With Chelation, Gout May Improve
Gout is a form of arthritis that can happen when the body fails to effectively flush out surplus amounts of uric acid. A person who has kidney problems is usually at high risk for gout because a dysfunctional renal system will fail to prevent the buildup of uric acid levels in the body. But with a treatment procedure called chelation, gout may be alleviated in persons suffering from the disease.
Chelation is a procedure in which a chelation agent is introduced into the body to rid it of certain unwanted minerals. It is used for a variety of disorders, from heavy metal poisoning to atherosclerosis and artheriosclerosis. By using chelation, gout conditions can be improved in certain segments of the population, especially those who have been exposed to high levels of heavy metal, such as lead.
Lead poisoning is a persistent problem for many people, who can be suffer from constant exposure in the workplace and home. Both adults and children can be affected, and other diseases that may result include anemia, hearing loss, and chronic nephropathy. The latter is especially problematic for those with gout, since research shows that many people who have gout suffer from low levels of lead poisoning. This surplus amount of lead in the body impacts the kidneys, preventing them from fulfilling their functions of filtering and eliminating waste from the body.
Studies show that the use of chelating agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) to rid the body of excessive amounts of lead. The results indicate that after a certain amount of time had elapsed, the kidneys of subjects were able to excrete uric acid more efficiently and prevent its buildup in the body. At least one clinical trial also suggested that individuals suffering from both chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) and gout benefited immensely from chelation therapy.
The interest in the links between gout, lead poisoning, and uric acid secretion has been long-standing. Since gout is a very common disease, which is caused by faulty urate metabolism among other reasons, and since lead exposure is prevalent in many homes and workplaces, it's natural to explore the ability of chelation to mitigate the symptoms of gout. Although science has so far shown that with chelation gout can be relieved, there is still a need for more in-depth studies about this issue.
