Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis FAQs

[Guest guest]

Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis FAQs

_http://www.optimalhealthnetwork.com/Hair-Tissue-Mineral-Analysis-FAQs-s/539.h

tm_

(http://www.optimalhealthnetwork.com/Hair-Tissue-Mineral-Analysis-FAQs-s/539.htm\

)

 

 

_Why use the hair? Why not use the blood?_

(http://www.optimalhealthnetwork.com/Hair-Tissue-Mineral-Analysis-FAQs-s/539.htm\

#use-hair)

 

_Why test for minerals?_

(http://www.optimalhealthnetwork.com/Hair-Tissue-Mineral-Analysis-FAQs-s/539.htm\

#why-test)

 

_What can cause a mineral imbalance?_

(http://www.optimalhealthnetwork.com/Hair-Tissue-Mineral-Analysis-FAQs-s/539.htm\

#imbalance)

 

_Can vitamin requirements be determined from a mineral test?_

(http://www.optimalhealthnetwork.com/Hair-Tissue-Mineral-Analysis-FAQs-s/539.htm\

#vitamins)

 

Why use the hair? Why not use the blood?

Hair is ideal tissue for sampling and testing. First, it can be cut easily

and painlessly and can be sent to a 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.

An 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. A few

examples:

* For 30 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.

* Calcium loss from the body can become so advanced that severe

osteoporosis can develop without any appreciable changes noted in the calcium

levels in a blood test.

* Symptoms of iron deficiency can be present long before low iron

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 EPA

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.

Why test for minerals?

Trace minerals are essential in countless metabolic functions in all phases

of the life process. For example:

 

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 heart attacks,

anxiety, and nervousness.

 

Potassium is critical for normal nutrient transport into the cell. A

deficiency can result in muscular weakness, depression, and lethargy.

 

Excess sodium is associated with hypertension, but adequate amounts are

required for normal health. In the words of the late author and noted

researcher

Dr. Henry Schroeder, trace elements (minerals) are " ...more important factors

in human nutrition than vitamins. The body can manufacture many vitamins,

but it cannot produce necessary trace minerals or get rid of many possible

excesses. "

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's 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, and vitamin A enhances the

utilization of zinc, while antagonizing vitamins D and E. Protein intake

affects

zinc status.

Therefore, evaluating mineral status provides good clues of vitamin status

and requirements. Continuing research involves the recognition of many

synergistic and antagonistic interrelationships between minerals and vitamins.

The above information is provided by Trace Elements, Inc.

Related Article

 

_Why is Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) an Exceptional Tool?_

(http://www.optimalhealthnetwork.com/Hair-Tissue-Mineral-Analysis-s/543.htm)