There are many ways to chelate, and many opinions about which is best, but in the end, what helps you and doesn't hurt you in the process is the best.
Sometimes one can determine this through trial and error. Other times a doctor who knows your case. Sometimes testing.
Janis
+1. This goes with anything else.
I did quite a good amount of research on chelation and found that what works for you is best. General precautions is that never go big or go fast or both. That's how you get messed up. It's a shame that everyone is on the same side of chelating metals and helping others and yet among chelating groups there is such an adamant attitude that a certain chelation protocol is best. Medicine is full of egos.
Andy Cutler - my impression is that he's a smart man but he's a chemist not a physician. He has a very strong online personality and feels that it's his way or the highway. he also doesn't take to kindly to being proven wrong or constructive criticism and people like this in general are those who get tied to their work so much it becomes their "child". They become blind to the fact that what has helped them or their experiences may not be the same for others.
I also noticed that many people who have made the Cutler's works their religion (not all) have not done their research but only read what is fed to them via Andy. Andy is still a strong presence in online forums and groups and everyone asks him questions as if he is the beholder, and i'm still baffled that I see these threads titled "Andy help! Genetics testing results!" or the like, as if he is qualified to answer these questions. And the fact that he answers is a silent assumption of responsibility on his part. (That kind of annoyed me esp since he makes some pretty big claims when it comes to other things not related to mercury in which he really has no expertise).
also, i bought and own his book and found that it is all his word yet there are no references or citations. Only an appendix in the back that is not cited or foot noted throughout his work. When I looked into the actual studies and sources where he got information and his concepts behind the Cutler protocol, it wasn't convincing enough for me. I wanted to see studies or sources where he learned things like a) Is ALA able to chelate metals? If so which ones? b) How good of a chelator is ALA? c) Which amounts of ALA and how often? d) How does ALA compare to DMSA or DMPS? E) Why does one need to have complete amalgam removal before chelating? (The only evidence the group offers is personal recounts which I think is important but not the say all, as i know plenty of doctors and patients who have taken ALA high doses with amalgams as well as other chelation therapy. I was interested in finding studies or his sources on the fact that using a chelating agent would increase the RATE at which mercury is coming out of the amalgams, because if the rate is constant, there really is no logical concern it seems, whether you are chelating or not.)
The studies and sources I COULD find ranged to support different points of views. A study doing chelation recently showed that DMPS was the best chelator of mercury, and glutathione being higher than ALA. Andy says its different because the study did not use low dosing of ALA constantly but he has no proof. And if ALA is such a strong chelator, then high doses should still be shown to be effective in the study..?
Don't get me wrong, I do think that ALA being a double thiol can chelate metals but Cutler has yet to show proof or reasoning behind why he thinks that low doses of ALA work better or (is the best according to him). A whole lot of the protocol is trusting his expertise and the man, and not his work and you can definitely tell that this is where the chemist in him comes to play, not a medical practitioner.
Just to add, I have nothing against him personally and feel that his protocol helps many. Just as other protocols do as well. The problem I have with him is when he comes out and says that his method is the best and shoots down everyone else including Dr. Buttar's protocol which I personally think is great. I personally know people who have chelated with amalgams in just fine until they could come up with the money for removal. I personally know people who take high doses of ALA as well as other doctors who prescribe ALA with no ill effect, and my doctor recovered something like 67/75 autistic children using DMPS and not ALA/DMSA combo (including his own son) so there are definitely holes in the Cutler theory.
since this is an Andy Cutler thread, I feel that people need to hear this and it may help others in not blocking their mentality into thinking it is the only way. What works for you, works best.