EDTA Chelation Therapy to Reduce Cardiovascular Events in Persons with Diabetes

Abstract

The Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT) was a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial enrolling patients age ≥50 years with prior myocardial infarction. TACT used a 2 × 2 factorial design to study ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) chelation and high-dose vitamin supplementation. Chelation provided a modest but significant reduction in cardiovascular endpoints. The benefit was stronger and significant among participants with diabetes but absent in those without diabetes. Mechanisms by which chelation might reduce cardiovascular risk in persons with diabetes include the effects of EDTA chelation on transition and toxic metals. Transition metals, particularly copper and iron, play important roles in oxidative stress pathways. Toxic metals, in particular cadmium and lead, are toxic for the cardiovascular system. This review discusses the epidemiologic evidence and animal and human studies supporting the role of these metals in the development of diabetes and ischemic heart disease and potential ways by which EDTA chelation could confer cardiovascular benefit.

Rationale for the Successful Management of EDTA Chelation Therapy in Human Burden by Toxic Metals

“…EDTA chelation therapy has been shown to improve neurologic symptoms in ND patients [48, 68], and results are further enhanced by the use of antioxidants. EDTA chelation therapy, at the dose of 2 g/week slowly injected IV in adults, does not provoke side effects, can be used for a long period to ameliorate both acute and chronic intoxications, and is able to remove all toxic metals and reduce oxidative stress injury and inflammation in blood vessel walls [50, 51, 60, 65, 73, 90]. EDTA treatment represents an important option in the treatment of ND and CVD associated with metal burden.…”

“…In fact, transition metals like Cu and Fe play important roles in the oxidative stress pathway, which is involved in insulin resistance, whereas the metals Pb and Cd are particularly toxic for the cardiovascular system. Recent findings therefore suggest the use of EDTA chelation therapy in the treatment of CVD, especially in diabetic patients [65]. …”

Effects of Proteoglycans on Oxidative/Nitrative Stress

“…Some compounds contribute to antioxidant defense by chelating transition metals (e.g. iron or copper) thereby reducing the production of metal-catalyzed free radicals in cardiovascular tissues as it has been reported in diabetes mellitus [8,9] or in atherosclerotic lesions [10]. Among ROS/RNS, superoxide, nitric oxide and peroxynitrite seem to play a major role in the pathomechanisms of the aforementioned diseases [6,7].…”

Which Strategies can be Adopted against Heavy Metal Intoxication?

“…EDTA chelation therapy can reduce cardiovascular events in patients with diabetes, because metals such as cadmium and lead are toxic for the cardiovascular system [14].…”