What Is Chelation Therapy?

Chelation therapy is a treatment designed to remove harmful minerals and waste products from the body. It is administered via intravenous infusion using a specific medication known as a chelating agent.

The word “chelation” originates from the Greek word chele, meaning “claw,” referencing how the agent “grabs onto” heavy metals in the body—much like a crab claw—and binds with them for elimination. Once infused, the chelating agent forms complexes with these toxic metals, allowing them to be safely excreted from the body.

In the United States, chelation therapy has been practiced for over 50 years as a clinically recognized treatment, particularly for improving arterial health and preventing conditions such as strokes and heart attacks.

Chelation therapy has been widely practiced in the United States for over 50 years and is regarded as a reliable and evidence-based form of complementary medicine for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.

In a country like the U.S., where myocardial infarction remains a leading cause of death, there is significant interest in this therapy. A clinical study involving 24,000 cases reported clinical improvement in 88% of heart disease patients treated with chelation therapy (Cappell LT. J Adv Med, 1993).

Moreover, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched a large-scale clinical trial in April 2003 to evaluate chelation therapy’s efficacy in treating coronary artery disease. The results, published later, demonstrated its therapeutic potential.

Going forward, chelation therapy is expected to become a key modality not only in the U.S. but globally—as a central pillar in both cardiovascular disease prevention and advanced aging care.