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Chelation and Autism Ranking: Mildly Hazardous Insufficient/Mixed evidence

Key Features

Chelation involves using one or more chemicals or other substances to correct chemical imbalances in the bodies of individuals with autism.

Chelating agents

There is a wide range of different chelating agents, each of which has different properties (such as effectiveness and side effects).

They include

  • Alpha lipoic acid, aka dihydrolipoic acid, lipoic acid, lipolate or thiotic acid.
  • Cysteine, aka acetylcysteine, cystein, cystin, L-cysteine, N-acetylcysteine or NAC.
  • DMSA, aka chemet, dimercaptosuccinic acid or succimer
  • DMPS, aka 2,3-Dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid or sodium dimercaptopropanesulfonate
  • EDTA, aka H4EDTA, diaminoethanetetraacetic acid, edetic acid, edetate, ethylenedinitrilotetraacetic acid, tetrine acid, trilon BS, vinkeil 100, versene acid or warkeelate acid
  • NDF, aka nanocolloidal detox factors
  • TTFD, aka thiamine tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide - a form of thiamine (vitamin B-1)
  • Zeolite, aka cellular zeolite

However not all chelating practitioners agree as to which of these chelating agents is appropriate to use. For example, Defeat Autism Now! states that cysteine should not be used because it may worsen mercury intoxication by spreading it to other tissues. It may also promote or worsen intestinal candidiasis.

Process

Different practitioners of chelation follow different processes. The following processes are those recommended by Defeat Autism Now! in its Mercury Detoxification Consensus Group position paper of 2005.

First stage: Provocation Test

The purpose of the provocation test is to find out if a toxic metal is present in the body, and if the given chelating agent can remove it.
This is done by using a small dose of a given chemical, such as DMSA, followed by a collection of urine or stool depending on the mode of excretion.

Second stage Pre-Detoxification Treatment

  • All sources of the metal are removed from the immediate environment of the child e.g. mercury or lead based paint, flame retardant materials, water which contains uranium.
  • Existing nutritional problems are corrected e.g. the practitioner checks that the child has sufficient vitamins, minerals and amino acids, especially zinc.
  • Glutathione, an anti-oxidant peptide, levels are normalised (usually by giving the child glutathione supplements).
  • Any existing gastro-intestinal problems, such as constipation, diarrohea, bacterial and yeast infections, are corrected. If this is not done, the adverse side effects of the therapy may be made worse e.g. explosive growth of abnormal or pathogenic bacteria or fungi.
  • Liver, kidney and Complete Blood Count are monitored before and during detoxification. Some chelating agents can adversely affect liver/kidney function, platelet count, and lymphocytes.

Third stage  Treatment

The third and last stage of treatment is to give full doses of the chelating agent, along with supplements of minerals and vitamins.

Depending on the chelating agent, it may be given orally, by intravenous infusion, or in the form of nasal sprays, suppositories or creams.

The dosage is determined by the individual's reaction to the initial testing and to subsequent doses of the chelating agent.

Updated
16 Jun 2022
Last Review
01 Dec 2016
Next Review
01 Apr 2023