Chelation refers to the bonding of ions with metal ions, and chelating agents are the chemicals that have such ions to combine that of metals’, from which chelation therapy is deduced to excrete the heavy metal in body that is to detoxify heavy metals.
When applied to detoxify, chelation agents need to be orally taken or intravenous injected into body, thus different chelation agents function in different routes to achieve the aim of detoxication. Every agent has their own best aspect in removing heavy metals, like Ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) performs well in lead and cadmium detoxication, but being less effective in mercury removal; while dimercaptopropane sulfonate (DMPS) is mainly used to remove arsenic or mercury. Another have-to-mention chelation agent is succimer, also called DMSA. It’s mainly used for lead and mercury. Usually, after the combination, heavy metals will be released from the body by urine.
The mechanism of chelation therapy is quite easy to understand, but as they are at the risk to bring some adverse effects. For that chelation agent can bind with heavy metals, they can also combine with other metals that our bodies need like calcium. Over use of the therapy may lead a decreased level of such metal elements in our circulation environment. In addition, chelation agents always prefer to excrete the heavy metals in places that they can access easily, and then the ones that distributed into tissues. But the metals in such places firstly need to be replaced into the spots where they can combine with the agents like blood, thus the level of heavy metals may be in high density in blood, which may bring sever problems.
Thanks to the side effects of chelation therapy, chronic treatment is recommended to decrease the risk and the corresponding therapy must be carefully taken under strict medical supervision.
Other general information about chelation agents
They are usually made by synthesis chemistry, and they can be also employed for other uses including assisting diagnosis testing with the help of isotope labeling.
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