Carnosine as heavy metal chelator ....Andy Cutler?

[Guest guest]

Hello,

I was wondering is Andy Cutler or anyone here knows if carnosine is

really an effective chelator of heavy metals? The article below says

its as good as EDTA, but I was thinking that since it crosses the

blood brain barrier, it might be much better than EDTA. Not only does

it chelate, but is protects cells from oxidative damage due to heavy

metals. Could this be part of the reason it helps Autistic children?

http://www.1stvitality.co.uk/az/carnosine/l-

carnosine_metal_chelation_therapy.htm

Carnosine - Metal Chelation Therapy

Many investigators believe that carnosine exerts - at least partly -

its beneficial health effect due to its ability to chelate metals

( and O'Dowd 2000, Chez 2003).

What does it mean in plain English?

The term chelate, from the Greek ´chele´ for ´claw´, refers to the

ability of a material to combine with excess metals in the cells and

blood stream, so the liver and kidney can excrete them. Chelation

therapy, is normally given as a series of intravenous infusions

containing di-sodium EDTA and various other substances like

penicillin.

Chelation therapy has been traditionally applied in Occupational

Medicine, as it effectively removes toxic heavy metals (such as lead)

from the body. In occupational health chelation therapy is strictly

conventional medicine, not alternative medicine. However, chelation

therapy is also used, at private clinics, as a complementary

treatment for a number of other conditions than heavy metal

intoxications, as it may provide the following benefits:

Dilates constricted arteries

Reduces high blood pressure

Diminishes free radical activity

Improves uptake of oxygen to the cells

Removes toxic heavy metals from the body

Improves memory

Relieves pain in the extremities

Increases elasticity of blood vessels

Improves blood flow to the heart, brain, body organs, and legs

Improves enzyme activity.

Fig 1. Carnosine-Copper chelate

Vaccinations & Mercury

In the context of vaccination chelation with carnosine may be

crucial, as it removes organic mercury (thiomersal or thimerosal)

from a child. Organic mercury is present in most vaccines as an

antimicrobic preservative, although it since the 1930´s has been

recognised as a toxic substance affecting the central nervous system.

In my opinion every vaccinated child and adult should take carnosine

as a precaution in order to remove thiomersal from the body as soon

as possible.

EDTA Chelation Therapy & Atherosclerosis

Chelation therapy became a popular " alternative " treatment after EDTA

was found effective in chelating and removing toxic metals from the

blood, and some scientists postulated that hardened arteries could be

softened if the calcium in their walls was removed. The first

indication that EDTA treatment might benefit patients with

arteriosclerosis came from e, e, and Mosher, who, in 1956,

reported that patients with occlusive peripheral vascular disease

said they felt better after treatment with EDTA.

Fig 2. Carnosine-Zinc chelate

In Summary

Carnosine, as a dietary supplement, seems to have all the same

chelating properties as EDTA, and it offers a possibility for an

inexpensive oral chelation therapy. Carnosine has an ability to

chelate prooxidative metals, such as copper, zinc and toxic heavy

metals (lead, mercury, cadmium, nickel).