Hair Mineral Analysis Unlocks the Secrets of Health Hidden in Your Hair

A useful diagnostic tool anyone can benefit from is a Hair Mineral Analysis, or HMA. Hair contains all the minerals present in the body and, in most cases, reflects the quantity of these elements in your tissues. Analysis provides a wealth of information on how efficiently your body is working and its nutritional status over a period of time.

How does the test work?

Taking a hair sample is simple, non-invasive and pain free. It is dispatched to a lab in the USA that specializes only in hair analysis. On arrival the hair is prepared for testing and acids are added to break it down, separating out the elements contained in the hair protein. After ‘digestion’ the remaining mineral salts are put into solution and analyzed by sensitive and specialized instruments. The results are then presented in a personalized report containing: levels of 38 minerals, interactions between them, explanations of how these affect health, metabolic type, details of foods to increase or decrease, and a tailored supplement programme designed to improve mineral balance. It often gives clients answers they have sought for years.

The test and report can be done in your own home and will give pages and pages of information that you can use for the rest of your life. There are cheaper services, I have evaluated several; on the worst I waited eight weeks for its return then received just one sheet of paper giving levels of 19 minerals. No explanations, no interactions, no graphs, no analysis. You get what you pay for.

In the past twenty years there have been over 1000 references in peer-reviewed journals, supporting the reliability of the HMA, but perhaps of more interest are the following case histories.

Case history 1: J.C. presented with symptoms of fatigue, lethargy, joint aches and excessive hair loss (at age 25). His hair mercury was markedly high. Following treatment his hair levels of mercury decreased to a much more acceptable level and his symptoms improved significantly. The toxicity source was never identified.

Case history 2: C.T. became mentally ill and was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. He was also alcoholic and consuming large quantities of drugs. An HMA revealed four times the acceptable levels of lead in his hair and also elevated levels of cadmium, mercury and copper. Following therapy and supplementation his condition improved dramatically, he lost his cravings for alcohol and his symptoms of mental illness reverted to normal, with no further need for psychoactive drugs.

Case history 3: L.S., a housewife in her early 40s, had been feeling tired for months. Her doctor had run all the standard tests and could find no problems. Finally she had an HMA which showed she had high levels of lead that were causing her tiredness. Relief came easily, she was feeling better in two weeks and the tired feeling vanished within a month. L.S. had been breathing excess lead from a car exhaust. How much lead are you breathing in from car exhausts – jogging or queuing in heavy traffic? How much cadmium have you accumulated from passive (or active!) smoking at the office and the pub? Is the mercury in your fillings stable, or is the vapor slowly poisoning you?

Could you benefit from an HMA?

If you have a disease or illness that has not responded to conventional treatment, you may wish to explore other possibilities and an HMA is an excellent place to start. If you are suffering from ‘unexplained’ problems such as headaches, backaches, weakness or tremors, an HMA may help you to get to the bottom of it. If you can answer ‘yes’ to five or more of these questions an HMA may provide information which, if acted upon, could benefit your health.

* Do you live in a city, or exercise/walk by a busy road?
* Do you spend more than two hours a week in traffic?
* Do you smoke more than five cigarettes a day?
* Do you live or work in a smoky atmosphere?
* Do you buy foods exposed to exhaust fumes (i.e. on display at a road-side stall)?
* Do you generally eat non-organic produce?
* Do you drink more than 1 unit of alcohol per day?
* Do you spend a lot of time in front of a TV or VDU?
* Are you exposed to pollutants in your job (e.g. printing) or hobby (gardening)?
* Do you have two or more amalgam dental fillings?
* Do you usually drink unfiltered tap water?
* Are you just feeling under par without knowing why?

Are just toxic minerals examined?

No – the HMA will examine the status of the essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, chromium and a whole host of others. Modern food processing methods strip nutrients from food. Did you know that a massive 98% of chromium is stripped from flour in the refining process. Not heard of chromium? It is an essential part of the ‘Glucose Tolerance Factor’ which controls blood sugar, stimulates burning of food for energy, controls blood cholesterol levels, reduces blood fat levels and suppresses hunger symptoms. Modern farming methods have also depleted the mineral content of soil, and addition of some fertilizers can make minerals unavailable to plants. If sodium (in table salt), calcium (in dairy products) and phosphorous (in fizzy drinks) are present in excess in your diet, these can upset the natural mineral ratios. Is fluoride in your water supply depressing your calcium absorption? The graphs in an HMA will reveal all. Why not find out? Here's an example Hair Mineral Analysis report.

To sum up: Obviously HMA is no substitute for diagnosis by a medical practitioner, but if conventional investigations have failed to find a reason, or suggest a treatment for your problem, HMA represents an invaluable and cost effective next step.

Joy Healey qualified as a nutritionist at the London Institute for Optimum Nutrition in 2000. You can download her ebook on Hair Mineral Analysis here:
Hair Mineral Analysis Testing".