3 ms·

Chelation: I've heard it is expensive and has serious side effects. How do the people who are affected by the lead, given there are so many, get well?

by e40 11y ago

HillRat 11y ago
Unfortunately, it also hasn't been shown to be effective in repairing or preventing the effects of subacute toxicity, so even if the state were willing to pay for it, chelation wouldn't be a cure. An entire generation has been crippled in the name of a government's ledger sheet.
leonroy 11y ago
Seems there are foods which can chelate heavy metals such as dark leafy greens, chlorella, coriander. More info here: http://www.livestrong.com/article/203988-foods-for-chelation/ http://www.livestrong.com/article/203988-foods-for-chelation... I don't know to what extent damage from mercury and lead is irreperable - even after chelation. Be useful to find out. Sadly with the mass poisonings in Flint we might be seeing more data on the subject.
- dalke 11y ago
  Chelation therapy is a common alternative medicine therapy. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelation_therapy#Use_in_alternative_medicine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelation_therapy#Use_in_alter... . There is very little evidence that those plants are effective. The positive studies I've seen (based on a few hours of looking in PubMed last year) are only in animal tests, and are more suggestive than conclusive. An effective study would also need to show some response curve. Is one leaf of coriander a month good enough, or do I need to eat 200 grams per day to get a 5% decrease in blood lead levels? Chelation therapy, like with EDTA and DMSA, can be effective for heavy metal poisoning, but they have limits and side effects. For example, "From 2003 to 2005, deaths of 3 individuals as a result of cardiac arrest caused by hypocalcemia during chelation therapy with EDTA were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention" (from Wikipedia) and "The oral chelation test using DMSA may lead to misleading diagnostic advice regarding potential mercury toxicity and can be associated with serious side effects" (from http://acb.sagepub.com/content/41/3/233 http://acb.sagepub.com/content/41/3/233 ).
Spooky23 11y ago
They don't. They suffer learning and behavioral deficits for life.

Chelation: I've heard it is expensive and has serious side effects. How do the people who are affected by the lead, given there are so many, get well?

by e40 11y ago

Chelation: I've heard it is expensive and has serious side effects. How do the people who are affected by the lead, given there are so many, get well?

HillRat 11y ago

Unfortunately, it also hasn't been shown to be effective in repairing or preventing the effects of subacute toxicity, so even if the state were willing to pay for it, chelation wouldn't be a cure. An entire generation has been crippled in the name of a government's ledger sheet.

leonroy 11y ago

Seems there are foods which can chelate heavy metals such as dark leafy greens, chlorella, coriander. More info here: http://www.livestrong.com/article/203988-foods-for-chelation/ http://www.livestrong.com/article/203988-foods-for-chelation... I don't know to what extent damage from mercury and lead is irreperable - even after chelation. Be useful to find out. Sadly with the mass poisonings in Flint we might be seeing more data on the subject.

dalke 11y ago
Chelation therapy is a common alternative medicine therapy. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelation_therapy#Use_in_alternative_medicine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelation_therapy#Use_in_alter... . There is very little evidence that those plants are effective. The positive studies I've seen (based on a few hours of looking in PubMed last year) are only in animal tests, and are more suggestive than conclusive. An effective study would also need to show some response curve. Is one leaf of coriander a month good enough, or do I need to eat 200 grams per day to get a 5% decrease in blood lead levels? Chelation therapy, like with EDTA and DMSA, can be effective for heavy metal poisoning, but they have limits and side effects. For example, "From 2003 to 2005, deaths of 3 individuals as a result of cardiac arrest caused by hypocalcemia during chelation therapy with EDTA were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention" (from Wikipedia) and "The oral chelation test using DMSA may lead to misleading diagnostic advice regarding potential mercury toxicity and can be associated with serious side effects" (from http://acb.sagepub.com/content/41/3/233 http://acb.sagepub.com/content/41/3/233 ).

Spooky23 11y ago

They don't. They suffer learning and behavioral deficits for life.