Chelation

It has been suggested that increased levels of toxic metals result in more severe symptoms of autism, and that excretion of these heavy metals brought about by use of pharmaceutical chelating agents (chemicals that are injected into the blood stream to bind to and remove toxic heavy metals from the body) may lead to improvement of symptoms. No evidence has been found to suggest that pharmaceutical chelation is an effective intervention for autism. Given prior reports of serious adverse events, such as hypocalcaemia, renal impairment and reported death, the risks of using chelation for autism currently outweigh proven benefits.