Written by Emma M Stevens (intern) of Viterbo University and Orli Rabin of ThrivingBiome
HTMA, or Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis, is a glimpse into your body’s environment, from the inside out. In the early stages of growth, burgeoning hair cells below the skin’s surface accumulate and store minerals and toxins from body fluids like blood and lymph. As strands sprout from the scalp’s external environment, hair cells carry with them everything they have collected during their growth. HTMA testing measures levels of essential minerals and toxins in a small sample of newly grown hair. These results help providers understand how your body is handling stress, metabolizing nutrients, and even developing symptoms like digestive issues, fatigue, muscle/joint pain, and more. Since hair cells store these analyses over several months, HTMA testing offers insight into long-term body balance (typically 3-4 months).
Minerals are essential micronutrients. They play a vital role in everything from bone strength to hormone production to regulation of heart rate and blood pressure. But, here’s the thing–minerals don’t typically work in isolation. Our bodies rely on intricate pathways where minerals work together or alongside other elements in carefully balanced systems. When one mineral is imbalanced, it can disrupt things like metabolism, digestion, energy levels, and the functionality of hormone-dependent thyroid and adrenal glands (this is why we don’t recommend taking supplements on a whim, by the way). So, understanding your body’s mineral balance can give you crucial clues to why you may be feeling off.
Your HTMA test will break your results down into a few key sections. One of the first things you’ll see is your metabolic type, designated as one of eight categories from fast to slow. (*Note: Your current metabolic type isn’t necessarily about how easy or difficult it could be for your weight to change, and metabolic types can change over time.) The metabolic type you’ll see at the top of your report tells you how quickly your body is exhausting its micronutrient stores, which is really important for understanding your symptoms and building a plan accordingly.
Next, the HTMA results will show measurements of minerals–like calcium, magnesium, and potassium–and toxic heavy metals–like mercury, lead, and arsenic–found in your hair. Each mineral is charted along with the reference ranges to give you an idea of where your mineral stores, toxin exposures, and detox pathways stand. The final section of the report is probably the most interesting/complex. It computes the ratios and balance between various minerals and toxins, focusing on their synergistic–or antagonistic–relationships. For example, the ratio of sodium to magnesium, known as the adrenal ratio, gives insights into how your body has been coping with stress recently. A higher than normal ratio can indicate active stress and an overactive, fast adrenal response. If the ratio is lower than normal, this can point to chronic stress and adrenal fatigue.
An HTMA test is non-invasive, relatively low-cost, and simple. It offers a comprehensive picture of what stress looks like in your body. This sweeping assessment of nutritional status, toxicity exposure, and overall systemic functions provides valuable insights into how each individual can nourish and support their body for sustainable well-being. Put simply, anyone can benefit from this test. HTMA may be especially helpful for those currently navigating things like:
With a wealth of information from your HTMA test, your provider will make personalized recommendations to help rebalance your body. These recommendations may include:
HTMA is one of our go-to tests to help clients find and address the root cause of their symptoms. Let’s dive into a side-by-side look at two case studies of HTMA test results and treatment paths.
Client A (let’s call her Reece) was the definition of “wired but tired”. Throughout her first appointment, Reece seemed jittery–constantly shifting in her seat and practically rushing through her words–but beneath her restless energy, there was a clear sense of weariness. She had been dealing with painful bloating, abdominal distention, and loose stools. On top of that, Reece’s anxiety had been unrelenting lately, leaving her feeling on edge and unable to wind down. Even still, she craved stressful situations and found herself seeking them out.
Client B (let’s call her Sam) was quiet and a bit withdrawn when we met her. Appearing drained, she spoke softly and slowly under the weight of her fatigue, and kept pulling her sweater tighter–almost like she was trying to wrap herself in a protective shell. Sam felt chilly all the time, and like she was in slow motion, right down to her sluggish gut and issues with constipation and bloating. Lately, she could only sleep for a couple hours at a time with disruption and woke up feeling tired most days.
We ordered HTMA tests along with comprehensive blood work for both clients. Right at the top of each HTMA report, their metabolic types were displayed–either fast or slow with a number between 1 and 4. (*Note: Remember, the metabolic type isn’t about weight loss or gain; it tells us about how quickly the body is using up its nutrient stores.) Reece’s metabolic type was Fast 4, while Sam’s was Slow 2. This told us that Reece was actively stressed and her body was tearing through its micronutrient stores to keep up with the demands of her frantic pace. Sam was also stressed, but her stress was chronic, to the point that her minerals were depleted, leaving her in adrenal fatigue.
Let’s dig a little deeper into the data:
The next thing we hone in on after metabolic type is mineral status.
The orange line is a mid-range that helps us see patterns in the test results. As you can see, both Reece’s and Sam’s overall results showed lower mineral levels detected in their hair samples.
For Sam, depleted mineral stores were anticipated. Her symptoms–fatigue, moving/speaking slowly, sluggish gut, and sensitivity to cold–and overall HTMA results aligned with a slow metabolic type that tends to result from prolonged stress.
For Reece, we expected to see the exact opposite. Her symptoms–anxiety, restlessness, and overactive gut–were indicative of her fast metabolic type. So, we expected that as her body burned through mineral stores to meet the demands of an active stress response, the levels detected in her hair would be through the roof. But they weren’t. That told us that Reece’s active stress response and sympathetic (“fight or flight”) nervous system activation had become so prolonged that her mineral stores ran out.
For a more comprehensive picture of their, we turned our attention to the significant ratios portion of the report:
Thinking back to what we talked about earlier, many vital body systems rely on a delicate balance of specific minerals. Each significant ratio reflects how these systems are expected to function with the current mineral levels. In other words, it is a way for us to connect the dots between the symptoms someone is experiencing and tangible imbalances.
Reece’s Calcium:Phosphorus ratio aligns with active stress and a fast metabolism of nutrients to keep pace. Her other two ratios, however, point more towards a chronically activated stress response that pushes her body past sympathetic overdrive, sapping her resources in the process. This means that Reece is facing severe imbalances.
Unlike Reece’s ratios, Sam’s abnormal ratios both align with her slow metabolic type.
So, then what?
Using our detailed analysis of their HTMA results–along with comprehensive blood work, medical history, dietary data, etc.–we tailored plans to support Reece’s and Sam’s unique needs. Regardless of metabolic type, cultivating balance included stress management techniques, personalized dietary and supplement recommendations, and continued monitoring and support.
Mineral repletion:
Stress management:
Mineral repletion:
Stress management:
Ultimately the HTMA test offers valuable insight into mineral balance, exposure to toxins, and how the body responds to stress. With these results, we craft a personalized plan to help your body rebalance and feel better. But, one of our favorite things about this test? It helps us connect the dots between your symptoms and what’s actually going on in your body, meaning that if something feels off, it's not in your head!
