GETTING STARTED

ACC (Andy Cutler Chelation): Frequent, Low Dose, Oral Chelation

**I have also created several videos on YouTube to help families needing more guidance,
the channel can be found under my name: Becky Davila

This document is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. All information should
be further researched and/or discussed with your child’s practitioner before implementing any protocol.
Anyone reading this document does so with the understanding that I am not held responsible for any
treatment nor supplement that you give your child or any side effects that could arise from doing so.

This document belongs to the “Health and Hope for Autism” Facebook group, and is not to be shared, posted,
or published outside that group without permission from Becky Davila.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Ordering the Book

• Hair Test
• Counting Rules
• Core 4
• Vitamin C
• Magnesium
• Zinc
• Vitamin E
• Adrenal Support
• Liver Support
• Binders
• Chelators
• Purchasing Chelators
• Dosing
• Example Schedules
 The Book

“Fight Autism and Win” is the parent guide needed to implement ACC. It will walk you thru
everything step by step, including dosages on supplements. I highly recommend purchasing the book
if that is an option. First or second edition is fine, they are the same protocol. Search the web for a copy.
Additional literature that you can learn more from are Andy Cutler’s books “Amalgam Illness” and “Hair
Test Interpretation”. Those are more advanced, scholarly pieces of literature that may be harder to
understand though. If you do not have the option to get “Fight Autism and Win”, most information can
be found using the search tool within Facebook Groups, or you are free to make a post in the groups
asking any questions that may arise.
 Hair Test

It is not required to perform a hair test prior to starting, but it can be helpful and give you a
more definite answer on whether heavy metals are an issue or not. If the hair test is not an option,
many families will trial the protocol for 5-10 rounds to see how their child responds. If you would like to
order a test and apply Andy Cutler’s “counting rules”, you will need to order the Doctor’s Data Hair
Element Test. The one that specifically has Toxic AND Essential elements, as shown below. You can
order one on your own without a doctor from Holisticheal.com (https://www.holisticheal.com/hair-
elements-test.html).

The
 Counting Rules

The counting rules are only necessary if you have ordered a hair test and have received the
results. These were written by Andy Cutler, and reflect only his personal knowledge, research, and
expertise. Below are the counting rule guidelines, as shared from: www.autismrecoverysystem.com

Counting Rule Assessment of Hair Analysis

The counting rules, first established by Andy Cutler, Ph.D, apply to the Doctor's Data test. The counting
rules assessment is a way to determine the probability of metal toxicity, including mercury by assessing
the mineral section of this profile. Heavy metals are known to create imbalances in mineral metabolism,
and if a counting rule is determined to be positive than according to Dr. Cutler mercury toxicity (and likely
other metals too) is present.

When looking at the mineral section at the bottom of the test there are various percentile brackets -
starting with the 50th percentile in the middle. You will also see the 2.5th percentile to the far left and
the 97.5th to the far right. There is also the zone bordered by the 16th percentile on the left and the 84th
percentile on the right.

There are 4 main counting rules with one alternate. You only need to meet one counting rule in order to
determine a mineral transport issue caused likely from mercury and/or other heavy metals, but mostly
mercury. The following will describe positive counting rules:

1. 5 or less minerals shifting to the right of the graph - starting at the 50th percentile.
2. 5 or less minerals shifting to the left of the graph.
3. 11 or less minerals found within the two middle zones - including the 50th percentile. This zone
overall will be bordered by the 16th percentile on the left and the 84th percentile on the right.
4. 4 or more minerals shifting all the way to either side of the far end of the graph - 2.5th and/or
97.5th percentile.

The alternate counting rule is as follows:

• • If two or more counting rules are only one away from meeting their criteria this equates to a
positive. For example, 6 minerals shifting to the right for counting rule #1, and 12 minerals in the
middle zone for counting rule #3.
• • For counting rule number #3 - if a mineral is touching a line but does not extend beyond it -
count this as one of the 11.
 The Core 4

The Core 4 are the 4 essential vitamins/minerals your child must be taking alongside doing
ACC. This is not optional for the protocol; it is to prevent mineral depletion and negative side effects.
Your child must start the core 4 two weeks prior to starting ACC, and they would continue to remain on
them every day, not only the days that you are chelating. The core 4 consists of: magnesium, zinc,
vitamin C, and vitamin E. You can use any brand of your choice. The dosing is based off of your child’s
weight, as written in the book. The book recommends giving magnesium and vitamin C 4-times a day,
however, many families are only able to squeeze it in 3 doses due to their schedule. I have never seen
an issue with dosing them just 3 times. Zinc should be split into two doses with meals, and vitamin E
only needs to be dosed once daily.

You can buy each individually which I prefer, it allows better control over the dosing. Or there
is an option to find them all in one, labeled as the Essential 4, from Everything Spectrum
(https://everythingspectrum.com/products/essential-four). You can use liquid, powdered or capsule
supplements. If your child does not swallow pills, capsules can be opened and mixed into food or
drinks. You can mix supplements in juice and syringe it to your child if you need. If you buy them each
separately, I would recommend starting one at a time, layering them in every few days so you are able
to monitor your child’s response to each. Some forms of the vitamins/minerals may not be tolerated
well by your child. For example, magnesium citrate may cause loose stools in some children, in which
another form of magnesium may be a better fit. You always want to search for “bioavailable” or natural
forms when possible. You can search the internet and read about each form if you need help deciding.
Andy did not recommend ionic or trace mineral forms as they can be contaminated with metals.
 Vitamin C

Here are some options/ideas of vitamin C you can use. There are many great forms and brands.
Andy believed ascorbic acid was efficient, despite it being a synthetic form. There tends be
controversary surrounding it, but it is fine to use for this protocol. Some other kinds of vitamin C
include liposomal and whole food. You would need to reference the book for proper dosing for your
child’s weight, however, I do see many using roughly 200-800 mg on average per dose (doses 3-4
times daily). Vitamin C is water soluble, if you give too much, it will cause loose stools and would
indicate you need to reduce the dose. YOU DO NOT NEED TO USE ONE OF THESE BELOW, I am just
sharing some examples. You can purchase most of these brands online from many different
distributors. I purchase all of mine from Wellevate, there is a link in the pinned post in the group to
register and shop for discounted supplements, it is free to use.

’
 Magnesium

Here are some options/ideas of Magnesium you can use. There are many great forms and
brands. Citrate, Taurate, Malate, Glycinate, and Threonate are the commonly used forms. Threonate can
be used, but it is unique from the others and should not be the only form of magnesium you give. You
would need to reference the book for proper dosing for your child’s weight, however, I do see many
using roughly 75-150 mg on average per dose (doses 3-4 times daily). One side effect to look for would
be loose stools, in which case you would need to lower the dose or try a different form. YOU DO NOT
NEED TO USE ONE OF THESE BELOW, I am just sharing some examples. You can purchase most of these
brands online from many different distributors. I purchase all of mine from Wellevate, there is a link in
the pinned post in the group to register and shop for discounted supplements, it is free to use.
 Zinc

Here are some options/ideas of zinc you can use. There are many great forms and brands. The
protocol recommends your child’s weight in milligrams plus 20mg. For example, a 30lb child would
take 50mg. To avoid nausea, split the zinc into 2 doses daily and give it with food. It is not
recommended to give zinc with every meal as that can deplete copper absorption. YOU DO NOT NEED
TO USE ONE OF THESE BELOW, I am just sharing some examples. You can purchase most of these
brands online from many different distributors. I purchase all of mine from Wellevate, there is a link in
the pinned post in the group to register and shop for discounted supplements, it is free to use.
 Vitamin E

Here are some options/ideas of vitamin E you can use. There are many great forms and brands.
The protocol recommends 400-800iu given once daily, as it is fat soluble. Keep in mind that many
forms are soy based, so if your child has a soy sensitivity or allergen, you would want to look for a soy
free form. You want natural vitamin E labeled as d-alpha tocopherol, not synthetic (dl-tocopherol). If
available to you, it is best to used “mixed” tocopherols that contain multiple different forms of E. YOU
DO NOT NEED TO USE ONE OF THESE BELOW, I am just sharing some examples. You can purchase most
of these brands online from many different distributors. I purchase all of mine from Wellevate, there is
a link in the pinned post in the group to register and shop for discounted supplements, it is free to use.
 Adrenal Support

It is recommended to use adrenal support alongside ACC, although not required. Heavy
metals have an affinity for the adrenal glands, and detoxing can be very taxing on them. To avoid
negative symptoms or behaviors, adrenal support is very helpful and often necessary. Andy only
recommends “Adrenal Cortex” and has claimed it can be taken “like candy” in high doses if needed.
However, I have found that it is not compatible or effective for every child, and some do better with
apoptogenic herbs. Search the group for more recommendations or to read others’ experiences of what
has worked for them. Below are a couple different good quality adrenal support supplements. YOU DO
NOT NEED TO USE ONE OF THESE BELOW, I am just sharing some examples. You can purchase most of
these brands online from many different distributors. I purchase all of mine from Wellevate, there is a
link in the pinned post in the group to register and shop for discounted supplements, it is free to use.
 Liver Support

It is HIGHLY recommended to use liver support alongside ACC, although not required. Milk
thistle or Liver Lifer by bioray are commonly used. Search the group for more recommendations or to
read others’ experiences of what has worked for them. Below are a couple different good quality liver
support supplements. YOU DO NOT NEED TO USE ONE OF THESE BELOW, I am just sharing some
examples. You can purchase most of these brands online from many different distributors. I purchase
all of mine from Wellevate, there is a link in the pinned post in the group to register and shop for
discounted supplements, it is free to use.
 Binders

Andy never recommended the use of binders, however, from my own knowledge and
experience I personally find them to be a valuable support to include. Binders will help soak up and
excrete and remaining metals floating in the system after redistribution. Redistribution begins roughly
3-4 hours after the final dose of the round. Therefore, do not give binders during the round, wait until
3-4 hours after you give the final dose. You can use activated charcoal, Ultrabinder, GI Detox, or any
brand of your choice. Binders must be spaced 1-2 hours at a minimum away from all other
supplements and foods. Binders can be constipating so be sure your child receives enough fluids
throughout the day. The easiest way I have found to give binders is to mix a capsule or powder with a
little water or juice and syringe it in their sleep.
 Chelators

There are 3 chelators that can be used for ACC:

• Alpha Lipoic Acid: ALA, not R-ALA. This has a half-life of 3 hours and should be dosed every 3
hours. You can go 2 4-hour stretches at night during sleep. You can give ALA orally with liquid
or powder or apply it transdermal mixing it into an oil based substance or lotion. TD is known
to be less effective or reliable than orally, but it is an option if oral is no feasible for whatever
reason. ALA is the only chelator that crosses the blood brain barrier and will detox mercury
from the brain. ALA can be used alone, or in combination with another chelator (DMSA or
DMPS).
• DMSA: This is the only chelator that detoxes lead, so if lead is elevated you would want to do
5-10 rounds of just DMSA before adding in ALA. DMSA also chelates mercury, however, it does
not cross the BBB. DMSA has a half-life of 4 hours, so used solo it would be dosed every 4
hours, or 2 5-hour stretches during sleep. If you are using it alongside ALA, you would dose it
the same time as the ALA for convenience, which would be every 3 hours.
• DMPS: This chelator has been shown thru studies to be the most effective at removing
mercury, however, it does not cross the BBB. It has a half-life of 8 hours, so you would give it
every 8 hours, unless you are pairing it with ALA. In that case, you would give DMPS every 6
hours (every other dose of ALA). For example: ALA dose, then ALA and DMPS next dose, then
ALA dose, then ALA and DMPS dose, etc. If your child develops a rash after beginning DMPS,
you must stop using it.
 Buying Chelators
ALA can be found in capsules, powders, or liquid. You may want to consider buying capsules that you
will manually split (search the group or my YouTube channel for instructions how). This will be less powder and
fillers, and more cost effective. For example, if you need 5mg per dose, you could split a 25mg capsule into 5
doses. It can be harder to find lower doses of ALA (100mg or less). Higher doses will be harder to split. Kirkman
and Everything Spectrum sell lower doses. Drs Advantage makes a liquid ALA.

DMSA and DMPS can only be purchased from www.livingsupplments.com, otherwise you would need
to get a prescription for it which is very expensive in the US. Living Supplements is based out of South Africa,
please call your bank ahead of time to inform them of the transaction or it may be flagged as fraud.
 Dosing Chelators
Andy Cutler recommends starting all chelators at 1/8 your body weight in milligrams per dose. For
example, if a child weighs 40lbs, 5 would 1/8th of 40, so 5mg would be the starting amount you would give
every dose. If you are splitting capsules, the doses can fluctuate up to 20% per dose, so you don’t need to stress
about each dose being exactly the same. As long as the doses are roughly the same, that will suffice. From my
own knowledge and research, DMPS appears to be much stronger, so you may consider starting at even a much
lower amount per dose than the recommended 1/8th.

You would stay at each dose 3-5 rounds or until there are no side effects good or bad seen. If after 5
rounds on a dose you still see changes or negative symptoms, do not increase. If your child is experiencing
many side effects, lower the dose the next round. You want to make this comfortable for your child, no need to
rush to increase the dose. When it is time to increase, you would increase by no more than 50% of the current
dose, per the protocol. For example, if you are giving 6mg, when you increase, it would be increased to 9mg.
However, some children are more sensitive than others and that may be too large of an increase at once.
Increasing by just 1-2mg at a time might be better in those instances.

LATE or MISSED dosing, during the daytime, if you miss the dose, there is a 60-minute grace period.
If that happens, you would adjust the remainder of the round’s dosing accordingly. For example, if the dose was
supposed to be at 3, and you didn’t give it until 3:30, then the next dose from there would get moved to 6:30,
and every 3 hours from there. If it is past the one hour mark, you must end round for that week. During sleep, if
you are doing the longer stretches (for example, 4 hour stretches for ALA), the grace period is only 30 minutes.

For Liquid ALA, dosing is as follows:

1ml=3.3mg
2ml=6.6mg
3ml=9.9mg
3.5ml=11.5
4ml=13.2mg
4.5ml=14.85mg
5ml=16.5mg
…and so on.
 Example Schedules

You do not need to follow these schedules; you can change the times to suit your own schedule. These
are just to give you an example of what one round could look like.

ALA or ALA/DMSA Combo - 72 Hour Round

ALA or ALA/DMSA Schedule for a Child in School – 64 Hour Round

ALA/DMPS Combo Round (DMPS is dosed only at the highlighted times)

DMSA Only

DMPS Only
 Example of what a full week schedule for a child doing ACC, using ALA or ALA/DMSA for
74-hour round may look like:

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

12:00 AM
1:00 AM
2:00 AM
3:00 AM
4:00 AM
5:00 AM
6:00 AM
7:00 AM
8:00 AM
9:00 AM
10:00 AM
11:00 AM
12:00 PM
1:00 PM
2:00 PM
3:00 PM
4:00 PM
5:00 PM
6:00 PM
7:00 PM
8:00 PM
9:00 PM
10:00 PM
11:00 PM

CORE 4 + Other Supplements

Chelators
Binder