New Breakthroughs In Chelation Therapy

Garry F. Gordon, MD, DO, MD(H)
Gordon Research Institute, Payson, AZ

Innovative, Stimulating Advancements are Being Made Every Day in Chelation Therapy

Rapid Push Of Calcium EDTA - Ideal for Heavy Metal Detoxification, Including Mercury

As unbelievable as it may seem, it now appears that a rapidly infused, affordable, painless push of CALCITETRACEMATE (calcium) ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) may be the ideal therapy for mercury detoxification.  EDTA is a chemical chelator, only having one main action, which is to chelate or bind minerals to it.  Calcium EDTA is a chelating agent that gathers together ions of heavy metals and exchanges those with calcium. The edetate forms with the heavy metal, making a stable complex. The heavy metal becomes non ionic and consequently looses its toxicity. Then the compounded molecule is readily excreted by the kidney.     

L. Sugawara, S. L. Rifat, M. R. Eastwood, D. Eggleston, K. R. Nolan, L. J. Hahn and Crapper-McLachlan, distinguished medical researchers in their own right, have all published extensive papers describing the adverse effects that mercury, cadmium, aluminum, iron, lead and copper wreck upon the human body. Walter Blumer, MD, a world renowned cardiovascular researcher from Switzerland stated, “Many reports have suggested that vascular diseases may be ini­tiated by the accumulation of trace metals over many years through exposure to exhaust gases, drinking water, food from metal contai­ners, cigarette smoke, dental fillings, refuse incineration, ferti­lizers, [and] pesticides.”  In Blumer’s vast research, he found “in animal experiments that lead and cadmium induced aortic atherosclerosis and hypertension.” It is believed by many specialists that these high levels of toxicity in the blood cause infections throughout the body. Currently, many ailments, including kidney failure, are suspected to be an unrecognized cause of low-level lead toxicity.  The combination of a polluted environment, stressful life style and chronic low-grade infection has led our nation to its epidemic levels of toxicity. 

It is most important to read the literature to understand what these heavy metals have been doing to the abilities of various tissues in our body.  One example of heavy metal toxicity is the preventing of endothelial tissues from functioning at an optimal level, particularly as it relates to their production of nitric oxide (NO).  Gary Stix, author of Saying Yes to NO, of the November 2001 Scientific American reported that the role NO plays on the body “does everything from fighting infections to combating cancer.”   Orally administered EDTA, particularly if given in the presence of B vitamins (Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Physiology) “markedly enhances nitric oxide production” and enables endothelial tissues optimal production of NO.  This is referenced on my website, www.gordonresearch.com.  There are over 32,000 papers written in the past few years on NO. A brief review of these should open the doors to the far broader use of current and newer forms of chelation therapy in all aspects of medical practice.

Stix went onto say, “Johnathan Stamler of Duke University has applied for more than 50 NO associated patents.”  These patents may undoubtedly help develop some useful, but expensive, drugs to manipulate NO levels.  What he is completely unaware of and that research has shown is the fact that the five-minute calcium EDTA push combined with oral chelating agents remove toxins, i.e. cadmium, aluminum, mercury, iron, copper, and lead, from the blood and relieves the blood of infection.  Thus allowing the body to produce necessary amounts of NO.  This production of NO increases blood flow and improves circulation, enabling the body to make its own NO, eliminating any need of Duke University’s inevitably expensive drugs. I believe the research documenting the potential for improved nitric oxide levels opens an entirely new avenue for research in the future.  It appears that nitric oxide synthases, like many other enzymes in the body, are exquisitely sensitive to the accumulation of toxic metals that is commonly experienced. 

In an over 40 years study of 343 patients conducted by Blumer, he reported, “Treatment consisted of i.v. injections of 1 g CaNa2-EDTA, two times weekly over 5 to 10 weeks, combined with vitamin C, B1 and trace minerals per os.[sic] 68 percent of all patients were cured and 22 percent improved.” Blumer’s extensive research resulted in the conclusion parenterally administered calcium disodium edetate has shown dramatic heavy metal removal, decreasing the body’s lead burden and improving blood flow.  After widespread use of CaNa₂-EDTA over a 30-year period, Blumer “noticed among his clients, for many years, hardly any patients with cerebral damages, heart infarcts and peripheral vascular occlusive diseases.” Findings of investigations found that “symptoms of angina and intermittent claudication were relieved, and calcium in aortic valves was reduced.”  Encouraged by these findings, investigators tried EDTA for other conditions such as “radioactive element poisoning, cataracts, calcified muscles, scleroderma, sarcoidosis and porphyria, with positive results. Even insulin requirements in diabetics were reduced.” 

Blumer’s research on chelation clearly shows documentable adverse effects of the accumulation of trace metals in our body.  This toxic accumulation is inevitable, for those of us who maintain the standard lifestyle of automated transportation, drinking public water, eating food from metal contai­ners, smoking or breathing cigarette smoke, having amalgam dental fillings, being in the vicinity or having contact with refuse incineration, ferti­lizers, and pesticides.  Initially, lead tends to be easier for the body to remove than mercury, but we are now finding that mercury excretion is coming later, found primarily in the feces of some patients.  However, when a high enough blood concentration of EDTA is reached, it has been found that there are as much as nine times greater levels of mercury in the urine than are seen with (DMSA). This high level of blood concentration of EDTA is only achieved with the five-minute calcium EDTA push technique; do not try this with disodium EDTA. 

Thus, it is reasonable to assume that certain higher affinities of mercury to various cell proteins will not be readily overcome without reaching a higher concentration of EDTA than we can do with disodium EDTA, some can only do this with the painless, rapid calcium EDTA injections.  Furthermore, we recognize that NanobacLabs and most other compounding pharmacists now supply suppositories that are calcium EDTA rather than disodium, because it is far better tolerated, while still achieving the beneficial effects of lowering the calcification of coronary vessels.   This may explain why after the eighth IV chelation that I received, my energy levels virtually doubled.  I have been able to maintain this high energy level through daily ingestion of oral chelators. This can be substantiated by collecting six-hour urine specimens from the patient during the chelation interval.

Through telephonic communications with Blumer, he reported that patients receiving a minimum of 30 calcium EDTA five-minute pushes had, on the whole, approximately 86 percent reduction in cardiovascular events.  He went on to say that there was an approximately 91 percent reduction in new malignancies diagnosed, compared to those individuals from the same Swiss town outside of Zurich who did not receive this protocol.   Blumer’s five-minute calcium EDTA push documentation is from over 20 years of research.  He also found that the five-minute calcium EDTA push showed favorable benefits when used for preventive applications on many other disorders, above and beyond heart disease.  Unfortunately, most health care professionals have largely ignored this incredible information in the hopes that the slow IV of disodium EDTA was reversing plaque.  Another possible reason the calcium EDTA push has been ignored is the high cost of obtaining the calcium form of EDTA.  The excuse of high cost is no longer applicable; we can now, for the first time, use calcium EDTA without paying the exorbitant price of up to $75.00 per vial, due to compounding pharmacists.

Benefits of Orally Administered EDTA

EDTA is a proven chelating agent; administered intravenously EDTA provides major benefits, but the oral and rectal administration of EDTA presents significant benefits as well.  Oral and rectal EDTA chelation has proven to be beneficial to patients who are unable to undergo a more complete program of intravenous therapy and is supported by millions of dollars of research from the Arteriolosclerosis Research Foundation.  Orally administered EDTA for the treatment of asymptomatic lead toxicity was FDA approved for the indication “to increase the excretion of lead.”  This is described in the Physicians’ Desk Reference (PDR), with obvious supporting references in the FDA files. 

Bell et al published studies measuring urinary and fecal lead excretion induced by oral EDTA.  In an

article published by VAXA Nutritional Solutions for Life’s Challenges, it was stated, “Oral chelation ‘grabs’ a number of unwanted substances that can cause LDL Cholesterol plaque build up and free radical damage from the cardiovascular system, renders them harmless, and prepares them for excretion through the urine. Oral Chelation is a natural process of ‘roto-rootering’ the cardiovascular system, helping the body cleanse the arteries and veins, as well as detoxify the liver and kidneys.” 

He went on to say, “Both Oral and IV Chelation seem very effective, and may have synergistic results when used together. Remember, chelation by itself is a process which is a natural function of the body systemically. Increasing the population of chelating agents, either by oral or IV means, can only enhance the effectiveness of chelation in the long run.”

I must take the blame for having written the first protocol that has helped lead to today’s excessive reliance on the use of the two to four hour method of administration of disodium EDTA. I hope to rectify this problem now.  It has been widely reported that orally administered EDTA only has a five to 18 percent absorption.  However, with the benefits now being reported with rectal EDTA suppositories, the oral use of EDTA warrants consideration.  The ultra high-speed cat scans are showing the standard administration of disodium EDTA is not reliably removing the pathologic calcium from the coronary arteries.  Rectally administered EDTA, given with tetracycline, has exhibited definite signs of pathologic calcium removal from the coronary arteries. Nanobacter Laboratories is apparently accumulating data showing that rectally administered EDTA in the presence of an antibiotic is able to deliver an important benefit to patients whose primary concern is a high calcium score on the ultra high-speed CAT scan study of their coronary arteries. 

It might further be inferred from the references at the end of this text (also found on my website - www.gordonresearch.com) that oral and/or rectal delivery of EDTA may help maintain the chelation benefits that our patients enjoy over their entire lifetime.  Mercury removal has been clearly explained previously as needing the five-minute calcium EDTA push, nevertheless, there are a myriad of other benefits that can be expected from oral EDTA. 

I say this because it appears that the primary goal of chelation therapy is recently becoming more focused on heavy metal removal and nitric oxide induction. This will lead to increasing interest regarding the benefits of long-term safe, affordable and convenient heavy metal detoxification that can be experienced through orally administered EDTA.

Some have pointed out, however, that analytical chemists believe that the EDTA that remains in the intestinal tract also should work like an ion exchange reservoir or a sink to help toxic metals leave the body.  In other words, the orally ingested but not absorbed EDTA that remains in the intestine may have benefits beyond the rather obvious one of helping prevent the oxidative degradation of bile salts.  It is thought that it is the oxidative degradation of bile that causes bile salts to become carcinogenic.  It is for this reason that EDTA is added to food such as salad dressings.   Its ability to ionically bond to trace elements explains how EDTA prevents the oxidative degradation of nutrients when added to our foods, in addition to enhanced removal of heavy metals, including mercury.  Meanwhile, we now find that it actually improve the absorption of some essential trace metals, like iron and zinc.         

Improved health, depletion of heavy metal and the enhanced NO production are the crucial benefits of orally administered EDTA.  Yet, the cost is also a definite benefit, with an approximate cost of  $20.00.

Combined Benefits Obtained from Oral, Rectal, and IV Push Chelation Techniques

In the past 50 years, it is estimated that over one million patients have received intravenous chelation therapy with one widely used chelator, EDTA.  There undoubtedly are benefits from our two- to four- hour IV drip method of delivering chelation that we cannot achieve with other methods.  I have witnessed remarkable results from the use of EDT in patients with little or no hope.  In over 30 years of my chelation research and chelation practice, there have been tremendous advancements and accomplishments. 

In the area of cardiovascular disease, it has been found that intravenous EDTA chelation therapy should not be considered the primary or single complete therapy for the long-term management of cardiovascular disease.  In the role of inflammation, IV EDTA chelation therapy should never be employed without concurrent aggressive effective pharmacological and/or nutritional/natural product based therapy. 

I have also found that with the combination of EDTA and orally administered chelating agents all the newly recognized applicable cardiovascular risk factors are reduced. The body produces many natural metal binding substances, including albumin, metalothioneins, ferritin, ceruloplasmin, transferin, and others.  Experience has shown that the body’s natural production of these substances is sometimes stunted and its ability to catalyze free metal is retarded.  Heavy metal elimination from the body is enhanced noticeably when EDTA is synergistically combined with catalyzing supplements, such as eicosapentaenoic acid supplementation augmented with garlic, ginkgo, EDTA activated polysaccharides, bromelain and rutin.  Additional research is also finding that these supplements are even better supported with a new, non-acidic, neutral pH, well-tolerated form of oral vitamin C, and/or vitamin C infusions.

My research has shown that by giving a patient chelation and oxidative therapies the same day provides the most benefits, regardless of the diagnosis. I believe this is because of the undiagnosed chronic antibiotic resistant infections. These hidden infections can be very expensive to accurately diagnose.  Using oral, rectal, and IV push chelation-techniques, while saving our patients time and money, can obtain a substantial portion of the chelation benefits far more conveniently.  

On a personal note, in the last 10 years I have only had the time to get approximately 10 IV EDTA infusions, but I have not gone a day without oral chelation.  Yet, some 30 years ago it was the parenteral use of EDTA therapy that changed my life.  I believe this suggests that the true chelation benefit is more related to the detoxification effects and the resultant improved enzyme activity, such as with the nitric oxide synthases, along with other enhanced enzyme function in the body.  Average cells have 40 million atoms of Hg (mercury) in anyone with six to eight dental fillings. I doubt that we can make a dent in this load with 20 or 30 IV’s of anything.

Intravenous Chelation Treatment with Oral Nutritional Program, with Calcium EDTA

Years of extensive research and experience have enabled me to establish an intravenous chelation treatment with an all-natural oral nutritional program, administered with calcium EDTA.  This combination creates a positive stimulus that aids the body in effectively releasing its load of toxic metals.  The protocol for seriously ill patients necessitates several injections of calcium EDTA initially, perhaps 20-30 as seen in Blumer’s work.  Depending upon the individual person, I suggest that, initially, injections should be given weekly.  Then as improvement is recognized injections should be given bi-weekly.  Once a stability has been recognized I would then recommend monthly injections of calcium EDTA.  With today’s proven toxicity levels of lead and mercury, I recommend these injections be followed by a lifetime of oral chelation. I suggest this strategy primarily to help start the detoxification process. This is completely dependent upon the individual patient.  There might be some individuals who will need parenteral EDTA, once or twice a month throughout their lifetime, to achieve their optimal level of functioning, particularly those with genetic illnesses or intractable health problems, that need to be maintained at the lowest possible level of toxins in order to function at all. 

Injection dose varies from patient to patient, depending upon disease type and severity of the stage, usually one gram.  Working in conjunction with a compounding pharmacist in the composition of the fully reacted form of calcium EDTA it is far more affordable.  The cost is approximately $7.00 for three grams.  This is a significant savings to the near $70.00 per three-gram injection the pharmaceutical industry is charging. 

My protocol for the calcium five-minute push and oral chelation practice that I have instituted is as follows:  I prefer to first prime the body with a few days of aggressive oral chelators. The oral nutritional supplements replenish deficient minerals that become even more deficient in the face of the serious excesses of toxic metals.  My extensive research and vast experience have shown that the following list of oral nutritional supplements are as follows, but are not limited to:  magnesium, Wobenzym^TM, vitamin E, Samento ^TM, selenium, Garlic Plus ^TM, Beyond C ^TM, omega3 (salmon oil), hawthorn berry, Gingko Biloba, antioxidants, phosphatidylserine, Beyond Vitamins ^TM (high potency multi-vitamin mineral supplement/iron free), pro-biotics (for bowel control), malic acid, pre-biotics (inuflora - controls lipid and triglyceride and lowers C-reactive protein), carnitine, Co-Enzyme Q ^TM, taurine, fiber, pectin guar gum, soy food, and Ayurvedic medicine.

Research has shown that there is a need for high concentrations of vitamins and minerals in the blood stream before we are able to see specific results.  Remember that many patients only saw significant benefits when the Myers Cocktail was given rapidly enough to achieve high enough blood levels of vitamins and minerals.  It has been found that some patients appear to require a high blood level for a short period of time to achieve certain benefits that can be achieved with nutritionally based therapy.  Now, research is showing that this same principle applies to heavy metal detoxification, when EDTA administration is at its maximum.

 I have developed several oral chelation products   over the past 16 years that generally averaged 133 mg of EDTA per capsule.  This is usually added to garlic. For example, Garlic Plus ^TM capsules contain 133 mg of EDTA; also containing malic acid, a uniquely effective iron and aluminum chelator, D, L methionine, a unique sulfydryl-containing amino acid to help improve the removal of mercury and other toxins from the body, (www.longevityplus.com).  Six capsules of Garlic Plus ^TM a day provides patients with a maintenance dose of 800 mg of EDTA, providing significant benefits on a daily basis.   However, the crucial task of the Garlic Plus ^TM formula is its ability to activate the heparin-like characteristic of the red algae (sulfated polysaccharide) that is also in the capsule.  This unique formula was co-developed with Dr. Lester Morrison to reduce and even prevent blood clots from forming in cardiovascular disease patients.  Morrison recognized that these components would work better than aspirin in prevention of blood clots, if given with EDTA.  It is therefore vital for my purposes of preventing heart attacks that the EDTA be present in each capsule to activate this heparin-like activity at the low doses of sulfated polysaccharide.  Personally, I have never taken less than six Garlic Plus ^TM capsules a day.  Because increased heavy metal burden contributes to so many different health problems, I believe additional therapeutic levels of EDTA need to be utilized.  A supplement of pure calcium EDTA powder with a little magnesium malate is suggested.  I have found that the average patient shows signs of improvement from doses of 800 to 5,000 mgs of EDTA per day, depending on weight and renal status.  This dose recommendation is based on the FDA’s past approval for Abbot Laboratories to claim the correct dose for treating asymptomatic increased levels of lead, which was 1,000 mgs per 35 pounds of body weight.  

EDTA has a 40-year history of oral use in asymptomatic patients with laboratory evidence of lead accumulation and can safely be given (orally) continuously in doses of up to 1 gm a day to adults. Concomitant administration of essential trace elements, especially zinc, is obligatory. Its safety seems to be firmly established, and the potential of mineral depletion seems to be minimal. There is no critical need for monitoring patients for bleeding or clotting, since there is no significant risk of pathologic bleeding on such a program.  It is, however, important to emphasize to the patient that this synergistic protection must be continuously maintained to sustain positive benefits. Research on oral iron-chelating agents under investigation shows benefits in addition to improved circulation and increased blood flow, such as protection against skin cancers, skin aging, ultraviolet protection and significant neural protection in trauma.

In my many years of EDTA research, I have become fully aware of its relationship to life extension.  Extending life up to 50 percent in rotifers, etc.  Therefore, I prescribe pure calcium EDTA powder for my patients in conjunction with the oral chelation formulas that I have spent over 17 years developing.  Liposome EDTA appears to be too expensive in spite of the improved absorption reported; in addition, liposome’s safety assurance is at question, thus the decision for calcium EDTA powder.

When prescribing pure calcium EDTA powder I suggest the patient start out slowly.  Perhaps starting with a quarter teaspoon, once a day.  This will give their intestine time to adapt to the EDTA and will also help avoid possible gastric irritation.  Then, depending on the patient’s response, take a quarter teaspoon twice a day, finally working up to three times a day. By slowing increasing the dose, it will help avoid excessive loose stools and/or excessive gas, particularly since all of my patients are taking four or more grams, twice a day, of Beyond C ^TM, a particularly well tolerated vitamin C. Some patients might require the rectal suppository, which avoids any gastric irritation and reliably delivers 750 mgs in each suppository.