Chelation (pronounced KEY-LAY-SHUN)
Taking supplements or medications, orally or transdermally as a lotion or cream, on a given protocol or schedule. Nutritional supplements including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and a gut flora maintenance programme need to be in place to support the process.
Periodic testing is required, including blood tests to ensure safety and assess mineral status.
Chelation is not a swift treatment, this is chronic rather than acute toxicity.
Two years worth steady, safe removal of toxic heavy metals is generally considered to be the minimum time requirement.
IMPORTANT: Chelation must never be attempted with silver amalgam dental fillings in situ
Is testing available?
Yes. There are no totally definitive tests but there are helpful markers.
An Elemental Hair Test analysed by Doctors Data Laboratory can be used to assess for 'Disordered Mineral Transport' and give the probability of Mercury toxicity.
The Urinary Porphyrin Profile analysed by the Laboratoire Phillipe Auguste in France is simple to collect and non invasive.
Some practitoners recommend 'challenge' or 'provocation' testing which involves taking a large dose of a chelating agent, usually DMSA or DMPS, and then collecting urine for a timed period for testing toxic heavy metals.
However, this can be very hard on the system, may mobilise more metals than can be safely processed and excreted by the liver which may lead to 'redistribution' of those metals which can make issues even worse. As 99.9% of the population will show heavy metals testing in this manner, it is of limited value in assessing a problem with chronic toxicity. We all harbour toxic heavy metals, those of us that are healthy excrete them on an on-going basis so they don't build up in the system. Chronic toxicity thought to be a result of an impaired detoxification system which has been demonstrated in studies of children with Autsm and other neurological disabilities.
How might it help?
Chelation is addressing the root cause of problems in an estimated 75% of children with Autism and as such, can produce the most global and long lasting gains in all area's of health, behaviour, cognition and communication.
Further Reading & Resources
Autism-Mercury Yahoo Group - Extensive files section
Mercury Detox Tools and Information
Cutler Protocol
DAN! Protocol
Buttar Protocol