Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis

A Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) is a non-invasive, nutritional and heavy metal analysis. It is a way to measure the tissue and cellular mineral activity, which in turn reveals information regarding energy, hormones and glandular systems. By analyzing the most recent growth of hair, HTMA labs can give a snapshot of what your body has been exposed to (necessary nutritional minerals and unwanted heavy metals) and what it is eliminating through the hair. This data is valuable for prioritizing which diet, supplements and lifestyle strategies will be most effective for addressing your individual needs.

WHO CAN BENEFIT – conditions & symptoms

Biochemical, physical and emotional stressors deplete the body of essential nutrients. In stages and over time, as the body become nutritionally depleted or out-of-balance, chronic illness may develop. This is a test for you if you experience:

Fatigue
Sleep Issues
Chronic Pain, Muscle Spasms, Joint Stiffness
Hormonal Issues: Infertility, PMS, PCOS, Menopausal symptoms
Headaches
Weight Gain or Loss
An over or under-reactive Immune System and Allergies
Mental Health Issues: anxiety, depression, mood swings, OCD
Hyper or Hypoglycemia
Hyper or Hypothyroidism

WHY HTMA IS UNIQUE

There is no test similar to HTMA; it not only provides an overview of minerals and potential heavy metals exposure, but when interpreted by a qualified and trained practitioner, hair tissue analysis can identify metabolic type, the health and function of endocrine organs and give a detailed supplement and diet overview.

NUTRITIONAL ELEMENTS & SIGNIFICANT RATIOS

Nutritional minerals are elements that are essential for hundreds of physiological functions, including nerve signaling, muscle contractions, electrolyte balance, digestion, pH regulation, bone structure, blood sugar balance and so much more. Minerals act as co-factors for thousands of metabolic reactions in your body. Minerals however do not function in isolation, the relationship between minerals is actually more important than the individual quantitative levels. Metabolic dysfunction often occurs due to imbalanced ratios; when minerals are out -of-balance they can act as antagonists to other minerals and vitamins, preventing absorption and cellular energy production. Mineral balance is essential for health and vitality!

TOXIC ELEMENTS & RATIOS

Heavy metals are elements that are toxic when they accumulate in the body. We are all exposed to heavy metals everyday via our food, water and environment. While important to reduce exposure whenever possible, it is also critical to support the body’s ability to detoxify and excrete heavy metals. The HTMA provides insight into how to best support your detoxification process based on your mineral ratios. The results indicate if you are being overly exposed to any specific heavy metals and whether your body is excreting (or storing) them. The toxic ratios show the relationships between the important nutritional elements and the toxic metals, revealing an interference of the toxic metal upon the utilization of nutritional element. As an example, the accumulation of lead will have a more detrimental effect upon body chemistry when sufficient levels of calcium and iron are not available. Supporting the appropriate levels of calcium and iron can therefore support the body in detoxifying lead without harmful chelation materials.

COMPARISON TO OTHER TESTS

HTMA labs have been established for more than 50 years and have strict data quality controls. The test needs to be interpreted however in conjunction with the patient’s symptom picture and a detailed case history, not as standalone data. When used correctly, HTMA can provide incredibly valuable information about the body and can help guide treatment successfully.

When comparing HTMA to other tests, hair tissue analysis allows direct measurement of how cells absorb, retain, utilize and eliminate the available nutrients and toxins. Urine only reveals the minerals excreted from the body, not whether the cells are able to retain those minerals or whether they are just being wasted. Blood or serum measures circulating (or extracellular) levels of minerals and heavy metals and are a snapshot of one moment in time; not presenting a true picture of minerals in the body. Additionally, the body highly regulates the ratios of minerals in the blood and therefore blood does a poor job of estimating true mineral ratios and cellular nutrient uptake.

WHAT TO DO WITH THE RESULTS

The ultimate question with any test is what to do with the results and whether one can get relief from their conditions. With the HTMA results, a current metabolic type is identified and can be used to provide an individualized diet, indicating ideal proportions of fat, protein and carbohydrates. The test provides an overview of the primary metabolic organs and can indicate whether someone needs digestive, adrenal and/or thyroid support or blood sugar regulation. Essentially it prioritizes a strategy to address basic nutritional requirements so that underlying causes can be addressed. Supplements can be recommended that are individualized to the person’s needs, rather than prescribed based on pathology or generalizations. By improving mineral levels and ratios, one can enhance their ability to utilize nutrients efficiently resulting in improved energy production and overall health!

TAKING A HAIR SAMPLE IS EASY

Hair samples can be done from the convenience of home. Provide clean, well-rinsed, untreated and non-colored hair. If hair is treated or colored, wait six to eight weeks and take a sample from the freshly grown untreated hair.

Cut hair with clean stainless steel scissors
To make the sample less conspicuous, cut small amounts of hair from the back of the head near the neck, using several locations.
Cut hair as close to the scalp as possible- we need the most recent growth. Approximately 1 tablespoon of hair is required; this can be measured using the hair scale provided with the test.
Note for men who shave their hair- collect 1 tbsp of shavings. The length of the hair is not important
If the sampled hair is less than 1 inch long, keep all of it for testing. If the hair is longer than this, cut off and keep only the inch of hair that was growing closest to the scalp.
Place the hair sample in the included paper envelope and mail it in pre-addressed envelope.