Today it is imperative for anyone with high blood pressure, heart disease, prostate issues, cardiovascular disease, chronic fatigue, or cancer, to rid the body of heavy metals. Heavy metal toxins such as lead, mercury, aluminum, cadmium and arsenic, have been clinically proven to damage and cause dysfunction in the lining of the arteries. Numerous established studies have confirmed that an impaired endothelial function (within the lining of the arteries) is linked to all major coronary heart diseases. Heart Disease is the end result of injury that started at the extremely thin layer of endothelial cells that line the inside surface of the heart and blood vessel walls.

Atherosclerosis is the main cause for heart attack and strokes. The endothelium is inner lining of blood vessels. This lining tissue generates the powerful arterial vessel dilator nitric oxide (N.O.). The endothelium also produces prostacyclin which slows the clotting of blood and also causes beneficial dilating of arteries. The third important endothelial product is heparin which prevents clots from forming without causing bleeding. Excessive deposition of heavy metals in the endothelium diminishes the endothelium’s ability to produce nitric oxide, prostacyclin, and heparin. *Iron and the sex differences in heart disease risk, Lancet, 1981 June 13; 1(8233):1293-1294

One of these problem metals, mercury, is known to cause damage to enzymes so mercury removal should be beneficial. Removal of these metals appears to result in improved delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the tissues of the body. The theory of EDTA removing the solid sticky plaque with a unique mechanism, and dangerous solids being converted to a liquid, then transported away to be eliminated as a natural, normal phenomenon of body chemistry is still held by some. It does appear however that the discovery of N.O. production increasing with EDTA chelation is exactly what is happening, and that the excess plaque is removed through normal metabolic functions due to the body achieving a new level of homeostasis. This affords a possible explanation for the beneficial effects of chelation. In addition, EDTA blocks the slow calcium currents in the arterial wall, resulting in arterial vasodilation.

In 1999, Dr. Valentin Fuster, M.D. published a book called The Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Plaque. Dr. Fuster was at the time the President of The American Heart Association, and also was and still is the Chairman of the Department of Cardiology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. This book shows that heart attacks do not occur in areas of maximal plaque buildup where calcium has hardened large deposits of cholesterol, but in fact occur in fresh, “vulnerable” plaques that get INFECTED with germs, such as Epstein Barr Virus, Herpes Virus, Cytomegalovirus, and other low level germs that infect humans. Researchers are now in the process of studying and proving that these germs are more prevalent and “infectious” when N.O. is not present in sufficient amounts.

N.O. is a potent vasodilator and a strong antioxidant. When the endothelium is damaged, N.O. production is reduced. This leads to the reduction of vasodilatation, or conversely, an increase in vascular constriction. Reduced N.O. production, as a result of toxic metal insult, leads to a reduction in vascular lumen size, restriction of blood flow, and ultimately an increase in blood pressure. This means, in layman’s terms, an increased risk of stroke and heart attack. The proper amount of NO secretion is therefore of paramount importance, as imbalance of this contractility function will lead to hypertension, the silent killer. If the local vascular homeostasis is disturbed, it will result in platelet deposition, aggregation and a release of factors that promote smooth muscle proliferation. When this happens, you may get fibrosis, atherosclerosis and thrombus formation. As imbalances are first initiated at the endothelial level, where insults excite an inflammatory response, the endothelium is therefore the first link between inflammation and coagulation.

Meanwhile, a small amount of LDL (“Bad”) cholesterol that has built up in the artery wall becomes oxidized. Oxidized LDL is one of the triggers that set off a chain reaction. It causes the endothelium to express a special kind of molecule “glue” called ELAMS (endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecules). These molecules, which happen to be floating by in the bloodstream causes certain kinds of white blood cells (monocytes and T lymphocytes) to stick to the endothelium. At this point in time, the inflammatory response is still well under control and normal, whether it is in the artery or in the tissue.

Beyond this point, the healing process goes off track. The white blood cells will start to move between and below the endothelium and cause damage in two major ways. Firstly, they will cause some of the muscles cells in the artery walls to grow and secondly, they incorporate particles into the artery wall, consuming the oxidised LDL particles. What results from here is a fatty streak that becomes a fibrous plaque. Toxic heavy metals are ever ready to attack the endothelium. The endothelium, in an attempt to heal itself, launches an inflammatory response to get rid of the unwanted guests.

This intricate process begins in the tissue under the endothelium. Due to inflammatory reactions, the endothelium’s structure becomes permeable to lipoproteins, particularly low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and macrophages. These particles will enter into the site of injury, accumulate cholesterol as cholesterylester and develop into foam cells. A raised LDL cholesterol and related cholesterol carrier called lipoprotein (a) concentration is recognized by many as a major risk factor for heart disease as it appears to be the donor of cholesterol deposited in the atherosclerotic plaque. Being adhesive, the cells will attract other substances, resulting in a continuous deposition of unwanted conglomerate which we call fatty streak. The latter consists of lipids (fats), complex carbohydrates, blood, blood products, fibrous tissue, oxidized ascorbates and calcium deposits. As the fatty streak becomes increasingly larger, this resulting fibrosis forms an “endothelial tumor” or a plaque. The process of plaque formation is called atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis blocks the blood’s pathway and narrows the arteries over time. This affords a possible explanation for the beneficial effects of chelation. In addition, EDTA blocks the slow calcium currents in the arterial wall, resulting in arterial vasodilation.

A formidable amount of data exists that clearly indicate the insidious toxicity of non-physiological metals such as mercury, lead, nickel, cadmium, arsenic and aluminum where specific mechanisms for the neurotoxic, nephrotoxic and immune-dysregulatory effects of these metals are identified. A major portion of the population is at risk for chronic, low-level exposure to toxic heavy metals from environmental and occupational sources, as well as dental materials. There is increased need and demand for more consumer friendly, less invasive, less time- consuming broad specificity metal chelation suppositories consistent with the time constraints and health goals of many members of our society today. The air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink can impact our health immensely. And we know they all are filed with toxins. Shouldn’t we be concerned about the established relationship between toxins, cancer, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses? Especially now that cancer is the #1 cause of death and the #1 cause of death among children 1-15!

Studies confirm that toxic heavy metals can directly influence behavior by impairing mental and neurological function. They can also influence the production and utilization of neurotransmitters and can alter numerous metabolic body processes. Toxic metal elements can induce impairment and dysfunction in the blood cardiovascular system, detoxification pathways (colon liver kidneys skin), endocrine (hormonal), system energy production pathways, enzymatic pathways, gastrointestinal tract, immune system nervous system (both central and peripheral) reproductive system and urinary system pathways. Much of the damage produced by toxic metals stems from the production of oxidative free radicals. A free radical is an energetically unbalanced molecule that “steals” an electron from another molecule in order to restore its balance. Free radicals result naturally when cell molecules react with oxygen (oxidation). With a heavily toxic load or antioxidant deficiencies uncontrolled free-radical production occurs. Unchecked free radicals can cause tissue damage throughout the body. In fact free-radical damage underlies all degenerative diseases.

Risk For Chronic Low-Level Exposure to Heavy Metals From Environmental and Occupational Sources.

Heavy metal exposures in the 21st century are an established global health concern. Many recognise this growing problem of chronic low level exposure, however the prevailing criteria falls short of what is needed. Today it is imperative for anyone with high blood pressure, heart disease, prostate issues, cardiovascular disease, chronic fatigue, or cancer, to rid the body of heavy metals. Heavy metal toxins such as lead, mercury, aluminum, cadmium and arsenic, have been clinically proven to damage and cause dysfunction in the lining of the arteries. Numerous established studies have confirmed that an impaired endothelial function (within the lining of the arteries) is linked to all major coronary heart diseases. Heart Disease is the end result of injury that started at the extremely thin layer of endothelial cells that line the inside surface of the heart and blood vessel walls.