Does Anyone Here Know About Cilantro Chelation?
Question by Ruby: Does anyone here know about cilantro chelation?
Does it do what is claimed – mobilize the heavy metals?
http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/chris/2006/02/19/cilantro_chelation_that_can_save_your_life.htm
and if so, what is needed to take the heavy metals out of the body once mobilized. Is there a substitute for chlorella for that purpose?
Thanks in advance.
Best answer:
Answer by Aegimius
I’ve looked into this before, and even ate a lot of cilantro(and garlic) when I was “detoxing” from this old job I had which required working with a lot of metal. I honestly have no clue if it helped(I wasn’t diagnosed with anything or suffering from anything), and no blood tests before or after indicated I had a toxic overload of metals(but I did suspect it) in my blood. It seems chelation therapy using cilantro is favored by alternative, natural and holistic health practitioners while MDs generally do not recommend it as a treatment. MDs usually prefer Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid(EDTA) or other agents to remove heavy metals and other toxins. When it comes to chelation, it seems cilantro is usually associated with removing lead from the body. EDTA, while very effective as a chelating agent according to the evidence, unfortunately has many side effects.
The link you provide shows no real evidence for cilantro being an effective chelator, all it says it that it has been used by conventional medicine(doesn’t seem like a lot of conventional doctors use it these days) to remove lead. Like cilantro, garlic is also said to be an effective, natural chelating agent that is favored by some alternative practitioners. It doesn’t seem nearly as powerful as EDTA or other agents though, and I don’t think MDs recommend it. Garlic is still very good for you even if it is only a weak chelator. More research needs to be done on both garlic and cilantro.
According to Dr Weil, an MD open to alternative practices:
“Beyond that, despite insubstantial evidence, some health practitioners who offer mercury detoxification recommend supplements such as cilantro tincture, chlorella algae powder, garlic, as well as various amino acids to rid the body of mercury. A 1999 Korean study did show that garlic juice reduced mercury toxicity in rat embryos, but I know of no evidence suggesting that it works in humans. I’ve seen two studies indicating that cilantro can speed excretion of mercury, but I understand that the effect here is weak.”
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA348544
I searched the Cochrane Collaboration(http://www.cochrane.org/) and found nothing about “cilantro”. I consider Cochrane to be very reliable. Medline(http://www.nlm.nih.gov/) also has nothing about cilantro as a chelator. The cilantro entry at the “World’s Healthiest Foods” is very thorough and lists many health benefits about cilantro, but chelation of toxic metals is not among them – http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=70
The evidence suggests cilantro may help chelate mercury and maybe other metals, but this effect is weak at best. EDTA is considered a more effective chelator. – http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/edta/edtah.htm
Another site that says cilantro may help chelate toxic metals, but provides no evidence or very weak evidence for this – http://www.naturopathicthoughts.com/2009/01/cilantro-chelation-pesto.html. Yet another site says: “Cilantro should be used only after a good chelation program has been under way for some time. Cilantro can enter the brain and peripheral nerves and remove mercury. But unknown to most, cilantro can also take mercury into the brain. This is why it is critically important to use cilantro only after most of the mercury has been removed from the rest of the body. Do not use cilantro until at least 60 days has elapsed on any oral chelation program.” – http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=35552. This idea that cilantro may take mercury into the brain is new to me as well as scary, but it provides no evidence for this potentially dangerous effect.
I believe it would be an excellent idea for most women to undergo some form of chelation therapy and detox prior to becoming pregnant, to ensure maximum brain growth of the baby since mercury and lead can interfere with brain growth. Other toxic chemicals may also restrict brain growth. As far as what is needed to take the heavy metals out of the body once they are mobilized, I really do not know. Don’t the kidneys remove them from the body? So maybe eating a lot(and I mean A LOT) of cilantro and garlic might help a little, but they shouldn’t be relied on all by themselves since the evidence suggests effects are weak. Better to use EDTA or other agents, if your blood is overloaded with toxic metals and a doctor recommends it. This is definitely something you need to consult a doctor or health professional about, but it ‘s great that you are doing independent research.
Possible side effects of EDTA: “Intravenous EDTA solutions are infused slowly and treatments are scheduled at least 24 hours apart. The most common side effect reported is a burning sensation at the site of the injection. In addition, some individuals may have an allergic reaction to EDTA. Other serious side effects that have been reported include low blood sugar, diminished calcium levels, headache, nausea, dangerously low blood pressure, kidney failure, organ damage, irregular heartbeat, seizures, or even death.” http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/ethylenediaminetetraacetic-acid-000302.htm
Be very careful whatever you do and consult professionals.
Add your own answer in the comments!
Gwyneth Paltrow Master Cleanse Weight Warning! Goop Founder Reveals Diet …
Paltrow opened up about why cleanse and detox diets can actually cause weight gain, detailing her own experience with the restrictive programs. “I've done juice cleanses in the past, and in my 20s I did the Master Cleanse, which left me hallucinating …
Read more on Hollywood Take
Sales, Earnings Down at Harlequin
Hayes, along with Harlequin COO Craig Swinwood, said several new initiatives did well in the quarter, including Harlequin's expanded nonfiction program whose bestsellers included The Virgin Diet and The Beauty Detox Foods, as well as its digital-first …
Read more on Publishers Weekly
England & Scotland: Rising Alcohol Deaths among Young Women
Located in South Florida, Harbor Village has programs in place to help both women and men to overcome their alcohol abuse issues. The 24/7 medically supervised detox facility allows each client to receive private alcohol rehab in a luxury, state-of-the …
Read more on PR Web (press release)
More Detox Programs Information…