NYC’s Leading Integrative Health Care Center
NYC’s Leading Integrative Health Care Center
Medically reviewed by Rashmi Gulati, MD — Last updated: September 26, 2026
Chelation therapy is a prescription treatment that binds heavy metals such as lead, mercury and arsenic so your body can pass them in urine. At Patients Medical on Fifth Avenue, we use it only after standard testing confirms a metal burden, and every course is monitored with blood and urine labs.
Integrative care since 1974
New patient consultations
Kidneys, minerals & metal levels
Chelation therapy uses prescription medicines called chelating agents. They attach to specific metals in the blood and tissues and form a compound the kidneys can remove. The FDA has approved chelation for heavy metal poisoning and metal overload, including lead, mercury and arsenic toxicity, iron overload and copper overload (Wilson disease). It is not an approved treatment for heart disease, autism or Alzheimer’s disease.
Confirmed lead, mercury and arsenic toxicity, plus iron and copper overload
By mouth as capsules or by IV infusion, depending on the metal and how high the level is
Adults with a documented exposure and elevated levels on standard blood or urine testing
One or more treatment courses over weeks to months, with repeat testing between courses
Metal toxicity rarely looks dramatic. It builds slowly and causes vague symptoms that overlap with many other conditions, so symptoms alone never justify chelation. What matters is a likely source of exposure plus a confirmed elevated level.
Common sources in New York include old paint in buildings built before 1960 (the year NYC banned lead paint in homes), dust from renovations, some imported spices, cosmetics and traditional remedies, high-mercury fish, and work in construction, demolition, battery recycling or firing ranges. Start with heavy metal testing.
Chelation is a targeted medical treatment. We use it for the conditions it is approved for, and we will tell you plainly when it is not the right tool.
Each agent binds certain metals better than others, so the choice depends on what your testing shows. All are prescription medicines; there are no FDA-approved over-the-counter chelation products.
An oral capsule used mainly for lead, and also for arsenic and mercury. A standard course lasts 19 days, with blood lead rechecked afterward.
An IV medicine for higher lead levels. It is not the same as edetate disodium, a similar-sounding drug that has caused deaths from dangerously low calcium.
An injection for severe arsenic, mercury or lead poisoning. It is used in hospital settings, and we coordinate a referral when that level of care is safer.
Iron chelators for iron overload, such as from hemochromatosis or repeated blood transfusions. Liver and kidney function are tracked closely.
Copper chelators used long term for Wilson disease, usually alongside a specialist who manages the condition.
Chelators can also pull out zinc, copper and other useful minerals. Levels are measured and replaced between courses.
Four steps, so you always know why a treatment is being given and how we will measure whether it worked.
A 60–90 minute first visit covering symptoms, home age and renovations, work, hobbies, water source, diet, imported products, medications and supplements.
Blood lead, unprovoked urine metals as appropriate, kidney and liver function, blood count and mineral levels. Results are read against accepted reference ranges.
If chelation is indicated, your physician chooses the agent, dose and schedule, removes the source of exposure first, and plans hydration and mineral support.
Kidney function, calcium and minerals are checked during treatment. Metal levels are rechecked after each course to decide whether another is needed.
Most plans combine chelation with source removal and nutrition. Your physician recommends only what your results support.
Capsules taken at home on a set schedule, often used for moderately raised lead levels, with labs before and after each course.
An infusion given in our office under supervision, used when levels or the type of metal call for it. Calcium and kidney function are checked.
Chelation cannot keep up with ongoing exposure. We help you find the source at home or work and cut it off first.
Vitamins, minerals and antioxidants by IV when levels are low or absorption is poor during and after chelation.
Glutathione is the main antioxidant the liver uses during detoxification. Added when your physician finds it appropriate.
Zinc, copper, iron and calcium replaced to match your lab results, so treatment does not leave you depleted.
Meals with enough iron, calcium and protein reduce how much lead and cadmium the gut absorbs.
Regular bowel function keeps metals excreted in bile from being reabsorbed.
When mold or chemical exposure is also involved, chelation becomes one part of a broader program.
Every agent, dose and schedule is set by a physician led by Rashmi Gulati, MD, never sold as a package.
Chelation starts only when standard blood or urine results show a raised level. Heavy metal testing
Kidney function, calcium and minerals are checked through each course so problems are caught early.
Levels rise again if exposure continues, so we track it down first. Environmental illness care
We explain what chelation can and cannot do, including the research on heart disease, before you start.
Products sold online as chelating sprays, clays, drops and foot baths are not the same treatment, and the FDA has warned companies that sell them.
| OVER-THE-COUNTER PRODUCTS | PRESCRIPTION CHELATION | JUICE CLEANSES & DETOX TEAS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDA status | No FDA-approved over-the-counter chelation products exist | FDA-approved medicines for specific metal poisonings | Not regulated as treatments |
| Testing first | None, or provoked urine tests that read high in almost everyone | Blood lead and standard urine metals read against reference ranges | None |
| Who decides | Self-directed | A physician, based on your results | Self-directed |
| Safety checks | None | Kidney function, calcium and minerals monitored | None |
| Proof it worked | None | Repeat metal levels after each course | None |
Your physician coordinates with your primary care doctor, cardiologist or other specialists when needed.
The TACT trial (2013) reported an 18% reduction in further cardiac events after a heart attack, with a larger effect in people with diabetes. The follow-up TACT2 trial, published in JAMA in 2024, tested up to 40 EDTA infusions in 959 people with diabetes and a prior heart attack and found no reduction in cardiac events, even though blood lead fell by 61%. Chelation is not a standard heart treatment. If heart health is your concern, we start with proper cardiac testing.
Serious reactions, such as dangerously low calcium, kidney injury, low blood pressure or an allergic reaction, are uncommon when the right agent is used at the right dose with monitoring. That is why chelation is never started without testing or given outside medical supervision.
Timelines depend on the metal, how high the level is, how long the exposure lasted and your kidney function.
Sarah, 44, had a BMI of 36, five failed diets behind her and a new prediabetes diagnosis. Testing showed severe insulin resistance. Her plan combined Wegovy, increased gradually over four months, with a high-protein, low-glycemic diet and vitamin B12 support. In six months she lost 52 pounds, her A1c fell from 6.2 to 5.4, and her joint pain and reflux eased.
“I lost 68 lbs on Mounjaro. Finally, a solution that worked after years of struggling!”
S.N., 32 Brooklyn
“No more food noise! Ozempic helped me break my sugar addiction.”
M.K., 50 Manhattan
“The medical team made all the difference. I had zero side effects with their dosing plan.”
T.L., 41. Queens
Medical Director
Rashmi Gulati, MD, is a board-certified functional medicine doctor Manhattan and a leading holistic doctor in NYC.
Holistic Pain Management Physician
Holistic pain management physician at Patients Medical, caring for patients with chronic pain and inflammation.
Chelation therapy is used to remove toxic levels of heavy metals from the body. Approved uses include lead, mercury and arsenic poisoning, iron overload and copper overload in Wilson disease. It is started only after testing confirms the metal and the level. Heavy metal testing
Yes, for specific uses. Prescription chelating agents such as succimer, edetate calcium disodium, dimercaprol, deferoxamine and penicillamine are FDA approved for metal poisoning or overload. The FDA has not approved chelation for heart disease, autism or Alzheimer’s disease, and there are no approved over-the-counter chelation products.
You need a likely exposure and a confirmed elevated level on standard testing, such as a blood lead test or an unprovoked urine metal test. Provoked urine tests, taken after a chelating dose, show high readings in almost everyone and are not a reliable reason to start treatment. Toxin level testing
Chelation is safe when the right agent is given for a confirmed metal problem and monitored by a physician. Without testing and monitoring it can lower calcium, strain the kidneys and remove useful minerals. Deaths have been reported when the wrong drug was used or chelation was given without a clear need.
Common side effects include nausea, headache, tiredness, soreness at the IV site, skin rash and temporary loss of zinc or copper. Serious effects such as very low calcium or kidney injury are uncommon with proper dosing and lab checks.
It depends on the metal and the level. An oral succimer course usually lasts 19 days. IV chelation is given as a planned series of infusions. Levels are rechecked after each course, and some people need more than one course because metal stored in bone can move back into the blood.
Current evidence does not support it. The TACT trial in 2013 suggested a small benefit after a heart attack, but the larger follow-up TACT2 trial, published in JAMA in 2024, found no reduction in cardiac events in people with diabetes and a prior heart attack. Cardiac testing
No. The FDA has warned companies selling over-the-counter chelation sprays, drops, clays and suppositories, and none are approved. They are untested, can be harmful, and can delay proper diagnosis.
Oral chelation, usually succimer, is taken as capsules at home and suits moderately raised lead levels. IV chelation with edetate calcium disodium is given in the office for higher levels. Your physician chooses based on your test results and kidney function.
Food cannot remove a significant metal burden, but enough iron, calcium and protein reduces how much lead and cadmium the gut absorbs, and fiber helps the body excrete metals through stool. Foods and heavy metals
We are an out-of-network provider. We provide superbills to help you seek reimbursement, and some lab tests may be partially covered. Fees & insurance
Your physician spends 60–90 minutes on your symptoms, health history and possible exposures, orders the right tests and explains whether chelation is likely to help. What to expect on your first visit
Patients Medical specializes in gently helping the patient identify the root cause of their medical issues and then assist them to recover from their problems to help them move forward to good health.
To schedule an in person on Tele-medicine appointment, please call our office at (212) 794-8800 or email us at info@PatientsMedical.com We look forward to hearing from you
Patients Medical PC
1148 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1B New York, NY 10128
Copyright © 2026 Patients Medical. All Rights Reserved.
All information presented in this website is intended for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of rendering medical advice. Statements made on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information contained herein is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Patients Medical.
Disclaimer: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE AND MAY BE OUT OF DATE. The information, including but not limited to text, PDFs, graphics, images, and other material contained on this website, is for general educational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and does not create a patient-doctor relationship. Pricing on the website may be out of date, is subject to change without notice, and may be subject to additional terms and conditions. No information on this site is intended to be a financial quote for medical services. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, lifestyle or dietary changes, treatments, and before undertaking a new healthcare regimen. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
