Uncover and address your mineral imbalances with Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis
The Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) from Trace Elements Lab is a hair assessment to help determine deficiencies or excesses in essential mineral levels, significant and identifies toxic heavy metals of concern.
A complete lab report uses charts, graphs, and supportive documentation to show an individual’s unique metabolic status, and provides corrective recommendations to address mineral imbalances, erase debilitating symptoms and revitalize cellular metabolism.
This test is not only more affordable, but you can’t fully support hormone and gut health without good mineral levels. We need minerals as they are co-factors in many processes.
The Details ...
Hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA) is an analytical test which measures the mineral content of the hair. The sampled hair, obtained by cutting the first inch and one-half of growth closest to the scalp at the nape of the neck, is prepared in a licensed clinical laboratory through a series of chemical and high temperature digestive procedures. Testing is then performed using highly sophisticated detection equipment and methods to achieve the most accurate and precise results.
Hair is ideal tissue for sampling and testing. First, it can be cut easily and painlessly and can be sent to the lab without special handling requirements. Second, clinical results have shown that a properly obtained sample can give an indication of mineral status and toxic metal accumulation following long term or even acute exposure.
A HTMA reveals a unique metabolic world: intracellular activity, which cannot be seen through most other tests. This provides a blueprint of the biochemistry occurring during the period of hair growth and development.
Some examples:
- Thirty to 40 days following an acute exposure, elevated serum levels of lead may be undetectable. This is due to the body removing the lead from the serum as a protective measure and depositing the metal into such tissues as the liver, bones, teeth and hair.
- Nutrient loss from the body can become so advanced that severe health conditions can develop without any appreciable changes noted in those same nutrient levels in a blood test.
- Symptoms of elemental deficiency can be present long before low levels can be detected in the serum.
Hair is used as one of the tissues of choice by the Environmental Protection Agency in determining toxic metal exposure. A 1980 report from the E.P.A. stated that human hair can be effectively used for biological monitoring of the highest priority toxic metals. This report confirmed the findings of other studies in the U.S. and abroad, which concluded that human hair may be a more appropriate tissue than blood or urine for studying community exposure to some trace elements.
Hair tissue mineral analysis is supported by an impressive body of literature in a variety of respected national and international scientific publications. Over the past twenty-five years hair mineral testing has been extensive. Each year in the United States alone, federally licensed clinical laboratories perform over 150,000 hair mineral assays for health care professionals interested in an additional screening aid for a comprehensive patient evaluation. This does not take into consideration the thousands of subjects used in numerous continuing research studies conducted by private and government research agencies.
What can cause a mineral imbalance?
There are many factors to take into consideration, such as:
Diet - Improper diet through high intake of refined and processed foods, alcohol and fad diets can all lead to a chemical imbalance. Even the nutrient content of a "healthy" diet can be inadequate, depending upon the soil in which the food was grown or the method in which it was prepared.
Stress - Physical or emotional stress can deplete the body of many nutrients while also reducing the capability to absorb and utilize many nutrients.
Medications - Both prescription and over-the-counter medications can deplete the body stores of nutrient minerals and/or increase the levels of toxic metals. These medications include diuretics, antacids, aspirin and oral contraceptives.
Pollution - From adolescence through adulthood the average person is continually exposed to a variety of toxic metal sources such as cigarette smoke (cadmium), hair dyes (lead), hydrogenated oils (nickel), anti-perspirants (aluminum), dental amalgams (mercury and cadmium), copper and aluminum cookware and lead-based cosmetics. These are just a few of the hundreds of sources which can contribute to nutrient imbalances and adverse metabolic effects.
Nutritional Supplements - Taking incorrect supplements or improper amounts of supplements can produce many vitamin and mineral excesses and/or deficiencies, contributing to an overall biochemical imbalance.
Inherited Patterns - A predisposition toward certain mineral imbalances, deficiencies and excesses can be inherited from parents.
Can vitamin requirements be determined from a mineral test?
Minerals interact not only with each other but also with vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Minerals influence each of these factors, and they, in turn, influence mineral status. Minerals act as enzyme activators, and vitamins are synergistic to minerals as coenzymes.
It is extremely rare that a mineral disturbance develops without a corresponding disturbance in the synergistic vitamin(s). It is also rare for a disturbance in the utilization or activity of a vitamin to occur without affecting a synergistic mineral(s). For example:
✓ Vitamin C affects iron absorption and reduces copper retention.
✓ Boron and iron influence the status of vitamin B2.
✓ Vitamin B2 affects the relationship between calcium and magnesium.
✓ Vitamin B1 enhances sodium retention.
✓ B12 enhances iron and cobalt absorption.
✓ Vitamin A enhances the utilization of zinc, while antagonizing vitamins D and E.
✓ Protein intake will affect zinc status.
Therefore, evaluating mineral status provides good clues of vitamin status and requirements. Continuing research at Trace Elements involves the recognition of many synergistic and antagonistic interrelationships between minerals and vitamins.
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult with your professional health care provider if you are taking any medication.
Note that this fee does not include a meeting to go over test results. That must be paid for separately at Check Out!
Sample Report
After hundreds of thousands of hair analysis, Trace Elements has created a unique system of interpreting hair mineral analysis results. Each test report will provide the most complete and comprehensive evaluation and discussion of significant mineral levels, ratios and toxic metals as tested in the hair. Included is a listing of individual foods and food groups that may be beneficial to eat or avoid in accordance with food allergy indicators and individualized metabolic requirements.
Why test?
✓ Zinc is involved in the production, storage and secretion of insulin and is necessary for growth hormones.
✓ Magnesium is required for normal muscular function, especially the heart. A deficiency has been associated with an increased incidence of abnormal heart conditions, anxiety and nervousness.
✓ Potassium is critical for normal nutrient transport into the cell. A deficiency can result in muscular weakness, mild depression and lethargy.
✓ Excess sodium is associated with hypertension, but adequate amounts are required for normal health.
Sodium is needed to make stomach acid.
Good hormone health is dependent upon suitable levels of calcium and magnesium (e.g., PMS is worse if these minerals are low!).

Requirements for testing: un-dyed hair near the root of the scalp for collection. Once paid for the test materials and instructions can be downloaded immediately. Upon collection of the hair sample, you ship it to the lab in the US.
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