Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) is a diagnostic test that measures the mineral content of hair. A sample is collected by cutting the first 1.5 inches of hair growth closest to the scalp at the nape of the neck. This sample is processed in a licensed clinical laboratory through a series of specialized chemical and high-temperature digestion procedures. Advanced detection equipment and methodologies are then used to ensure highly accurate and precise test results.
Hair is an ideal tissue for sampling and testing due to its practical and diagnostic advantages. It can be easily and painlessly collected and sent to a laboratory without requiring special handling. Moreover, clinical studies demonstrate that a properly collected hair sample can reflect mineral status and toxic metal accumulation after both long-term and acute exposure.
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) provides unique insights into metabolic activity, specifically intracellular processes that are not visible through most other testing methods. It offers a detailed blueprint of biochemical activity occurring during the hair's growth and development phases.
Examples:
Lead Exposure: After an acute exposure, elevated serum lead levels may become undetectable within 30 to 40 days as the body removes lead from the bloodstream and deposits it into tissues like the liver, bones, teeth, and hair.
Nutrient Loss: Severe nutrient depletion may lead to significant health conditions without noticeable changes in blood nutrient levels.
Elemental Deficiency Symptoms: Symptoms of deficiencies can manifest well before serum tests reveal low levels of those elements.
Sodium and Hypertension: While excess sodium is linked to hypertension, sufficient sodium is essential for overall health.
Hair is recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a preferred tissue for assessing toxic metal exposure. A 1980 EPA report confirmed that human hair is effective for biological monitoring of high-priority toxic metals. These findings align with studies conducted both in the U.S. and internationally, suggesting that hair may be a more reliable tissue than blood or urine for assessing community exposure to certain trace elements.
Trace minerals play a vital role in numerous metabolic processes throughout every stage of life.
Zinc: Crucial for the production, storage, and release of insulin, zinc is also essential for growth hormone function.
Magnesium: Necessary for proper muscle function, particularly in the heart, magnesium deficiency has been linked to a higher risk of abnormal heart conditions, anxiety, and nervousness.
Potassium: Essential for the efficient transport of nutrients into cells, potassium deficiency can lead to muscle weakness, mild depression, and lethargy.
Sodium: While excess sodium is associated with hypertension, adequate levels are necessary to maintain overall health.
Multiple factors can influence nutrient balance and overall health, for example:
Diet: A diet high in refined and processed foods, alcohol, or based on fad trends can disrupt chemical balance. Even a seemingly "healthy" diet may lack sufficient nutrients if the food comes from nutrient-depleted soil or is improperly prepared.
Stress: Physical and emotional stress can deplete essential nutrients and impair the body’s ability to absorb and utilize them effectively.
Inherited Patterns: Genetic predispositions can influence mineral imbalances, deficiencies, or toxicities, impacting overall nutrient health.
Medications: Prescription and over-the-counter drugs, such as diuretics, antacids, aspirin, and oral contraceptives, can deplete nutrient stores or increase levels of toxic metals in the body.
Pollution: Daily exposure to toxic metals is common through sources like cigarette smoke (cadmium), hair dyes (lead), hydrogenated oils (nickel), antiperspirants (aluminum), dental amalgams (mercury and cadmium), copper and aluminum cookware, and lead-based cosmetics. These exposures can contribute to nutrient imbalances and metabolic disturbances.
What you will learn from HTMA test and consultation with Amy Papa:
Your Metabolic Type
Identifies how efficiently your body metabolizes energy and determines the ideal macronutrient ratios for your unique needs.Your Mineral Status
Provides an overview of the major minerals in your body, highlighting any significant deficiencies or excesses.Your Heavy Metal Excretion
Detects exposure to specific heavy metals and reveals whether your body is effectively excreting or storing them.Your Mineral Ratios
Highlights the interrelationships between minerals, pinpointing which bodily systems require the most nutritional support.
How to collect hair sample:
Scalp hair is the only source recommended for analysis. Pubic and other body hair should only be used as a last resort if scalp hair is not available. (Note: Pubic and other body hair is only recommended for confirmation of elevated toxic metals found in the scalp hair and/or to rule out external contamination of the scalp hair.)
The portion of hair to be collected should be untreated, i.e. not permed, dyed or bleached. If all of the hair has been chemically treated, wait until sufficient new virgin growth has emerged to allow collection. The hair should also be free of all gels, oils and hair creams prior to sample collection. For those individuals environmentally and/or occupationally exposed to external contaminants, (welding, mining, etc...) special care should be taken to limit exposure between washing of the hair and the collection of the sampled hair.
Each collected sample should be taken in small portions from at least four to five different locations of the scalp. The recommended areas for collection are the nape of the neck, posterior vertex and posterior temporal regions.
Note: All reference range correlations, dietary recommendations and interpretive report content assumes that the complete hair specimen originated solely from the above defined regions of the scalp.
High grade stainless steel scissors or thinning shears should be used to cut the hair as close to the scalp as possible. The length of the collected hair should not exceed one and one-half inches. The proximal portion (one and one-half inches closest to the root) should be retained and the excess discarded.
Note: The proximal portion is reflective of the most recent metabolic activity.
Are you ready to find out your metabolic type and your mineral status? Click below to order your HTMA test + 60 minutes consultation with Amy Papa:
