Clogged arteries are responsible for a number of ailments including heart pain, high blood pressure, and peripheral arterial disease. Many of my male patients are surprised when I tell them that plaque buildup may even be causing their erectile dysfunction. How can it be? All of these conditions stem from the same cause, insufficient blood flow through the arteries.

In the first part of this series, you learned how coronary artery disease and blocked arteries can have serious health consequences. I’ve recommended some non-surgical, drug-free treatments you can do on your own to prevent and improve arterial disease and its symptoms.

I would now like to expand on an alternative method of dissolving plaque and increasing blood flow in the arteries using specific vitamins and safe chemical compounds. This therapy is called oral chelation.

What is chelation therapy?

Chelation therapy has been used since about 1955 to treat heart/artery disease. The idea of ​​using chelation for heart disease arose from the use of chelation for toxic levels of lead, arsenic, and mercury. A compound called calcium disodium EDTA, an amino acid, binds to those metals. The metal bound to the EDTA is then removed from your body when you urinate.

Using this model of toxic metal removal, it was thought that a variation of the same compound, disodium EDTA, would bind to plaque and remove it from arteries. Based on this same principle, oral chelation formulas were created.

Oral Chelation Supplements

People have been taking oral chelation supplements for years as an alternative treatment for coronary artery disease. In fact, due to its widespread use, the National Institutes of Health recently initiated a clinical study to document the specific benefits of chelation therapy.

As I tell my patients who ask me about oral chelation formulations, I feel that the best ones contain many vitamins, minerals, and food-derived chemicals that promote heart and artery health and may be beneficial in promoting heart and artery health. Let’s see, then, what I think a good oral chelation supplement might contain:

•B vitamins – as B6, B12 and folic acid, known to be crucial for heart health by reducing homocysteine, a chemical that promotes plaque. They also hold energy.
•magnesium, potassium, selenium – these are heart-healthy minerals that keep your heart muscle working properly, regulate your heartbeat, and prevent cholesterol from oxidizing into plaque.
•Bromelain, malic acid, garlic – These food-based compounds from pineapples, green apples and garlic dissolve saturated fats and prevent them from hardening and turning into plaques.
•TMG (trimethylglycine) – also known as betaine, derived from beets, this chemical is actually FDA-approved to treat high homocysteine ​​levels.
•EDTA – as noted above, this chemical binds to arterial plaque and removes it. EDTA is also FDA and USDA approved as a food additive.
•NAC (N-acetylcysteine) – a chemical found in high-protein foods, is an amino acid that, like EDTA, also acts as a toxin-binding/removal agent.

How does oral chelation work?

Oral chelation formulas come in pill form and are taken like any other supplement. They work by binding to mineral deposits (ie calcium, which is plaque), breaking them down and liquefying them so they can be removed from the arteries. Drinking plenty of filtered water daily will help remove chelated minerals and toxins from your blood.

It’s a good idea not to take mineral supplements until a few hours after taking a chelation formula, as the minerals can be chelated out of your system. Prescription medications should also be taken within a few hours of each other with chelation supplements.
Vitamin C and vitamin E supplements should be taken, as they are antioxidants that help prevent the oxidation of cholesterol in plaques.

Benefits of Oral Chelation Formulas

There are several arterial health conditions that can benefit from the artery-flushing effects of oral chelation. Is it so:

•Coronary artery disease, or CAD – Blockages in the heart can cause a heart attack.
•Peripheral arterial disease, or PAD – lack of blood flow to the legs and feet causing pain.
•Erectile dysfunction – as a result of blocked arteries, lack of blood flow in the penis.
•carotid artery disease – Decreased blood flow to the brain, can cause a stroke.

Although oral chelation therapy can still be a controversial topic, it has a loyal following. According to Everyday Health, a recent survey of people who used chelation therapy, 62% said it gave them a sense of control over their heart disease. For optimal effectiveness, chelation supplements should be combined with a heart- and artery-healthy diet, no smoking, and beneficial exercise.

As with any supplement, read the labels and make sure you have a quality oral chelation formula with ingredients like those listed above. Consult a physician familiar with the use of oral chelation formulations. They can monitor you, ensure its correct use and avoid possible adverse effects that may arise.