Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis
Included in your hair mineral testing kit is a hair collection envelop, a scale to weight your sample, and instructions on how to collect your sample. The cost of the test also includes the follow-up testing results consult.
Included in your hair mineral testing kit is a hair collection envelop, a scale to weight your sample, and instructions on how to collect your sample. The cost of the test also includes the follow-up testing results consult.
Included in your hair mineral testing kit is a hair collection envelop, a scale to weight your sample, and instructions on how to collect your sample. The cost of the test also includes the follow-up testing results consult.
How do I collect a hair sample?
Included with your test will be a hair scale to measure the amount of hair, along with more detailed instructions. You will be asked to mail in 1” to 1.5” of your hair from the root: As in the first inch to inch and a half of your hair. You will then use the scale to make sure that the amount of hair that you included will be enough for the lab to utilize. It isn’t much: Just collect it from two indiscrete areas on your head. The ideal cutting tool to collect your sample would be scissors, but you can use trimming sheers if need be. Just make sure to wipe the blade down before you collect your sample.
The day that you will be collecting your sample, make sure that your hair has been washed 4 hours prior, but no more than 24 hours from collecting your hair sample. You will also be asked to NOT use conditioner or any other products besides shampoo when you wash your hair and get it ready for collection. If you do not want to use the hair on your head, auxiliary hair can be utilized such as beard hair, armpit hair or pubic hair. Make sure to isolate your collection to only one hair location (as in do not mix hair from your head and beard hair for your sample).
If you are a well system, it is advised that you use bottled spring water for a week before collecting your sample. This is due to the use of water softeners in well systems. If you use well water with softeners for your testing sample, it could skew your results.
What minerals and heavy metals am I being tested for?
Nutrient Minerals: Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), Zinc (Zn), Chromium (Cr), Selenium (Se), and Phosphorus (P).
Toxic Heavy Metals: Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), Cadmium (Cd), Arsenic (As), and Aluminum (AI).
Additional Minerals: Nickel (Ni), Cobalt (Co), Molybdenum (Mo), Lithium (Li), and Boron (B).
How old do you have to be for a HTMA?
We do treat children, and the youngest age that can be tested is 3 years old. There is no limit on how old you can be to get tested.
How long do I wait for my test results?
Generally your results will take about 2-3 weeks to be completed by the lab. When your test results are almost ready, we will reach out to you and schedule your results consult.
What happens during my results consult?
During your consult with our practitioner, you will go over what your hair tissue sample revealed. You will learn about what mineral(s) you are deficient in, what mineral(s) you have in excess and what mineral(s) aren’t bioavailable in your body. For example, you could be on the carnivore diet and eating a lot of red meat, and then shocked to learn that your results say that you are low in iron. That doesn’t necessarily mean you need to supplement with iron, but rather that your body isn’t using the iron that is already present: Making it biounavailable. Your practitioner will go over how the minerals work together in ratios, and where you currently are with regards to that (and where the ideal number should be).
You will also review what heavy metals showed up on your results. If they showed up on the first test, that is a great sign that your body is already working to naturally push them out. If they didn’t show up it could mean that you either don’t have them, or that they are immobilized in the body. As you replenish your body’s natural minerals, it will allow the natural detoxification process you body should be doing, to occur.
You will also go over what is known as your oxidation rate: Whether you are a slow, mixed or fast oxidizer. This will help determine how quickly you use up minerals, what dietary choices will suite your body, etc. Your practitioner will be able to make the necessary recommendations for you based on your results.
At the end of your consult, your practitioner will go over what supplements are necessary for you to replenish the minerals in your body, along with any recommended methods of eliminating the toxins from your body.
Will there be a follow up test?
Yes. 4 months after starting your protocol, you will be asked to complete another hair tissue analysis. This is done because we want to make sure that your mineral levels are balancing out. We can then compare your two test scores in order to monitor and track the progress you are making!