Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis
A hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA) simply stated, is a screening test that measures the mineral content of your hair. However, a hair tissue mineral analysis is much more than a test for minerals.
Providing a mineral blueprint of one's biochemistry, a hair tissue mineral analysis can provide pertinent information about one's metabolic rate, energy levels, and stage of stress.
A hair tissue mineral analysis performed by Analytical Research Labs, Inc., is a screening test for the level of 20 minerals and toxic metals in a sample of hair. It is a tissue mineral biopsy that is non-invasive, relatively inexpensive and extremely accurate. Our laboratory uses only the most advanced and sophisticated instrumentation available today, the Perkin Elmer ICP-MS nexION 2000B Mass Spectrometer to assess mineral levels in parts per million or parts per billion.
A hair tissue mineral analysis is considered a standard test used around the world for the biological monitoring of trace elements and toxic metals in humans and animals species. The same technology is used for soil testing and testing of rock samples to detect mineral levels.
Hair, like all other body tissues, contains minerals that are deposited as the hair grows. Although the hair is dead, the minerals remain as the hair continues to grow out. A sample of hair cut close to the scalp 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.
Why is Our Hair Analysis Unique?
Several factors combine to make our hair tissue mineral analysis the best in the industry!
We are one of only two laboratories that do not wash the hair at the laboratory. Washing hair samples at the laboratory has been shown to erratically wash out the water-soluble elements. This creates much less accurate results. In a 2001 study in the Journal of the AMA (Seidel, S. et al., Assessment of Commercial Laboratories Performing Hair Mineral Analysis, JAMA, 285(1) Jan 3:67-72.) the two laboratories that did not wash the hair, of which we were one, showed superb reliability.
We use technologically advanced testing instruments, including the Perkin Elmer Elan 9000 ICP Mass Spectrometer.
We are proud of our laboratory quality control procedures. These include known controls which are tested at the beginning, middle and end of every batch of hair samples to insure the accuracy of the results.
We automatically retest any reading that is out of a normally expected range, provided sufficient hair is available for a second sample.
Test results are printed on an easy-to-read graph, unlike many of the other laboratories. This is a great benefit for both practitioners and their clients as well. The printed graph includes the mineral results, major mineral ratios and the oxidation type.
We offer the only complete individualized test interpretation by the method developed by the late Dr. Paul C. Eck, our founder. This is unique as it includes information related to one's metabolic rate, energy levels, autonomic balance, a personal dietary supplement program, basic diet recommendations and other information that can be inferred from the test results.
We offer the only personalized transition dietary plan based entirely upon the results of one's hair tissue mineral analysis. This report includes three transition diets, menu plans and a wealth of information covering food preparation, eating habits, changing one's habits, cooking, shopping and other valuable information.