Unlocking the Secrets of Your Health: The Power of Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA)
- Catherine Nicholls
- May 1
- 10 min read
Updated: May 8
Are you ready to unlock the secrets of your health?
Are you concerned about mineral imbalances, deficiencies or heavy metals in your body and how they might be affecting your health?
Do you want to know whether your body is functioning optimally?
Are you struggling with fatigue or stress?
Are you concerned about heavy metal exposure and how that might be impacting your neurological function?
Are you experiencing symptoms of hormone imbalance and would like to understand more?
Are you concerned about your immune system function?
Would you like to know whether the supplements you take are right for your bodies needs and whether you are metabolising them efficiently?
Do you have a slow metabolism and would like to increase your metabolic rate?
Are you worried about your bone health and Osteoporosis?
Or are you looking to detoxify toxins from your body?
A Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis alongside expert support and Homeopathic remedies can help to ensure your body is functioning optimally and clear any toxins from your system.
What is a Hair Mineral Analysis Test?
Trace mineral analysis (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis) offers a unique window into your body’s nutrient stores, toxic exposure, and metabolic trends—information you might miss with conventional testing.
Hair, unlike blood, stores a long-term record of what’s been happening inside your body over the past few months or even years and reflects the mineral content of the body’s tissues.
Why would you consider having a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis Test?
Whether you're dealing with fatigue, stress, hormonal imbalances, or simply seeking to optimise your health, HTMA can provide actionable insights to guide your wellness journey.
When it comes to understanding your body’s health, HTMA is an exceptional tool for several reasons:
1. Pinpoint Mineral Deficiencies
Minerals are the building blocks of life, playing vital roles in everything from bone strength to energy production and immune function. Unfortunately, modern diets often leave us deficient in key minerals like magnesium, zinc, or selenium. HTMA identifies these deficiencies, giving you a roadmap to improve your nutrition and replenish vital nutrients.
Common Symptoms of Mineral Deficiency
Regular digestive issues like constipation
Suffering from headaches and migraine
Slow metabolism causing weight gain
Appetite loss and stomach pain
Over or under active thyroid
Feeling constantly bloated
Feeling constantly tired
Muscles keep cramping
Unable to lose weight
Hair falling out
For instance, low magnesium levels could be contributing to your insomnia or muscle cramps, while a zinc deficiency might be weakening your immune system. With HTMA, you get a clear picture of which minerals need attention, empowering you to take action.
2. Detect Heavy Metal Toxicity
Toxic metals like lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic can silently accumulate in the body, leading to a range of health issues—from brain fog and fatigue to serious conditions like cardiovascular disease. Because hair acts as a long-term storage tissue, HTMA can detect these harmful metals, even if they aren’t yet causing obvious symptoms.If you've been exposed to environmental toxins through contaminated water, industrial pollution, or even certain foods, HTMA can reveal the hidden burden on your body. Knowing this allows you to take steps toward detoxification and reduce the long-term risks associated with heavy metal exposure.
3. Understand Your Body’s Stress Response
Your mineral balance tells a story about how your body is coping with stress. Sodium and potassium levels, for example, provide clues about adrenal function—an essential component of your stress response. HTMA can reveal whether your adrenal glands are in overdrive or underactive, helping you better manage stress and restore balance.For those constantly battling fatigue or feeling "burned out," HTMA can highlight imbalances linked to adrenal fatigue, giving you the insight you need to recover your energy and vitality.
4. Optimise Thyroid and Hormonal Health
Mineral imbalances can significantly impact hormone regulation, including thyroid function. For example, high calcium levels or low potassium levels can signal hypothyroidism, a condition that often goes unnoticed but can cause weight gain, fatigue, and mood swings.HTMA can also reveal imbalances like high copper relative to zinc, which is often linked to hormonal issues like oestrogen dominance. If you’ve been struggling with irregular periods, mood swings, or other hormonal symptoms, understanding these mineral ratios could be key to addressing the root cause.
5. Support Detoxification Pathways
Your body’s ability to detoxify is crucial to maintaining good health, especially in today’s toxin-filled world. Minerals like selenium and zinc play essential roles in detoxifying harmful substances from the body. Low levels of these minerals may indicate a compromised detox system, leaving you more vulnerable to environmental pollutants and metabolic waste buildup.HTMA helps you identify whether your detox pathways are functioning optimally, giving you the information you need to support these systems through targeted nutrition and lifestyle changes.
6. Personalise Your Health Plan
One of the most powerful aspects of HTMA is its ability to personalise your health strategy. Each person has a unique biochemical makeup, which means what works for someone else may not work for you. HTMA takes the guesswork out of supplementing or adjusting your diet by showing you exactly what your body needs.For example, if HTMA reveals a calcium/magnesium imbalance, you can adjust your intake to promote better muscle function and relaxation. Or if your sodium/potassium ratio is off, you might need to focus on adrenal support and hydration. This tailored approach helps you make informed decisions and achieve optimal health faster.
7. Gain Insights into Long-Term Health
Unlike blood tests, which only offer a snapshot of your current health, HTMA provides a long-term view of mineral patterns and toxic load. This makes it a powerful tool for assessing chronic conditions and understanding how your body has been functioning over time. Whether you're managing a long-term health condition or want to optimise your future wellness, HTMA gives you the data to track your progress and adjust your strategies.
What information can be gathered from a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis?
1. Mineral Deficiencies
HTMA can detect deficiencies in essential minerals such as:
Calcium: Important for bone health, nerve transmission, and muscle function.
Magnesium: Involved in muscle relaxation, nervous system function, and energy production.
Zinc: Critical for immune function, wound healing, and protein synthesis.
Iron: Vital for oxygen transport and energy metabolism.
Selenium: Necessary for antioxidant defence and thyroid function.
Copper: Involved in energy production and collagen formation.
2. Mineral Excesses or Toxicity
High levels of certain minerals can indicate potential toxicity or overload, such as:
Calcium: Excess calcium may be linked to stress, hormonal imbalances, or inefficient calcium metabolism.
Copper: Excessive copper can be related to copper toxicity, which may contribute to symptoms like anxiety or hormonal imbalances.
3. Heavy Metal Exposure and Toxicity
HTMA is often used to detect the presence of toxic heavy metals, which can accumulate in the body over time:
Lead: Linked to cognitive decline, developmental issues, and various health disorders.
Mercury: Known to affect neurological function and can come from sources like dental fillings or seafood.
Arsenic: Commonly associated with contaminated water or certain foods, high arsenic levels can lead to various health issues.
4. Ratios of Key Minerals
HTMA provides valuable information about the ratios between key minerals, which can offer insights into metabolic function, hormone regulation, and overall health:
Calcium/Magnesium Ratio: Linked to muscle function and stress response.
Sodium/Potassium Ratio: Known as the "adrenal ratio," this can indicate adrenal gland function and stress levels.
Zinc/Copper Ratio: Imbalances can reflect immune system function, hormonal health, and mental well-being.
Calcium/Phosphorus Ratio: Helps assess metabolic rate, with high calcium and low phosphorus suggesting a slow metabolism.
5. Metabolic Type and Energy Production
HTMA can provide insights into a person’s metabolic type, indicating whether they are a "fast" or "slow" metaboliser. This can influence recommendations for diet, exercise, and supplementation:
Fast Metabolisers: Tend to have lower calcium and magnesium, with higher sodium and potassium levels, indicating high energy output but also potential stress.
Slow Metabolisers: Tend to have higher calcium and magnesium, with lower sodium and potassium, indicating slower energy production and possibly sluggish metabolic activity.
6. Thyroid and Adrenal Function
Certain mineral patterns can reflect thyroid and adrenal function:
Low Sodium and Potassium: May suggest adrenal insufficiency or low adrenal function.
Calcium and Magnesium Ratios: Can provide clues about thyroid activity, with imbalances possibly indicating hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.
7. Oxidative Stress and Free Radical Activity
High levels of certain toxic metals (like mercury or cadmium) or imbalances in minerals like copper and zinc may indicate oxidative stress. This can lead to increased free radical activity, contributing to aging and chronic diseases.
8. Detoxification Capacity
HTMA can offer insights into the body’s ability to detoxify. For example, low levels of selenium or zinc may indicate impaired detoxification pathways, while high levels of heavy metals suggest an increased toxic burden.
9. Potential Hormonal Imbalances
Mineral imbalances, such as high copper or low zinc, can be associated with hormonal disturbances. For instance, high copper levels can be linked to oestrogen dominance, while zinc is crucial for testosterone production.
10. Dietary and Supplementation Needs
Based on the results, HTMA can provide personalised recommendations for diet and supplementation to correct mineral deficiencies or excesses and promote better overall health.
What will you receive with your HTMA Homeopathic Consultation with Catherine?
Using this analysis, Catherine will interpret and guide you through the results and provide you with a tailored treatment plan during your next homeopathic consultation to rebalance any mineral or heavy metal contained within your body.
Catherine will then prescribe Homeopathic remedies to rebalance your body, where necessary this will include:
A remedy which takes into account your holistic experience and symptoms
Organ support remedies, for example liver and kidneys
Other tissue remedies when specific tissues in the body need support due to excess or deficiency in function
Tissue salts to support and ensure your body is in balance and can function at optimal health
Rebalancing remedies, when there is evidence of excesses or side effects from undesirable substances, like heavy metals, pollen or side effects from medications.
Remedies to strengthen and support your elimination pathways and gastrointestinal system.
Homeopathic rebalancing is gentle and supportive of the body and can be tailored to your individual needs.
Follow up consultations can be booked to check your rebalancing progress through changes in symptoms and it can be useful, but not necessary to repeat the hair tissue mineral test 6 months later as a way of confirming the changes that have taken place. Many patients don’t feel the need as their symptom improvement is confirmation enough. *(The costs of the repeated HTMA test are not included in this package).
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis is more than just a diagnostic tool—it’s a pathway to better health. Whether you’re looking to identify nutrient deficiencies, detox from heavy metals, or understand your body’s stress response, HTMA provides valuable insights that can guide your wellness journey. Don’t settle for guesswork when it comes to your health. HTMA offers a clear, personalised roadmap to help you thrive.
In summary, Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis can provide insights into mineral imbalances, heavy metal toxicity, metabolic function, and overall health, but it should be interpreted carefully and in conjunction with other medical assessments.
Book in for a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis today and take control of your well-being from the inside out.
Frequently asked questions:
Why Should You Be Concerned About Heavy Metals in Your Body?
Even in tiny amounts, heavy metals can be harmful. Once in your body, they accumulate over time and can even be passed from generation to generation. Your body cannot easily detox heavy metals on its own, leading to health issues that are becoming more common in both children and adults.
Modern soil depletion and food contamination increase our exposure. When essential minerals are missing, the body substitutes toxic metals, disrupting vital functions. Heavy metals weaken tissues, cause inflammation, and interfere with energy production—leading to chronic fatigue, brain fog, and widespread health issues.
Heavy metals contribute to:
Neurological disorders (ASD, dementia, Alzheimer’s, brain fog etc)
Immune dysfunction (cancer, chronic infections, autoimmune conditions, candida etc)
Thyroid and adrenal issues
Nervous system disorders
Musculoskeletal - joint, bone, and muscle pain
Where do heavy metals in our body come from?
Direct exposure: From dental fillings, cosmetics, foods, copper IUDs, pesticides, home environment, personal care products like deodorants
Air pollution: Aircraft exhaust, coal plants, smoking, vehicle emissions
Prescription and over the counter medications & vaccines: Some contain aluminium or mercury
Once in the body, metals settle in the brain, liver, and bones, making them hard to detect. Awareness and proactive detoxification are key to reducing exposure and protecting your health.
What information do you receive in your Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis Report?
The analysis report provides details of your individual body’s mineral stores including:
15 major minerals measured
6 major toxins measures
Easy to understand summary and further analysis information
Key mineral ratios given
Accurate mineral deficiency readings
Accurate metal toxicity readings
Stress system indicators
Immune dysfunction indicators
How to Get Started with HTMA
Getting started with Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis is simple.
Book in for a Discovery Call with Catherine and she will provide you with a test kit.
You’ll then need to send off a small sample of hair, cut close to the scalp which provides information about the mineral activity in the hair that took place over the past three to four months, depending on the rate of hair growth. Instructions of how to take your hair sample are provided alongside the test kit. Your hair sample is then sent to the laboratory, Mineral Check for analysis; you will then detailed report outlining your mineral levels, heavy metal exposure, and key ratios that affect your health within 3 weeks which we will discuss within your consultation.
How reliable are my hair mineral test results?
Hair analysis is extremely accurate. The laboratory uses sophisticated instruments (mass spectrometry) and has software programmes that allow for extensive quality control. The laboratory specialises in hair testing exclusively analysing over 75,000 samples a year and full attention is given to assuring the accuracy of your results
Does a blood or urine test tell me just as much as a hair analysis?
Blood tests give information about your mineral levels at the time of the test only. If you’ve just eaten a banana your test can indicate a high potassium level for example, whereas this may not actually be the case. Your hair test indicates your overall level of potassium – so your actual storage levels over a period of time, not just what you ate that day or that week. A blood test will only accurately report what is being transported in your blood at the time of the test.
Testing for minerals in the urine measures the minerals that are being excreted from your body – not necessarily what has been absorbed as fuel for your body.
So, blood and urine tests are like snapshots whereas a hair analysis is the video of your mineral retention.
If you would like to know more, book a consultation or discuss any health concerns you have, please contact me to discuss via email or book in for a discovery call via my website.
