A person receiving an IV is pictured. U.P. Holistic Medicine of Harvey is participating in a major national clinical trial that assesses the effectiveness of chelation therapy —î which is done through IV —in people who have diabetes and have experienced a heart attack. Furthermore, the local medical practice is looking for qualified participants to be a part of the clinical trial. (Photo courtesy of Airman Ariel Owings, U.S. Air Force) Below, the sign for U.P. Holistic Medicine, located at 6044 U.S. 41 South, Harvey, is pictured. (Photo courtesy of U.P. Holistic Medicine)

MARQUETTE — U.P. Holistic Medicine of Harvey is participating in a major national clinical trial that assesses the effectiveness of chelation therapy in people who have diabetes and have experienced a heart attack.

Furthermore, the local medical practice is seeking qualified participants for the trial, as the nationwide study currently has around half of the participants needed, according to Dr. Scott Doughty of U.P. Holistic Medicine.

This NIH-funded clinical trial is occurring based on the results of the 10-year Trial to Assess Chelation Therapy, or TACT, which showed chelation therapy can reduce deaths and recurrent heart attacks in those who have had a heart attack, particularly in diabetics, Doughty said.

The initial TACT study showed those who received chelation therapy had a reduced risk of death from any cause over 5 years of about 18 percent; in diabetics, the risk of death was decreased by 43 percent over the same time period.

Furthermore, diabetics who received chelation therapy had a 41 percent reduction in recurrent heart events, according to an article in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

This finding was interesting, Doughty said, as chelation has not been an accepted practice in mainstream medicine, so this was thought to be a “black swan” event.

“Even the study’s leading investigator thought that chelation would show no benefit,” he said. “But when it showed the benefit that it did in diabetics, that’s what was surprising.”

Now, the TACT2 study is underway and aims to look more closely at these outcomes in diabetics with a history of heart attack specifically, he said.

Because chelation therapy works to remove metallic ions, the new study is also assessing the participants’ levels of lead and cadmium throughout the treatment, as it’s theorized these heavy metals result in oxidative stress, inflammation and epigenetic changes that can lead to heart conditions, Doughty said.

Furthermore, the TACT results, along with Doughty’s personal experience treating patients with chelation, indicate the benefits of chelation “extend past the initial treatment window,” Doughty said, noting he’s also seen patients’ overall health improve with chelation.

“When we can reduce the overall burden of inflammation in the body, things that are going wrong with the body that pertain to inflammation stand to improve,” he said.

Doughty wanted U.P. Holistic Medicine to participate in TACT2, as he and many other physicians have found anecdotal evidence for the benefits of chelation in their practices, but believe it’s important chelation is studied with the scientific rigor of the two double-blind clinical trials.

“Any scientific finding should be replicated in order for it to be considered valid,” he said.

U.P. Holistic Medicine is one of seven clinical sites in Michigan and the only clinical site in the U.P. that is participating in the trial, he said, adding he feels “a sense of pride because of what we’ve been able to offer and accomplish so far.”

Nationwide, researchers have around 600 of the 1,200 participants needed for the large-scale study, and Doughty is looking for more people to participate in the trial at U.P. Holistic Medicine, as he has had five participants so far — more than anywhere in the state besides Detroit’s Henry Ford Hospital.

Participants in TACT2 must be 50 years of age or older, have diabetes, have had a prior heart attack and have not used tobacco in the past three months, he said.

For those who would like to participate, Doughty emphasized that the initial TACT study indicated chelation is safe. Furthermore, a person’s regular care through their primary care doctor or cardiologist won’t be changed.

“We don’t take people off of their medicines or change their medicines,” he said. “We want to them to preserve the relationship and the treatment plans that their doctors have put into place.”

The trial is free to participate in and participants receive regular blood work and labs that are shared with their doctor. Additionally, each participant receives a $600 stipend to help cover time and travel, as the trial typically requires a weekly three-hour chelation session, performed 40 times over the course of approximately one year, Doughty said.

Overall, Doughty hopes to spread the word about the clinical trial while helping his patients and study participants keep their hearts and entire bodies healthy.

“The prevention of heart disease includes so much more than prescription medications. It’s not just about lowering cholesterol and blood pressure … in our work at U.P. Holistic Medicine, we really do break down the components of heart disease into manageable parts that then we can address … and let’s face it, when your heart isn’t functioning optimally, it can be the thing that takes you down.”

If you or someone you know is qualified and interested in participating, Doughty asks you contact U.P. Holistic Medicine, which is located at 6044 U.S. 41 South, Suite 3, at 906-249-3600.