Oral chelation is a well-documented, firmly established medical practice.  Garry F. Gordon, M.D., of Tempe, Arizona, states that there are a variety of substances that act as oral chelating agents. He points out that penicillamine, a drug used to treat heavy metal poisoning, rheumatoid arthritis, and Wilson's disease (a rare metabolic disorder resulting in an excess accumulation of copper in the liver, red blood cells, and the brain), works in a fashion very similar to EDTA. Some of the benefits derived from penicillamine in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis are undoubtedly related to the control and removal of excess free radicals. And EDTA itself, when taken orally, provides most of its chelating activities in the body even though only about 5 percent of it is actually absorbed. The chelating effects are less dramatic and slower than when received intravenously, but the oral approach has several major advantages, including convenience, potential long-term continuous health maintenance, and low cost.

  Dr. Gordon also uses many nutritionally based substances as oral chelators, such as garlic, vitamin C, carrageenan, zinc, and certain amino acids like cysteine and methionine. He says that cysteine, for instance, is very effective in the treatment of nickel toxicity, and it seems to also increase glutathione in the body, which in turn helps to control free radicals.

  In his patients who use oral chelation formulas, Dr. Gordon has consistently observed a reduction of serum cholesterol by an average of 20 percent or more, which he feels significantly decreases the likelihood of atherosclerosis. He says that the thousands of patients who visit his clinic each year and follow the recommended oral chelation program have all successfully avoided strokes, and heart attack rates were also greatly diminished. He states, they  never had more than two heart attacks per year among all of they patients, even among those with a history of severe heart disease. 

  Dr. Gordon does not recommend oral chelation as a substitute for intravenous chelation therapy, however.  He says, there is a significant difference in both the rapidity and degree of benefits achieved with intravenous chelation over any currently available oral chelation agents. And the intravenous approach is clearly the proper choice for patients who have only a few months to get well before facing surgery or worse. But for patients whose conditions are not as drastic, as well as for those who want to optimally safeguard themselves against free radicals and plaque buildup, Dr. Gordon views oral chelation as an effective, noninvasive, inexpensive choice.

  Commenting on Dr. Blumer's study, Garry F. Gordon, M.D., of Tempe, Arizona, says, anything that reduces your burden of toxic metals, which feeds the fire of free radicals, sufficiently safeguards your immune system so that your body can more efficiently handle early cancers. Dr. Gordon prefers to view chelation therapy in terms of cancer prevention and not as a treatment in itself. He says, cancer has been linked to free radical pathology and EDTA chelation removes elements, such as iron, which can accelerate this pathology. Therefore, chelation treatments can minimize one's risk of developing cancer.