The most severe possible side effects from therapy can include seizures, brain damage, severe allergic reactions, and extreme deficiencies in vitamins and minerals. The risks of experiencing these severe side effects are rare if the patient receives therapy from a qualified doctor and stays monitored by the doctor following the procedure. Patients should remain in contact with their physicians for as long as recommended by the doctor. Follow-up testing makes sure that the heavy metals in the body have returned to safer levels. Tests to check the health of the bones, kidneys, and other organs after treatment may also occur.

Historical Examples of Use 

Many patients will never hear about the therapy unless their doctor discusses when exposure to unsafe levels of heavy metals happens. The treatment, however, is not new. The discovery of the process began in the early 1930s. After further study, chelation became a treatment during World War II to protect soldiers from arsenic-containing chemical weapons used against them.

Researchers eventually discovered that the same treatment that protected against these weapons could help with lead poisoning. Once the benefits of using chelation to treat lead levels were detected, the therapy became more commonly used for children who are particularly at risk for lead poisoning. Most children will undergo regular blood testing for lead levels during well-child visits with a pediatrician as a part of their standard blood work.

Advancements in safety procedures over the following decades made the therapy more reliable and safer. Additional improvements include the use of more effective drugs or adapting the levels of the drugs used. Better testing after treatment has also made the therapy safer for all patients. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for chelation therapy continues to change frequently. The oversight organization has removed its approval from some chelation drugs over the last few decades. The removal of FDA credentials is common when safer or more effective options are discovered. Research continues into the potential benefits of other medications and alternative possible other uses for the therapy.

Risks of Self Treatment

Patients should only allow a licensed medical doctor to perform chelation therapy. The FDA has never approved any at-home treatment kits or heavy metal blood testing kits. Any company selling these kits or devices to people who do not have a prescription is acting outside legal regulations. At-home treatment could cause severe health complications, even possible fatalities. Home testing, though not directly dangerous, can produce inaccurate results. People can become harmed if they do not get the medical care they need based on these results.