Hair Mineral Analysis

Important information to customize your diet and supplement program

When performed and interpreted correctly, hair mineral analysis is an excellent method to assess the way the body is responding to stress and to guide the design of corrective health programs. The correct interpretation, based on the work of Dr. Paul C. Eck, allows one to gain a tremendous amount of information about how the body is handling stress, one’s metabolic type, glandular activity, immune system activity, inflammation, glucose tolerance and much more.

Mineral analysis is used around the world for biological monitoring of plants, animals and human populations. It is a standard monitoring tool. Spectroscopic analysis has been used for about 75 years. New, computer-controlled spectrometers measure to within parts per billion with excellent accuracy and reliability.

A hair mineral analysis is a mineral biopsy. Any tissue of the body could be used. Hair is used because it is fast-growing, sampling is easy and non-invasive, and it is an excretory tissue of the body. This means the hair will be cut off anyway, and the body will deposit excess minerals in the hair and will not deposit minerals that it needs to retain.

At the laboratory, the hair sample is first cut into small pieces and then digested in acid overnight. The next day a carefully weighed amount is analyzed, usually by mass spectroscopy, for the levels of 23 or more elements. Some labs report results in parts per million (ppm)while others report results in milligrams per 100 grams (mg%). One multiplies ppm by ten to obtain a value in mg%.

The keys to the use of hair analysis are 1) it must be performed by a lab that does not wash the hair, and 2) it must be interpreted correctly. Few physicians or consultants use the right laboratory or interpret the test properly. Most just look at the toxic metals, which is the least important information on the test. Toxic metals are often sequestered deep within organs and will not be revealed on the first few hair mineral tests until they begin to be mobilized.

Six of the eight commercial mineral analysis laboratories in the United States wash the hair at the laboratory. Hair is porous, and washing with solvents and detergents washes out electrolyte and trace minerals, which are the most important indicators on the test. Their toxic metal readings are fine, but their electrolyte and trace element readings will be skewed by washing. Their sodium and potassium readings are quite useless.

Much of the negative publicity about hair analysis is due to this problem. Several studies were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association critical of hair analysis for this reason, please read Dr. Wilson’s information on this controversy at www.drlwilson.com/studies/hair_analysis_controversy.htm
Only Analytical Research Labs and Trace Elements, Inc. do not wash the hair and therefore provide accurate electrolyte readings. I prefer the programs by Analytical Research Labs.

Hair mineral analysis is a screening test. No claims are made for diagnosis, treatment or cure of any disease or condition using tissue mineral analysis.

The fee for a first time tissue mineral analysis is $150.00, which includes a 1 hour consultation with dietary, supplement, detoxification and lifestyle recommendations. Retests which are recommended between 3-6 months after the initial test are $125.00

Tissue mineral analysis package:
Combined with a metabolic type evaluation: $265 – this session will last 1 ½ hours and can be either in person or by phone.

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