How Chelation Therapy Affects Mental Health

The build-up of heavy metals in the human body can be very dangerous, but thankfully, there are proven treatments that can be used to remove those metals and restore health. One of those treatments is chelation therapy.

Chelation is primarily used for treating heavy metal poisoning by reducing the build-up of lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury or iron in the body.^[1] However, some researchers and observers have suggested that the therapy could be beneficial for treating mental health conditions, despite having no strong scientific evidence.

What Is Chelation Therapy?

Chelation therapy is quite simple – you’ll be given a drug that contains a chelating agent. These agents bind with toxic metal ions in your blood so your kidneys can filter them out and naturally expel them through urine.

For the chelation process, you’ll be given the drugs either orally or via an intravenous (IV) tube in your arm. Depending on the heavy metal and the chelating agent you’re given, you may need to take the drugs just once or repeatedly over a few hours or days. Common chelation drugs approved by the FDA include:

• Dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) for lead, mercury, and arsenic poisoning.
• Edetate disodium (EDTA) for calcium overload.
• Edetate calcium disodium (ECD) for lead poisoning.^[2]

In the US, chelating drugs require a prescription and cannot be purchased over the counter (OTC). The FDA also states that chelation therapy can only be conducted safely under the supervision of a healthcare practitioner, as misuse of chelating agents can be dangerous and the adverse effects severe.^[3]

Chelation Therapy and Mental Health: What’s the Connection?

Chelation therapy has been proposed as a potential treatment for certain mental health conditions. This is potentially due to the connection between heavy metal toxicity and certain mental illnesses.

When absorbed through the skin, lungs, or gastrointestinal tract, heavy metals can become a “major threat to human health” by causing neurological disorders as well as disrupting the gastrointestinal, respiratory, cardiovascular, reproductive, and renal systems.^[4]

Links have been found between:

• Lead and major depressive, anxiety, and panic disorders.^[5]
• Arsenic and cognitive function/developmental disabilities, with additional evidence suggesting that arsenic may impact neurotransmitters associated with depression.^[6]
• Cadmium and manic state bipolar disorder. Cadmium may also play a role in major depressive disorder and schizophrenia by disrupting mitochondrial functions.^[7]
• Mercury and insomnia, anxiety, and erethism (also known as ‘mad hatter disease’).^[8]

This is the theoretical basis for using chelation therapy for mental health conditions. Essentially, researchers are asking, ‘if these heavy metals are linked to mental illness, can we treat mental illness by eradicating heavy metal toxicity in the body?’

Proposed Uses of Chelation Therapy in Mental Health

Chelation therapy has been suggested as a treatment for various mental health conditions. However, there is limited scientific evidence to back these uses, and in the U.S., chelation therapy is not approved by the FDA for treating these conditions.

Autism Spectrum Disorder

The purported link between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and heavy metals emerged when various studies suggested that mercury in vaccines could be the cause of rising numbers of autism cases. Despite these claims being repeatedly debunked, chelation therapy is still used as an alternative therapy for patients with autism.^[9]

We know that excess mercury negatively impacts the Central Nervous System (CNS) and brain development in children. This may be similar to the neurodevelopmental challenges that are linked to autism. However, this is not evidence that chelation will be effective in treating autism.

In fact, one review assessing the effectiveness of chelation therapy on ASD found that not only was it ineffective, but it was also dangerous, with hypocalcemia (low calcium levels), renal impairment, and even death listed as potential adverse effects.^[2]

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia that involves the degeneration of brain cells. This causes a decline in cognition and independence when carrying out daily tasks. Numerous factors may contribute to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, including genetics, age, traumatic brain injury, and environmental factors.^[10]

While there are many therapies intended to slow the progression of the brain’s decline and improve quality of life, there is currently no cure for this disease. However, some researchers have suggested that the build-up of heavy metals may be a contributing factor to the disease, meaning that chelation could be a potential treatment to prevent or treat neurodegeneration.

Some studies have found that chelation may improve symptoms in some patients with dementia, however, more research is needed to confirm these results and create an effective treatment strategy.^[11]

Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease is another neurodegenerative disease that impacts the CNS. Along with motor symptoms (e.g., tremors and difficulty balancing), Parkinson’s is characterized by neuropsychiatric problems, including psychosis, mood swings, and behavioral changes.

As some patients with Parkinson’s have been shown to have higher levels of iron than typical, researchers have theorized that using chelation to reduce iron levels may treat symptoms of the disease. One small pilot study involving 40 patients treated with Deferiprone (DFP), an iron-chelating drug, found that disease progression slowed during treatment without any major side effects. However, this was a small-scale study, and more research is needed before chelation can be introduced as a treatment for Parkinson’s.^[12]

Currently, chelation therapy benefits are only proven for heavy metal poisoning. The risks of chelation therapy, from common adverse effects to the dangers of misuse, are a key reason there is so much controversy surrounding the use of chelation for mental illness. With little evidence to support the use of these drugs for treating mental health conditions, the risks must be carefully weighed.

Potential Risks of Chelation Therapy

During a course of chelation treatment, there are many side effects that patients may experience. Though specific symptoms vary depending on the heavy metal poisoning and specific chelating drug prescribed, common side effects include:

• Burning sensations (usually at the site of the IV)
• Fever
• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting

However, there are also more severe side effects that can occur, particularly when chelation therapy is conducted without medical supervision. Reported adverse effects include:

• Hypocalcaemia
• Renal impairment
• Musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal symptoms
• Death^[2]

Chelation therapy is not without potentially severe risks. For cases of heavy metal poisoning, the benefits far outweigh these risks. But for treating mental health conditions, where evidence of the benefits of chelation therapy is limited, these risks are reason enough to stick to conventional mental health treatments until more research is conducted.

Chelation Therapy vs. Conventional Mental Health Treatments

Conventional mental health treatments may vary in effectiveness, safety, and cost, but they have been adequately tested and trialed to confirm their benefits and weigh them against the risks. In comparison, heavy metal chelation therapy has not been thoroughly explored in the context of treating mental health conditions. While there may be promising results in some pilot studies, there is an overall lack of evidence to support using chelation therapy to treat mental illnesses at this time.

Currently, the FDA states that chelation therapy is only approved for heavy metal poisoning and must be prescribed for use in the U.S. Given the risks of the treatment, chelation therapy must also be conducted in the presence of a medical professional. Finally, the FDA also recommends that consumers should avoid OTC products marketed as chelating dietary supplements – they have not been approved by the FDA and could cause harm to users.