EDTA is a chelating substance primarily used in cases of heavy metal toxicity/poisoning from lead.  EDTA is, however, also a relatively good chelator of other heavy metals such as cadmium, iron, magnesium, calcium and zinc.  It is a poor chelator of mercury. It is it’s ability to chelate iron, magnesium, calcium and zinc that is of interest in the treatment of Lyme disease.

Borrelia, as previously stated, inhabits the human gut and appears to form biofilms.  Hang in here, it is going to get interesting.  Biofilms are what invasive organisms create to encase themselves in order to evade the immune system of the host, i.e. OUR BODIES, and killing agents such as antibiotics and herbal supplements.  Biofilms are generally made of the same constituents regardless of the pathogen (bad bug). These constituents include; lipopolysaccharides(LPS), fibrin, and heavy metals.  In order for the pathogen to be “vulnerable” the biofilm must be decomposed. 

Previously, I felt the best way to affect the biofilm was to direct the therapy toward degrading the fibrin with the use of saunas and Lumbrokinase and or Nattokinase.  While I feel these are good therapies, you know how I feel about saunas, I think EDTA therapy is a superior choice.  It is also way more cost effective than Lumbrokinase or Nattokinase. The combination of the above therapies is probably best for dealing with gut and tissue Borrelia as EDTA will primarily deal with gut Bb. The advantage to oral EDTA therapy is that it will also positively affect infections in the gut related to other organisms such as Candida, Pseudomonas, Staph and others.

IF YOU HAVE MULTIPLE GUT INFECTIONS, BEGIN EDTA SLOWLY AS YOU WILL MOST LIKELY HAVE "DIE-OFF" SYMPTOMS.

Here’s how it works.  The heavy metals listed above are the aggregate in the biofilm matrix.  Just like cement needs small rocks in it to hold it together, biofilm needs these heavy metals.  Remove the metals, EDTA, and the matrix falls apart.

REMEMBER THAT EDTA WILL CHELATE CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM, AND IRON IN THE HUMAN BODY. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOT DEPLETE YOUR STORES OF THESE IMPORTANT NUTRIENTS (ESPECIALLY MAGNESIUM AS BORRELIA IS USING IT UP).

DO NOT TAKE IT AT THE SAME TIME AS TAKING SUPPPLEMENTS CONTAINING MINERALS. BE SURE TO TAKE A GOOD MINERAL SUPPLEMENT MID-DAY ON THE DAYS YOU TAKE EDTA AND FOR A FEW WEEKS AFTER STOPPING EDTA. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE IF YOU HAVE OSTEOPOROSIS.

Other EDTA Facts;

5-8% absorption from the gut (therefore most of the action is on the gut population of Bb but you may chelate out some systemic lead)

very low allergic potential

very low toxicity potential

I encourage you to look at the research below.

Chelator-Induced Dispersal and Killing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Cells in a Biofilm

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, March 2006, p. 2064-2069, Vol. 72, No. 3
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.{dagger}Ehud Banin,

“The metal chelator EDTA is known to have activity against biofilms of gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus. EDTA can also kill planktonic cells of Proteobacteria like Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In this study we demonstrate that EDTA is a potent P. aeruginosa biofilm disrupter. In Tris buffer, EDTA treatment of P. aeruginosa biofilms results in 1,000-fold greater killing than treatment with the P. aeruginosa antibiotic gentamicin.”

“The results of this study suggest that the activity of EDTA against biofilm cells is mediated by chelation of several divalent cations that are required to stabilize the biofilm matrix. Our results imply that EDTA chelation of magnesium, calcium, and iron can enhance detachment of cells from the biofilm. EDTA also facilitates the killing of biofilm cells by chelating magnesium associated with the LPS”.

Final report on the safety assessment of EDTA, calcium disodium EDTA,    Lanigan RS, Yamarik TA.  ‘Int. J. Toxicol’

1. “EDTA (ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid) …….. The lowest dose reported to cause a toxic effect in animals was 750 mg/kg/day”. (That's about 50 grams a day for a 150 pound person)

Candida biofilms and their role in infection

L. Julia DouglasE-mail The Corresponding Author

Division of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK

Available online 23 November 2002.

Abstract

Pathogenic fungi in the genus Candida can cause both superficial and serious systemic disease, and are now recognized as major agents of hospital-acquired infection. Many Candida infections involve the formation of biofilms on implanted devices such as indwelling catheters or prosthetic heart valves. Biofilms of Candida albicans formed in vitro on catheter material consist of matrix-enclosed microcolonies of yeasts and hyphae, arranged in a bilayer structure. The biofilms are resistant to a range of antifungal agents currently in clinical use, including amphotericin B and fluconazole, and there appear to be multiple resistance mechanisms. Recent studies with mixed biofilms containing Candida and bacterial species suggest that extensive and striking interactions occur between the prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells in these adherent populations.
Article Outline

Candida Biofilms:

an Update{dagger}
Gordon Ramage,1 Stephen P. Saville,2 Derek P. Thomas,2 and José L. López-Ribot2*

Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, United Kingdom,1 Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas2

"Thus, biofilms are defined as structured microbial communities that are attached to a surface and encased in a matrix of exopolymeric material. This is of particular significance since it is now estimated that a significant proportion of all human microbial infections involve biofilm formation."

"The formation of Candida biofilms carries important clinical repercussions because of their increased resistance to antifungal therapy and the ability of cells within biofilms to withstand host immune defenses".

Inhibition on Candida albicans biofilm formation using divalent cation chelators (EDTA)

Journal         Mycopathologia
Publisher         Springer Netherlands
ISSN         0301-486X (Print) 1573-0832 (Online)
Issue         Volume 164, Number 6 / December, 2007
DOI         10.1007/s11046-007-9068-x
Pages         301-306
Subject Collection         Biomedical and Life Sciences
SpringerLink Date         Tuesday, October 02, 2007

"Candida albicans can readily form biofilms on both inanimate and biological surfaces".