservative that prevents oxidative damage to food by free metals, having FDA approval to be added to our diet at levels of 25-800 mg., it is Dr. Gordon’s belief that every informed doctor should research it and consider using it in his practice.

Exhibit 5: Concern about the Buildup of EDTA in Surface Waters

The Federal Health Office in Germany published the article "Implications of Heavy Metal Toxicity Related to EDTA Exposure" (H.H. Dieter, Toxicological and Environmental Chemistry, Vol 27, pp. 91-95, 1990). This article sounded the alarm that EDTA is building up in all surface waters at an alarming rate. And although there is extensive documentation regarding its usefulness and safety, there is new research regarding nephrotoxicity from accumulated cadmium after chronic low-level exposure of an EDTA/cadmium complex that forms in surface water and potentially may accumulate in renal tubular cells.

Exhibit 6: The Danger posed by the German Federal Health Office can be avoided when the dose of EDTA is higher than the amount of Cadmium.

The theoretical danger of Cadmium toxicity documented by the German Federal Health Office can be avoided when the dose of EDTA is higher than the amount of cadmium. (See "Effects of Chelation Agents on Oral Uptake and Renal Deposition and Excretion of Cadmium," Brigitta Engstrom, National Institute of Environmental Medicine, Stockholm, Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 54, pp. 219-232, l984.) The Engstrom article clearly shows increased body elimination and decreased acute toxicity. Note: It is only very low intakes of EDTA in combination with cadmium that produce this theoretical risk.

Exhibit 7: References from an Outline of Slides on oral EDTA.

One article has been copied in its entirety to illustrate the quality of the type of references contained in all of them. (Morgan, South Med J., Vol 68, No.8.)

(See Ref. Nos. 10,12, 13, Brit J Ind. Med and Arch of Indust. Health.) All of these references need to be obtained in order to do a comprehensive search of the literature.

Exhibit 8: The influence of various diseases on the absorption of EDTA.

The proven increased intestinal absorption of chromium EDTA with various diseases makes the oral route all the more effective in sicker patients who are PROVEN to absorb a higher percentage of EDTA (probably up to the 18% level published elsewhere).

For years, a common method of taking 3 gm of oral calcium EDTA was in grapefruit juice. Current interest in the drug interactions with grapefruit juice are still inconclusive as to how all of these effects are generated, so it is possible that there was some hidden benefit from this approach to oral EDTA administration.

Included in the seven articles of this exhibit, it shows that the sicker the patient, the more likely the leaky bowel will supply even greater absorption of the oral EDTA. The proven ability of EDTA to chelate with metals such as copper and iron so they are completely inactivated and cannot react as metal ions, holds some interesting prospects for future life extension research. Leading experts in aging research continue to believe that these metals catalyze free radicals to our great detriment.

Exhibit 9: August & Sept. 1997, Issues of Nutrition News, on Oral Chelation.

These articles were written by Ward Dean, MD, after an extended of actively studying oral EDTA.

Exhibit 10: "Oral chelation with EDTA," by Dr. Garry Gordon, MD.

This article is from the 1986 issue of the Journal of Holistic Medicine, Vo. 8 Nos. 1 & 2.

Exhibit 11: Binding of Free Copper & Iron to lessen Free Radical Damage

It appears that by binding free copper and iron there may be significant improvement with some of the newer markers of free-radical damage, such as provided by Genox Labs in Baltimore. This information is from Richard Cutler, Ph.D., who did 18 years research with Natl. Institutes of Aging, who is a recognized expert on aging, and who clearly advocates the use of food additives that bind copper and/or iron).

Exhibit 12: EDTA in Food, its Enhancement of Several Essential Nutrients, and its Prevention of the Copper Catalyzed Oxidation of Vitamin C.

These articles illustrate the use of EDTA in food and how it not only enhances the uptake of several essential nutrients (vitamin B12, heparin, and essential minerals), but also has a synergistic effect with other nutrients such as polysaccharides.

Also EDTA prevents the copper catalyzed oxidation of Vitamin C . (See H.L. Aamoth et al, Annals, N. Y. Acad. of Sci., V. 88, 1960.)

Morrison’s Formula Showed a 70% Reduction in Second Heart Attack Rate.

Dr. Gordon has studied this intensively for he had the privilege of working with Lester Morrison, M.D., who spent more than $10,000,000 developing a synergistic formula based initially on tracheal cartilage rings and later going into other sources of polysaccharides. Morrison documented that this formula would reverse arteriosclerosis and protect from myocardial infarction etc. When Dr. Gordon added EDTA to this formula, the effective dose required to prevent blood clotting in the standard Chandler loop test employed in Morrison’s research was substantially reduced. Dr. Gordon’s knowledge of this research combined with the incredibly low mortality rate he experienced in his practice has made him extremely optimistic regarding the benefits of what he considers to be a total oral chelation approach of synergistically combined nutrients. Morrison’s formula alone showed a better than 70% reduction in second heart attack rate. (Morrison, Lester M., M.D., and Schjeide, O. Arne, Ph.D. Coronary Heart Disease and the Mucopolysaccharides (Glyco-saminoglycans). (1974) Charles C. Thomas, Publisher. 2600 S. First Street, Springfield, Illinois 62717. ISBN 0-398-02903-2. Morrison, Lester M., M.D., and Schjeide, Ole A. Ph.D. Arteriosclerosis. Prevention, Treatment, and Regression. (1984) Charles C. Thomas, Publisher. 2600 S. First Street, Springfield, Illinois 62717. ISBN 0-398-04919-X. Morrison, Lester M., M.D., with Nugent, Nancy. Dr. Morrison’s Heart-Saver Program. (1982) St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010. ISBN 0-312-21481-2.)

Miscellaneous uses of EDTA:

In 1959 F. Bersworth and Martin Rubin got a patent for the prophylactic use of Ca EDTA, to be blended with food products, to PREVENT metal poisoning. Today, with our food supply so challenged, this idea appears quite rational. We know that EDTA protects against many toxic metals including nickel, cadmium (as long as dose is high enough), vanadium (which some research links to diabetes), cobalt, iron, and copper overload. EDTA has also been shown to help lower the body burden of internally deposited fission products (U.S. Atomic Energy Commission) . In fact, a rat study showed significant protection against the toxicity of cisplatin.

Exhibit 13: The Safety of EDTA

This exhibit consists of 15 articles regarding long term safety of EDTA which, after careful review, cannot be considered a significant issue. (See "The Metabolism of EDTA, Food and Cosmetic Toxicology." British Industrial Biological Research, "Safety evaluation studies of calcium EDTA." Bernard L. Oser et al, Food and Drug Research Labs. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 5, 142-162, 1963. Also, Toxicological Profile, Current Use, and Regulatory Issues on EDTA compounds for assessing use of Sodium Iron EDTA for food fortification; Paul Whittaker et al, Center for food safety, FDA, Washington D.C. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology 18, 419-427 (1993))

IRON and EDTA

The complex issue regarding iron balance is covered in Fd. Cosmet. Toxicol. Vol 2 pp. 741-750. Pergamon Press (1964) which shows that iron absorption is apparently only decreased when positive iron balance exists. Many experts in anti-aging are convinced that lowering the levels of iron in our bodies should increase life span. The studies included show that oral EDTA prevents absorption of iron (UNLESS one is deficient).

Exhibit 14: A Few Pages from Scharffenberg’s Printout of more than 400 References on Oral EDTA Articles.

Exhibit 15: A Discussion of the Benefits of EDTA in Epilepsy, Porphyria, & Psoriasis 

 We trust that after having familiarized yourself with some, most, or all of the articles contained in the EDTA portion of this website, as a medical practitioner you will continue to learn about oral EDTA Chelation and its benefits with respect to lead and metal poisoning, its synergistic effects with nutrients, and its potential in formulas of the future.

1.) Iron and EDTA

2.) Enhanced absorption of useful nutrients and detoxification of heavy metals including vanadium and fissionable material

3.) Benefits of oral EDTA on cholestermetabolism

4.) 115 references showing positive benefits with oral EDTA in lead toxicity

5.) H.H. Dieter. German Federal Health Office concerns re EDTA in water

6.) Oral EDTA removed by cadmium as long as molar ratio is achieved dosage

7.) Dr. Gordon’s slide presentation regarding lead removal with oral EDTA

8.) Enhanced intestinal absorption of essential nutrients including Vitamin B12, zinc, cobalt, heparin, and synergy with polysaccharides

9.) Ward Dean article in Nutrition News, Vol. 11 No. Sept. 1997

10.) Garry Gordon interview in Life Enhancement Magazine, No. 32, April 1997, "Chelation with EDTA…"

11.) Genox Laboratory literature (Dir., Richard Cutler, Ph.D.) suggesting benefits in their free radical marker tests with food additives that combine with iron and/or copper

12.) Articles re usefulness of EDTA in the food supply to prevent food spoilage and protect ascorbic acid from oxidation

13.) Research articles re safety of EDTA

14.) Small portion of more than 400 references regarding oral EDTA organized by Richard Scharffenberg

15.) Miscellaneous uses of EDTA