The attenuations are prepared from anhydrous Citric acid, C6H8O7, MW: 192.1.

An active factor in the Citric Acid cycle and in redox systems. Impregnation phases of all kinds, also asthma, angina pectoris, pruritus, skin diseases, psoriasis, precancerous states and in neoplasm phases (especially in the early stages), to improve cell-respiration.
Difficult respiration, aggravated on becoming warm, is typical. As in Carbo Vegetabilis, the patient constantly desires fresh air. Thus Citric Acid has a close affinity for respiratory disturbances in the case of tumours, and is also indicated for cancer pains (Boericke).
The patient makes grandiose plans, with steadily increasing cheerfulness and decreasing energy. Alcohol and sugar disagree.
Arteriosclerosis with lapses of memory.
Citric Acid is also helpful in certain complaints arising from Vitamin C deficiency; in spite of a high level of care, children fail to thrive and the oxygenisation of the tissues is insufficient. Old people are only half-awake and repeat every question ten times.
Also characteristic is a total loss of libido. Impotence in men. Infertility. Frigidity. Post-gonorrhoeal state. Hands and feet are cold and damp. Consequences of overdosing with Vitamin D. Dental problems and gingivitis. Scurvy. Blackening of teeth and heavy deposits of dental plaque.
The German Monograph-Preparation Commission for the Homoeopathic Field of Therapy has, under the Preparation Monograph for Acidum citricum, published the following indication(s) in the German Bundesanzeiger (German Federal Gazette) for acidum citricum: bleeding gums; tabetic disorders.
The drug picture of Acidum citricum was composed in March 1996 by David Riley, M.D., Santa Fe (New Mexico), USA.
The most important symptoms from David Riley’s drug proving were:
Essential Characteristics
Generalized sensation of heat or in the face with fever and sweating. Cramping in the chest, abdomen, and uterus. Improvement of the symptom of heartburn.
Mental dullness. Flushes of heat. Temple pain. Heat in the face. Nausea. Abdominal pain. Painful uterine cramping.
Mind
Dullness and forgetfulness. Fear of poverty. Weakness of memory for recent thoughts. Weeping during the menses. Dreams of running.
Generalities
HEAT: flushes of heat, in the afternoon, or the general sensation of heat with perspiration. Sluggishness of the body as if sick.
Head
Sensation of fullness. Lancinating pain is ameliorated by lying down but worse with motion or with stooping. Pain is localized in the temples. Pain also felt on the sides of the head, pressure ameliorates the pain. Pressing pain in the forehead as from sinuses. Throbbing, pulsating pain in the temples, and worse on waking.
Eye
Discharge of gluey mucus on waking in the morning. Sensitivity to motion or touch.
Ear
Itching in the right ear that is not ameliorated by boring in the ear. Ringing noises in the evening.
Nose Sneezing. Face Heat or flushes of heat in the face, neck, and head. Clenched jaw and tightness of jaw. Herpetic or fever blister eruptions about the mouth and lips.
Mouth
Dryness. Painful, herpetic vesicles around the lips.
Stomach
Nausea ameliorated in the open air, or with vomiting. Heartburn improves. Appetite increased.
Abdomen
Pain. Cramping pain in the umbilical region ameliorated from passing flatus or after stool. Cutting pain at midnight causing her to bend double. Distension.
Rectum
No urging for bowel movement.
Stool
Stickiness of feces.
Bladder
Burning pain without urination. Ineffectual urge to urinate.
Urine
Brown in color. Offensive odor. Genitalia, Female
Menses that is copious, too early, or late. Painful uterine cramping, during menses or improvement of that symptom.
Cough
Dry, painful, hacking cough.
Chest
Sharp crampy pain aggravated by deep breathing. Stitching pain in the left side worse on lying down. Rapid heart beat as if running.
Back
Aching pain in the cervical and dorsal regions improves. Cutting pain in the lumbar region.
Extremities
Incoordination and awkwardness as if off balance and drops things.
Sleep
Sleepiness in the afternoon. Sleeplessness from hardness of the bed.

Fever
Feeling of heat off and on throughout the day.
Perspiration
Awakes in a cold sweat at night. Perspiring when cold. Offensive perspiration. Perspiration leaves yellow stains on the clothing.
Skin
Greasy and oily.

Salt is essential for life — you cannot live without it. However, most people simply don’t realize that there are enormous differences between the standard, refined table and cooking salt most of you are accustomed to using and natural health-promoting salt.

These differences can have a major impact on your staying healthy.

If you want your body to function properly, you need holistic salt complete with all-natural elements. Today’s common table salt has nothing in common with natural salt.

Your table salt is actually 97.5% sodium chloride and 2.5% chemicals such as moisture absorbents, and iodine. Dried at over 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, the excessive heat alters the natural chemical structure of the salt.

This Salt Is Over 250 Million Years Old

This is by far the purest salt available on earth and is absolutely uncontaminated with any toxins or pollutants.

Once I learned about it and how beneficial it can be for you, my team and I literally spent nearly two years working on having it brought over to the US.

I thought I would be able to provide this salt last year but to say obtaining this salt is difficult would be an enormous understatement. You see, the suppliers of this salt have no standard infrastructure available and we have to work through people that have no idea of how normal business operates.

The shipment had to go through a number of different countries before we were finally able to import it into the US so you can use it.

Quite truthfully, all the bugs are not worked out in the supply system, and we may sell out of this salt very quickly because of all its incredible benefits — that’s why, if you are interested I encourage you to place your order as soon as possible! If we do sell out this supply early, if our past experience is any predictor of the future it may be 6 months to a year before we are able to have more to sell to you. I have never in my life seen a product that has been this challenging to obtain.

This salt from the Himalayas is known as “white gold.” Together with pure spring water, Himalayan Crystal Salt offers all the natural elements exactly identical to the elements in your body — the very same elements originally found existing in the “primal sea.”

Containing all of the 84 elements found in your body, the benefits of natural Himalayan Crystal Salt include:

• Regulating the water content throughout your body
• Promoting healthy pH balance in your cells, particularly your brain cells
• Promoting blood sugar health and helping to reduce the signs of aging
• Assisting in the generation of hydroelectric energy in cells in your body
• Absorption of food particles through your intestinal tract
• Supporting respiratory health
• Promoting sinus health
• Prevention of muscle cramps
• Promoting bone strength
• Regulating your sleep — it naturally promotes sleep
• Supporting your libido
• Promoting vascular health
• In conjunction with water, it is actually essential for the regulation of your blood pressure

The Typical Table and Cooking Salt in Your Grocery Store Has Been ‘Chemically Cleaned’

What remains after typical salt is “chemically cleaned” is sodium chloride — an unnatural chemical form of salt that your body recognizes as something completely foreign. This form of salt is in almost every preserved product that you eat. Therefore, when you add more salt to your already salted food, your body receives more salt than it can dispose of.

Salt
This is important as over 90% of the money that people spend on food is for processed food.

Typical table salt crystals are totally isolated from each other. In order for your body to try to metabolize table salt crystals, it must sacrifice tremendous amounts of energy.

Inorganic sodium chloride can keep you from an ideal fluid balance and can overburden your elimination systems.

When your body tries to isolate the excess salt you typically expose it to, water molecules must surround the sodium chloride to break them up into sodium and chloride ions in order to help your body neutralize them. To accomplish this, water is taken from your cells in order to neutralize the unnatural sodium chloride.

This results in a less-than-ideal fluid balance in the cells.

You Are Losing Precious Intracellular Water When You Eat Normal Table Salt

For every gram of sodium chloride that your body cannot get rid of, your body uses 23 times the amount of cell water to neutralize the salt. Eating common table salt causes excess fluid in your body tissue, which can contribute to:

• Unsightly cellulite
• Rheumatism, arthritis and gout
• Kidney and gall bladder stones

When you consider that the average person consumes 4,000 to 6,000 mg of sodium chloride each day, and heavy users can ingest as much as 10,000 mg in a day, it is clear that this is a serious and pervasive issue.

So Why Are Many People Still Using Table Salt?

Because well over 90% of the world’s salt is being used directly for industrial purposes that require pure sodium chloride. The remaining percentage is used for preserving processes and ends up on your kitchen table.

With the use of rigorous advertising, the salt industry is successful in convincing you there are actually health advantages to adding potentially toxic iodine and fluoride to salt. In addition, your table salt very often contains potentially dangerous preservatives. Calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, and aluminum hydroxide are often added to improve the ability of table salt to pour. Aluminum is a light alloy that deposits into your brain — a potential cause of Alzheimer’s disease.

Get Salt as Nature Intended It — Pure Himalayan Crystal Salt

Today’s table and cooking salt is void of the vital trace minerals that make this Himalayan crystal salt so precious. Crystal salt has spent over 250 million years maturing under extreme tectonic pressure, far away from exposure to impurities.

The salt’s unique structure also stores vibrational energy. All of the crystal salt’s inherent minerals and trace elements are available in colloidal form — meaning they are so small your cells can readily absorb them.

The Crystal Salt from the Himalayas does not burden your body as other salts do. It is very difficult for your body to absorb too much crystal salt since there are powerful and effective feedback loops that regulate this process. Natural crystal salt always promotes a healthy balance and does not contribute to high blood pressure like typical table salt.

Crystal Salt’s array of elements forms a compound in which each molecule is inter-connected. The connectedness allows the vibrational component of the 84 trace elements present in the salt to be in harmony with each other and adds to the ability to promote a healthy balance. When it comes to the power of natural salt, nothing compares to Himalayan Crystal Salt. Here’s why:

• It is the highest grade of natural salt.

• Under an electron microscope, crystal salt has a perfect crystalline structure.

• It is mined by hand and hand-washed.

• Crystal salt is immune to electromagnetic fields

• Crystal Salt contains no environmental pollutants.

• There is no limited shelf life and no need for silica packets to prevent clumping.

A New and Different Way to Experience the Salty-Sweet Goodness of Himalayan Crystal Salt

Not only is Himalayan Crystal Salt far healthier for your body than commercial salt, its taste is unforgettable. Once you try Himalayan salt, I can promise you that you’ll never want to use commercial salt again – I know I don’t.
And here’s a unique way to enjoy Himalayan salt’s slightly sweet-salty goodness with your food…

Featured on several top cooking shows, Himalayan Salt kitchen slabs have become the newest sensation for extraordinary food preparation and presentation.

Measuring a generous 16-1/2 inches by 8 inches, 1-3/4 inch thick and 12.8 pounds, this beautiful translucent pink crystal salt slab serves as a cooking and curing surface, and a lovely way to present chilled foods.

To grill or sauté with your Himalayan Salt Kitchen Slab, simply preheat your slab over a grill or stove and toss on your favorite sliced meats, seafood, vegetables or eggs. The Himalayan crystal salt sears your food to perfection, with a just a light touch of heavenly salty flavor.

Key Minerals in Himalayan Crystal Salt Promote a Healthy Balance in Your Body

Himalayan Crystal Salt is salt in its native form, with all its vibrational energy intact and it helps promote a healthy balance in your body. Promoting balanced electrolytes helps to keep your body in homeostasis — the balance of chemicals that is conducive to the body’s function.

The renowned Frezenius Institute in Europe analyzed the Himalayan Crystal Salt and proved that it has an amazing array of important trace minerals and elements including potassium, calcium and magnesium that help promote a healthy balance by maintaining fluids and replenishing your supply of electrolytes whenever you sweat heavily. (This salt does not supply iodide, a necessary nutrient.)

Himalayan Salt vs. Sea Salt and Rock Salt: A Crystal Comparison

Many people believe sea salt is a healthy alternative to table salt, but this is no longer the case. The oceans are being used as dumping grounds for harmful toxic poisons like mercury, PCBs and dioxin. Reports of oil spills polluting the sea are becoming more frequent. With some 89% of all the sea salt producers now refining their salt, today’s sea salt simply isn’t as healthy as it used to be.

If you were to look into a microscope at sea salt, you would see it has irregular and isolated crystalline structures disconnected from the natural elements surrounding them. Thus, however many vital minerals it may contain, they cannot be absorbed by your body unless the body expends tremendous energy to vitalize them. Your body’s net gain is small compared to the great loss of energy.

Because the crystalline structure of crystal salt is balanced, it is not isolated from the 84 inherent mineral elements, but is connected to them in a harmonious state. This means the energy content in the form of minerals can be easily metabolized by your body. When you use this salt, it has a vital energetic effect. Your body gets an ample net gain with little energy loss.

Mined salt, or rock salt, is also a poor substitute for Himalayan Crystal Salt. While natural rock salt comes close to being intact and is more valuable than industrial table salt, from a biophysical as well as bio-chemical perspective, it holds little value.

The elements contained in rock salt lack sufficient compression to be included in the crystal web, but are only attached to the surface and in the gaps of the crystalline structure. It is the considerable pressure that brings the elements to a colloidal state – where your cells can readily absorb them. The valuable elements found in rock salt are useless because your body cannot absorb and metabolize them.

You Can Also Use Himalayan Crystal Salt as a Bath Soak

Besides using this salt on your food and to cook with, it has multiple other exciting benefits as well.

I highly recommend you regularly use the Himalayan Bath Salt, because when you take a “brine bath,” the Himalyan salt’s healthy minerals are stored in the form of ions. This stimulation rejuvenates your skin, which is beneficial for everyone.

Himalayan salt has multiple other uses for your skin as well, which you can tap by integrating it with other natural approaches. It really has an amazing untapped potential that has not yet been recognized. Learn More about Himalayan Bath Salts by calling 973-736-5300 and making your appointment at Integrative Medicine of New Jersey.

Definition

EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) is a transparent, water-soluble compound first synthesized in 1935. It belongs to a class of molecules called chelators (from the Greek word chelé, meaning “claw”) that bind – chelate – metals [1+].

How Does It Work?

EDTA binds minerals and it is especially attracted to those with a +2 or +3 charge. This includes toxic heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and chromium, trace elements like aluminum, and essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, copper, and zinc [2].

Given orally, the gut barely absorbs any EDTA. Given through an IV, EDTA travels through the blood without entering the cells. It is then flushed with the metals bound to it via the urine [3].

This allows the use of EDTA chelation therapy – it will sweep heavy metals or other minerals out of the body.

History of Use

After World War II, many navy personnel developed lead poisoning from the paint in ship hulls. Doctors found that EDTA helped. Therefore, it was encouraged as the standard therapy for lead poisoning [1+, 4].

Shortly after, in the ’50s, claims about EDTA preventing heart disease started to spread. Presumably, EDTA offered benefits by reducing calcium buildup in the vessels. This theory was debunked, and new ones around its free radical scavenging abilities started to emerge.

Is this the same EDTA that binds lead? Not quite. Let’s take a look at the two commonly-used EDTA salts [1+]:

• Calcium disodium EDTA: often called simply calcium EDTA. This form is approved for lead poisoning.
• Disodium EDTA: more effective at removing calcium. This is the form used for heart disease.

Calcium EDTA is approved by the FDA for lead poisoning since 1950. Disodium EDTA was approved for excess blood calcium and irregular heart rate but was withdrawn in 2008 due to its risk of causing mineral deficiencies. It’s currently only available at compound pharmacies [1+, 5+].

Controversial Health Claims

Despite the weak evidence (or lack thereof), alternative doctors sometimes recommend calcium or disodium EDTA for:

• Clogged arteries and heart disease
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Diabetes
• Brain disorders
• Cancer

Given the risks of taking EDTA without medical supervision or for non-approved uses, the FDA issued a warning about over-the-counter chelation supplements in 2010 [6+].

Can You Get It from Food?

As a synthetic compound, EDTA is not naturally found in food. However, the FDA allows the use of calcium EDTA as a preservative in many foods, including [7]:

• Pickled vegetables
• Canned cooked legumes and seafood
• Soft and alcoholic drinks
• Sauces and dressings

Additionally, iron EDTA is used to increase the iron content of foods such as [8]:

• Breakfast cereals
• Wheat and maize flour
• Fish and soy sauce
• Curry powder
• Vegetable oil
• Spiced vinegar

Nevertheless, it’s added in small amounts and less than 5% is absorbed. You are unlikely to get the purported health benefits of EDTA by eating these foods [4].

EDTA Uses & Benefits

Effective for:

Lead Poisoning

Calcium EDTA has been the standard therapy for lead poisoning for over 60 years. Its ability to lower blood lead levels is a solid fact [9+, 10+, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16].

Long-term lead poisoning often causes kidney damage, especially in diabetics. Calcium EDTA slowed kidney injury caused by lead exposure in 6 studies on over 200 otherwise healthy people and almost 600 diabetics [17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22].

It was also effective in a man with brain damage from lead poisoning [23].

Lead chelation is even faster and more effective when EDTA is combined with another chelator (BAL) [24+].

A potential risk of EDTA is that it may redistribute the lead (and cadmium) trapped in the bones to the brain. To prevent this, it’s combined with DMSA, which removes heavy metals from soft tissues [25].

Other Uses

Other common medical uses of EDTA include:

• Improving an eye disease with calcium buildup (band keratopathy) [26]
• Removing the calcium smear layer on the teeth after dental procedures [27]
• Preserving liquids (eye drops, sedatives, cosmetics) [28, 29]
• Evaluating kidney function (measuring EDTA blood clearance) [30]
• Preventing clotting in blood samples in labs [31]
• Preventing bacterial biofilm formation in implants and medical devices [32]

Insufficient Evidence for:

Poisoning with Other Heavy Metals

Heavy metals – such as cadmium, arsenic, and mercury – pollute the food, water, air, and soil. If they build up in the body, they can seriously damage tissues. EDTA chelation therapy may increase their flushing with the urine and reduce toxicity symptoms. However, EDTA is not approved for poisoning with any of these metals due to the scarcity of studies testing its effectiveness [33, 3].

Cadmium

Calcium EDTA chelates cadmium and reduced its levels in a few studies in poisoned humans and mice. Because cadmium is very toxic to the kidneys, EDTA may be combined with glutathione to reduce kidney damage. However, chelation therapy is not approved for cadmium poisoning. Prevention of cadmium exposure and stomach decontamination by lavage or vomiting soon after ingestion are the most common measures to manage cadmium poisoning [34+, 2, 35, 36, 37+, 38].

Other Metals

Manganese buildup damages brain cells and causes symptoms similar to those of Parkinson’s. Calcium EDTA helped flush manganese in 33 poisoned people, but a different drug (PAS) is more effective at improving the symptoms [39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44+, 45].

Calcium EDTA removed aluminum and improved brain damage symptoms in 2 trials on over 200 people with aluminum poisoning. Its combination with an antioxidant (Cellfood) also protected the brain from free radicals. However, aluminum poisoning is more commonly resolved with deferoxamine [46, 47, 48].

EDTA has been reported to improve mercury poisoning and can theoretically help with hereditary copper excess (Wilson’s disease), but other chelators (D-penicillamine and trientine) are more efficient [49, 3, 50, 51].

Heart Disease

Heavy metal exposure increases the risk of heart disease. Heavy metals increase free radicals, damage blood vessels, and block the production of beneficial molecules (NO and hemoglobin) [52, 53+, 54+].

High lead and cadmium exposure were linked with increased blood pressure, artery clogging, and heart failure in studies on over 40K people and a meta-analysis of 30 studies [55, 56, 57, 58, 59].

According to studies on over 35K people, the excess of copper, iron, and calcium may also increase the risk of heart disease [60, 61, 62].

The capacity of EDTA to chelate these minerals and promote their flushing encouraged its use for preventing heart disease [2, 63].

Clogged Arteries

In 2 clinical trials on over 100 people with coronary heart disease, disodium EDTA had no effect on blood vessel health, exercise capacity, or quality of life. EDTA only worked as an add-on to antibiotics (tetracycline) and other supplements. The combination reduced blood vessel calcification, blood triglycerides, and cholesterol, and chest pain in a trial on 77 people [64, 65, 66].

EDTA reduced muscle fatigue in a small trial on 10 people with cut off leg blood flow and muscle cramps (intermittent claudication), but not in 3 trials on over 300 people. In 2 other trials on 88 people, it increased lead and zinc flushing but had no effect on other metals and blood fats [67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72].

Nanoparticles with EDTA and a polyphenol (pentagalloyl glucose) helped rats with aortic aneurysms: abnormal bulges in the artery that carries blood from the heart. The combination reduced calcium deposits in the artery [73].

Three meta-analyses concluded the evidence is insufficient to recommend chelation for clogged arteries. They highlighted the potential risks, especially when used instead of proven therapies [74, 75, 76].

Complications after a Heart Attack

Disodium EDTA slightly reduced the risk of heart complications and death in a trial on over 1.7K people with a history of heart attacks; out of them, it offered stronger benefits to those with diabetes or taking high doses of vitamins, but didn’t improve fitness or general health in 900 symptom-free people [77, 78, 79, 80].

Given the promising findings of this trial in diabetic people, a new one aiming to replicate the results is underway.

Irregular Heart Rate

EDTA restored normal heart rate in people with heart disease or poisoning with foxglove (digitalis) in several trials from the 60s. Foxglove is no longer used for heart disease, while rare cases of poisoning are treated with specific antibodies [81+, 82+, 83+, 84+, 85].

Diabetic Complications

Metals such as copper and iron can build up in the tissues in people with diabetes. They create free radicals, which form toxic molecules (called glycation end-products) responsible for many health complications. EDTA has been suggested to help by chelating these metals. However, the existing evidence is insufficient to support the role of EDTA in preventing diabetic complications [86, 87+].

Heart Damage

The effect of disodium EDTA at preventing complications in a trial on over 1.7K people with a history of heart attack was stronger in those with diabetes [88, 79, 78].

Copper chelation reduced the levels of this metal and improved heart failure in 2 clinical trials on 68 diabetic people and had similar results in rats. Other chelators were used in these trials, but EDTA can also bind copper [89, 90, 91, 92].

Cataracts

Both EDTA and another chelator (citric acid) prevented cataracts in rats and cells by blocking free radical formation [93, 94].

Multiple Sclerosis

A mix of genetic and environmental factors, one of them being poisoning with heavy metals, is believed to cause multiple sclerosis [95+, 96].

A study on over 200 people found aluminum poisoning in most of those with multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases. Calcium EDTA reduced the levels of this metal (as well as mercury and gadolinium) in over 200 people with multiple sclerosis, slightly improving the symptoms [46, 96, 97].

In an old trial on 9 people with this condition, disodium EDTA improved symptoms such as vision loss, involuntary eye movements, and eye nerve palsy [98].

Both EDTA and another chelator (clioquinol) reduced inflammation, nerve damage, and multiple sclerosis progression in mice [99, 100].

Two clinical trials and two studies in mice cannot be considered sufficient evidence that EDTA helps with multiple sclerosis. Further clinical research is needed.

Skin Conditions

In scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disorder, an excess of collagen and calcium hardens the skin and soft tissues. Old studies report improvements with disodium EDTA. However, another chelator (D-penicillamine) is more commonly used nowadays [101+, 102+, 103+, 104+, 105+, 106+, 107+, 108].

In a clinical trial on 12 people and studies in rats, both a washing kit and a cream with disodium EDTA effectively removed radioactive contaminants from the skin. Larger, more robust clinical trials are needed to confirm this preliminary finding [109, 110].

EDTA prevents the growth of bacterial biofilms, which allows its use in wound care. Wound irrigation solutions, gels, and dressings with EDTA killed skin microbes and reduced wound contamination in rats and test tubes. Studies in humans are needed to confirm the potential use of EDTA in wound care [111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116].

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Calcium chelation has been suggested as a therapy for arthritis based on the belief that it stimulates parathyroid hormone production and bone formation. Another proposed mechanism for arthritis is immune system damage by heavy metals such as lead and cadmium.

Some cases report improvements in rheumatoid arthritis and increased flushing of calcium and heavy metals with EDTA [117+, 118+, 119].

Iron buildup in the joints may worsen inflammation in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Its chelation improved this condition in humans and rats, but iron chelators other than EDTA are preferable [120, 121, 122+].

To sum up, the evidence to support the use of EDTA in people with rheumatoid arthritis is anecdotal and clearly insufficient.

Cancer

Below, we will discuss some preliminary research on EDTA’s anticancer activity. Because only a small clinical trial and three animal and cell studies have been conducted, the evidence is insufficient. Do not under any circumstances attempt to replace conventional cancer therapies with EDTA or any other unproven methods.

In a trial on 9 women with ovarian cancer given a radiotherapeutic drug, EDTA prevented its uptake into the bones. This protected the bone marrow and allowed the use of higher radiotherapy doses. It had similar effects in mice [123, 124].

In rats with colon cancer and in ovarian cancer cells, EDTA increased the effect of an anticancer drug (cisplatin) [125, 126].

After the removal of bladder tumors in mice, EDTA prevented floating cancer cells from binding to healthy tissues and forming new tumors [127].

Lack of Evidence for:

Alzheimer’s Disease

The use of chelators for Alzheimer’s is partly based on the belief that the condition is caused by the brain buildup of aluminum from drinking water, pots, foods, and deodorants. However, a recent review suggests such claims are highly doubtful [128].

Nevertheless, aluminum and other metals such as copper, zinc, and iron do build up in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s – more so as the condition progresses. But environmental exposure is not the culprit. Instead, Alzheimer’s alters the transport of these metals within the body [129, 130].

These metals may promote the formation of beta-amyloid plaques and free radicals in the brain. Chelation therapy has been suggested to prevent them from worsening Alzheimer’s, although no studies with EDTA have been carried out [131].

Three similar chelators (clioquinol, PBT2, and PA1637) slightly reduced beta-amyloid buildup and slowed brain damage in people and mice with Alzheimer’s. Researchers abandoned further trials with clioquinol because the other two were more promising [132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138].

Possibly Ineffective for:

Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s causes iron buildup in the brain, which worsens free radical brain cell damage. Different iron chelators (deferoxamine and deferiprone) slightly improved the symptoms in people with this condition [139, 140, 141].

EDTA can also bind iron but doesn’t engulf it completely – instead, it forms a ‘basket’ around this metal, which allows it to produce free radicals [122+].

Copper chelation has also been suggested as a strategy for Parkinson’s. However, the approach failed to prevent this condition and even worsened it in mice [142, 143+, 144, 145].

All in all, limited evidence suggests that EDTA doesn’t improve Parkinson’s disease.

Autism

In 6 studies on over 500 children, those with autism had higher levels of heavy metals (especially lead and mercury) in the blood and hair but lower in urine. Additional analyses found the evidence weak altogether [146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153].

Importantly, a study on over 1k children debunked the myth that thimerosal, a preservative with mercury often found in vaccines, causes autism [154].

There are no studies investigating EDTA for autism, but a few tested other chelators. Some of them reported a slight autism improvement [155, 156, 146, 157, 158, 159, 160].

The studies included only a small number of children and suffered from design flaws. All in all, evidence is lacking to support chelation therapy for autism. Despite this, alternative practitioners often recommend it [161, 162+].

To make matters worse, the protocol can also be dangerous. Chelation therapy with EDTA caused an autistic child to die from calcium deficiency [163].

To sum up, there is no evidence backing the use of EDTA (or any other chelators) to improve Alzheimer’s and this therapy could even be dangerous.

EDTA Supplements & Formulations

EDTA is most commonly used as an injectable calcium EDTA solution for lead poisoning. Injectable disodium EDTA also exists but is no longer approved by the FDA. Remember that chelation therapy is only recommended for treating heavy metal poisoning, where the benefits greatly outweigh the risks [1+].

Topical creams and suppositories are also sold for heavy metal detox. There is not enough research about them and their use is not approved by the FDA. You may use these creams if you and your doctor determine that they may be helpful in your case [110, 164].

Oral calcium and disodium EDTA supplements are advertised as cheaper alternatives to injected EDTA despite the lack of evidence of their effectiveness.

Oral EDTA improved lead poisoning in an old study on 5 children, but much less than injected forms. In a more recent study in 8 adults, it was ineffective at reducing iron uptake. These results are not surprising, given how little EDTA is absorbed in the gut [165+, 166, 4].

Other formulations include:

• Ointments for skin irritation [167]
• Eye drops [26]
• Topical gels and creams for dental procedures [168]

Dosage

EDTA is only approved for lead poisoning. A typical dose is 2 g infused calcium EDTA per week. In severe cases, it may be raised to 30-50 mg/kg per day combined with oral DMSA [33, 1+].

Because EDTA has no other approved uses and has been insufficiently tested, there are no official or even proven doses for most conditions. In clinical trials on people with heart disease, a dose of 3 g infused disodium EDTA per week was used [169].

Oral Chelation Protocol

Oral EDTA supplements are cheaper but also much less effective than injected forms. Because heavy metal poisoning is a serious condition, consult a doctor instead of self-medicating with oral EDTA.

If you and your doctor determine that you may use oral EDTA, supplement manufacturers recommend 2-3 capsules/day along with the following:

• Increase your mineral intake through diet or supplements.
• Take EDTA at least 2 hours apart from meals or supplements to reduce mineral loss.
• Combine cycles of 6 weeks on with 2 weeks off to replenish minerals.

EGTA vs EDTA

Egtazic acid (EGTA) is a chelator with a similar structure to EDTA. While EDTA is similarly attracted to calcium and magnesium, EGTA binds calcium more specifically. In turn, EGTA is more likely to cause calcium deficiency. It has one advantage: removing the smear layer from the teeth without lowering the magnesium content of enamel [170+].

Aloe vera gel is widely known to relieve sunburn and help heal wounds. But did you know that your favorite potted plant can be used for much more than sunburn relief and household décor?

The succulent has a long history of being used for medicinal purposes, dating back to ancient Egypt. The plant is native to North Africa, Southern Europe, and the Canary Islands. Today, aloe vera is grown in tropical climates worldwide. From relieving heartburn to potentially slowing the spread of breast cancer, researchers are just beginning to unlock the benefits of this universal plant and its many byproducts.

Heartburn relief
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a digestive disorder that often results in heartburn. A 2010 review suggested that consuming 1 to 3 ounces of aloe gel at mealtime could reduce the severity of GERD. It may also ease other digestion-related problems. The plant’s low toxicity makes it a safe and gentle remedy for heartburn.

Keeping produce fresh
A 2014 study published online by the Cambridge University Press looked at tomato plants coated with aloe gel. The report showed evidence that the coating successfully blocked the growth of many types of harmful bacteria on the vegetables. Similar results were found in a different study with apples. This means that aloe gel could help fruits and vegetables stay fresh, and eliminate the need for dangerous chemicals that extend the shelf life of produce.

An alternative to mouthwash
In a 2014 studyTrusted Source published in the Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences, researchers found aloe vera extract to be a safe and effective alternative to chemical-based mouthwashes. The plant’s natural ingredients, which include a healthy dose of vitamin C, can block plaque. It can also provide relief if you have bleeding or swollen gums.

Lowering your blood sugar
Ingesting two tablespoons of aloe vera juice per day can cause blood sugar levels to fall in people with type 2 diabetes, according to a studyTrusted Source in Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopharmacy. This could mean that aloe vera may have a future in diabetes treatment. These results were confirmed by another studyTrusted Source published in Phytotherapy Research that used pulp extract.

A natural laxative
Aloe vera is considered a natural laxative. A handful of studies have looked into the benefits of the succulent to aid digestion. The results appear to be mixed.

A team of Nigerian scientists conducted a study on rats and found that gel made from typical aloe vera houseplants was able to relieve constipation. But another study by the National Institutes of Health looked at the consumption of aloe vera whole-leave extract. Those findings revealed tumor growth in the large intestines of laboratory rats.

In 2002, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration required that all over-the-counter aloe laxative products be removed from the U.S. market or be reformulated.

The Mayo Clinic recommends that aloe vera can be used to relieve constipation, but sparingly. They advise that a dose of 0.04 to 0.17 grams of dried juice is sufficient.

If you have Crohn’s disease, colitis, or hemorrhoids you shouldn’t consume aloe vera. It can cause severe abdominal cramps and diarrhea. You should stop taking aloe vera if you’re taking other medications. It may decrease your body’s ability to absorb the drugs.

Skin care
You can use aloe vera to keep your skin clear and hydrated. This may be because the plant thrives in dry, unstable climates. To survive the harsh conditions, the plant’s leaves store water. These water-dense leaves, combined with special plant compounds called complex carbohydrates, make it an effective face moisturizer and pain reliever.

Potential to fight breast cancer
A new study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine looked at the therapeutic properties of aloe emodin, a compound in the plant’s leaves. The authors suggest that the succulent shows potential in slowing the growth of breast cancer. However, more studies are needed to further advance this theory.