Using Hair Mineral Analysis to Design A Supplement Program
Posted: Sunday, April 26, 2009
by Joy Healey
Minerals, comprising about 4% of our bodily weight, play a vital role in our health. Their functions include: - Structural support for bones and teeth - Nerve conduction - Water balance - Muscle contraction - Enzyme functions Some are required for hundreds of functions, others for just a few. Most people will be familiar with some of the roles of nutrient minerals such as calcium, zinc, iron and magnesium. Less familiar, but just as important are manganese, chromium and selenium.
Thirdly close monitoring of the mineral copper is crucial, as it is vital for certain functions, but toxic in excess - which of course applies to almost every substance to which we may be exposed. Even the humble calcium, known for preventing osteoporosis can contribute to brittle bones in some people. What is essential, and what is excess?
To further complicate matters, for optimum performance, minerals must be present in the correct balance to work synergistically (cooperatively). Iron and copper working synergistically in the correct proportion will produce red blood cells, but an excess of either will prevent absorption of the other. That's just one example of many I could have quoted.
In addition to mineral balance, vitamins themselves are a consideration. It is common knowledge that vitamin D can increase absorption of calcium, whereas an excess can lead to a potassium deficiency. Again, just one example of many.
Considering the complexity of fine balancing, one can understand that a particular multi-mineral/vitamin supplement will quite often provoke a different reaction in two different people. One size does not fit all.
These complicated interactions, together with ever increasing knowledge from scientific research, must all be taken into consideration when choosing a supplement program otherwise you run the risk of nutritionally induced deficiencies caused by high dose single vitamins or minerals. For instance, taking large doses of vitamin C may help prevent colds, but as vitamin C has a copper-lowering effect you may leave yourself more at risk of bacterial infections.
Prior to the design of a program, the client's existing mineral status must be evaluated, and one suitable method is atomic spectroscopy, considered to be an accurate method of analyzing the tissue mineral content within human hair,. Hair, easily and painlessly available, contains the minerals incorporated during its growth. The closer to the scalp, the more recent, and current, the information contained.
Based on scientific research, the United States Environmental Protection Agency has accepted that hair analysis is an effective way to measure mineral status, and studies have shown that, unlike blood samples, levels of toxic minerals in the hair correlated with kidney and liver concentrations, and was therefore a good indicator of bodily accumulation.
A correctly analyzed sample will provide a wealth of information about a patient's nutritional status, the effects of their diet, stress levels and exposure to toxic metals.
To ensure that testing is accurate, use only a laboratory that is licensed and certified by state and federal regulatory bodies.
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Joy Healey qualified as a nutritionist in 2000, at the prestigious Institute for Optimum Nutrition in London. She uses Hair Mineral Analysis extensively to design clients' supplement programs. Read more about the factors to consider at: http://HairMineralAnalysisReview.com
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