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See Again
© Getty Images
0 / 30 Fotos
Lingering symptoms
- Struggling with lingering medical symptoms that are affecting your health and well-being? Unable to identify what may be going on, despite doing a number of blood tests?
© Shutterstock
1 / 30 Fotos
Greater health insight
- What if there was a way to get greater insight into your nutrients, metabolic markers, and other measurable values? That’s what a hair mineral test can offer.
© Shutterstock
2 / 30 Fotos
Blood test
- While blood tests reflect the current state of markers, a hair analysis covers a longer period of time, providing an analysis of several months, which can be more insightful when it comes to certain values.
© Shutterstock
3 / 30 Fotos
Sample
- A small sample of hair is taken from patients for analysis. About one to two teaspoons worth of hair is collected. The sample is taken and sent to a lab for analysis.
© Getty Images
4 / 30 Fotos
Health trends
- Being able to look at a period of time, stretching from three to six months, helps to really identify what kind of trends can be concluded regarding the state of your health.
© Getty Images
5 / 30 Fotos
Nutrient imbalances
- A hair mineral insight can provide several insights into nutrient imbalances that you may be experiencing. By identifying the presence or (lack) of essential minerals, medical practitioners can make concrete dietary suggestions.
© Shutterstock
6 / 30 Fotos
Minerals
- Alterations of levels in minerals like calcium, zinc, magnesium, and iron, all of which can gravely affect your overall health if not properly balanced, can be detected.
© Shutterstock
7 / 30 Fotos
Critical mineral balance
- This comprehensive profile of mineral levels in your body can provide some insight, in conjunction with other values, into the kind of issues that you could be facing that may be preventing you from achieving a balance of critical minerals.
© Shutterstock
8 / 30 Fotos
Toxic metals
- The hair mineral test can also detect levels of toxic metals present in the body. This includes things like mercury, cadmium, arsenic, and lead. All of which can have detrimental effects on your health.
© Shutterstock
9 / 30 Fotos
Metabolic issues
- Metabolic issues, which are directly linked to your body’s capacity to process, store, and utilize minerals, can also be detected to understand your metabolic function.
© Shutterstock
10 / 30 Fotos
Health advice
- Understanding some of these markers could provide your healthcare practitioner with critical information that can shape the kind of health guidelines you should be following.
© Shutterstock
11 / 30 Fotos
Exposure to toxic metals
- Understanding exposure to toxic metals can give insights into your home environment and the kind of issues that you may be facing without knowing.
© iStock
12 / 30 Fotos
Neurological issues
- The accumulation of toxic heavy metals like those previously listed could lead to the development of neurological and gastrointestinal issues.
© Shutterstock
13 / 30 Fotos
Reducing exposure
- Having this information can help you take the necessary steps to identify and reduce your exposure to harmful toxins.
© Shutterstock
14 / 30 Fotos
Preventative
- The benefit of the hair test is not only the detection but also the preventative element. Even if you are not experiencing symptoms related to toxic exposure, the hair mineral test can detect if you have elevated levels.
© Shutterstock
15 / 30 Fotos
Identifying necessary steps
- Knowing this information can help to assess what kind of chronic exposure you are facing and identify the necessary steps to reduce your exposure.
© Shutterstock
16 / 30 Fotos
Fatigue
- In addition to the issues that toxin accumulation can provoke in the body, there are mineral imbalances that can lead to the development of various symptoms, such as fatigue and even mood imbalances.
© Shutterstock
17 / 30 Fotos
Zinc
- For example, deficiencies in zinc can contribute to a weakened immune system, making it more likely for you to catch common colds or even experience illness for a longer period of time.
© Shutterstock
18 / 30 Fotos
Calcium
- Another example could be elevated calcium levels. These can, too, be indicative of a looming health condition, such as the development of kidney stones.
© Getty Images
19 / 30 Fotos
Metabolism
- Metabolic issues can also be detected through the hair test. Metabolic processes play a major role in how and when minerals are processed and used.
© Getty Images
20 / 30 Fotos
Metabolic health
- Metabolic health is essential for adequate energy production, healthy nerve function, and muscle health. If you’re experiencing painful menstruation, fatigue, and muscle cramps, perhaps you have a deficiency in magnesium; common among women.
© Shutterstock
21 / 30 Fotos
Supplements and dietary changes
- Having this kind of information makes the process of identifying supplementation and dietary changes that could provide greater balance to your health more precise.
© Shutterstock
22 / 30 Fotos
Athletes and people with chronic issues
- If you’re struggling with a chronic condition or place your body under a lot of pressure, a hair mineral test could be a game changer for your health.
© Getty Images
23 / 30 Fotos
Process
- The small hair sample is usually cut from the nape of the neck. After the sample is taken, it’s sent to a lab for analysis. The hair is first cleaned to ensure it’s free from any debris or contaminants.
© Getty Images
24 / 30 Fotos
Methods
- Either the Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) or Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) methods are used to analyze the samples.
© Getty Images
25 / 30 Fotos
Normal ranges
- Once the sample is processed, a report is issued that provides the levels that are being measured against a normal range, as is common in blood analyses.
© Getty Images
26 / 30 Fotos
Suggestions
- Targeted supplementation and modifications to one’s diet and lifestyle, among other measures, can be suggested to correct the imbalances detected, if any.
© Getty Images
27 / 30 Fotos
Medical intervention
- In some cases, the test results can indicate a graver issue that may require medical intervention and treatment. Further analyses can hone in on the root of the issue you might be facing.
© Getty Images
28 / 30 Fotos
Other tests
- There are some issues with hair tests, however. Mostly, they point to issues of contamination in the sample, as the hair is very exposed to all elements, and standardization, as different labs may have different processes. Other kinds of tests should also be used to gain a fuller understanding of a patient’s health. Sources: (Mayo Clinic) (National Institutes of Health) (PubMed) See also: Cancer screening: what tests you should be doing and when
© Getty Images
29 / 30 Fotos
© Getty Images
0 / 30 Fotos
Lingering symptoms
- Struggling with lingering medical symptoms that are affecting your health and well-being? Unable to identify what may be going on, despite doing a number of blood tests?
© Shutterstock
1 / 30 Fotos
Greater health insight
- What if there was a way to get greater insight into your nutrients, metabolic markers, and other measurable values? That’s what a hair mineral test can offer.
© Shutterstock
2 / 30 Fotos
Blood test
- While blood tests reflect the current state of markers, a hair analysis covers a longer period of time, providing an analysis of several months, which can be more insightful when it comes to certain values.
© Shutterstock
3 / 30 Fotos
Sample
- A small sample of hair is taken from patients for analysis. About one to two teaspoons worth of hair is collected. The sample is taken and sent to a lab for analysis.
© Getty Images
4 / 30 Fotos
Health trends
- Being able to look at a period of time, stretching from three to six months, helps to really identify what kind of trends can be concluded regarding the state of your health.
© Getty Images
5 / 30 Fotos
Nutrient imbalances
- A hair mineral insight can provide several insights into nutrient imbalances that you may be experiencing. By identifying the presence or (lack) of essential minerals, medical practitioners can make concrete dietary suggestions.
© Shutterstock
6 / 30 Fotos
Minerals
- Alterations of levels in minerals like calcium, zinc, magnesium, and iron, all of which can gravely affect your overall health if not properly balanced, can be detected.
© Shutterstock
7 / 30 Fotos
Critical mineral balance
- This comprehensive profile of mineral levels in your body can provide some insight, in conjunction with other values, into the kind of issues that you could be facing that may be preventing you from achieving a balance of critical minerals.
© Shutterstock
8 / 30 Fotos
Toxic metals
- The hair mineral test can also detect levels of toxic metals present in the body. This includes things like mercury, cadmium, arsenic, and lead. All of which can have detrimental effects on your health.
© Shutterstock
9 / 30 Fotos
Metabolic issues
- Metabolic issues, which are directly linked to your body’s capacity to process, store, and utilize minerals, can also be detected to understand your metabolic function.
© Shutterstock
10 / 30 Fotos
Health advice
- Understanding some of these markers could provide your healthcare practitioner with critical information that can shape the kind of health guidelines you should be following.
© Shutterstock
11 / 30 Fotos
Exposure to toxic metals
- Understanding exposure to toxic metals can give insights into your home environment and the kind of issues that you may be facing without knowing.
© iStock
12 / 30 Fotos
Neurological issues
- The accumulation of toxic heavy metals like those previously listed could lead to the development of neurological and gastrointestinal issues.
© Shutterstock
13 / 30 Fotos
Reducing exposure
- Having this information can help you take the necessary steps to identify and reduce your exposure to harmful toxins.
© Shutterstock
14 / 30 Fotos
Preventative
- The benefit of the hair test is not only the detection but also the preventative element. Even if you are not experiencing symptoms related to toxic exposure, the hair mineral test can detect if you have elevated levels.
© Shutterstock
15 / 30 Fotos
Identifying necessary steps
- Knowing this information can help to assess what kind of chronic exposure you are facing and identify the necessary steps to reduce your exposure.
© Shutterstock
16 / 30 Fotos
Fatigue
- In addition to the issues that toxin accumulation can provoke in the body, there are mineral imbalances that can lead to the development of various symptoms, such as fatigue and even mood imbalances.
© Shutterstock
17 / 30 Fotos
Zinc
- For example, deficiencies in zinc can contribute to a weakened immune system, making it more likely for you to catch common colds or even experience illness for a longer period of time.
© Shutterstock
18 / 30 Fotos
Calcium
- Another example could be elevated calcium levels. These can, too, be indicative of a looming health condition, such as the development of kidney stones.
© Getty Images
19 / 30 Fotos
Metabolism
- Metabolic issues can also be detected through the hair test. Metabolic processes play a major role in how and when minerals are processed and used.
© Getty Images
20 / 30 Fotos
Metabolic health
- Metabolic health is essential for adequate energy production, healthy nerve function, and muscle health. If you’re experiencing painful menstruation, fatigue, and muscle cramps, perhaps you have a deficiency in magnesium; common among women.
© Shutterstock
21 / 30 Fotos
Supplements and dietary changes
- Having this kind of information makes the process of identifying supplementation and dietary changes that could provide greater balance to your health more precise.
© Shutterstock
22 / 30 Fotos
Athletes and people with chronic issues
- If you’re struggling with a chronic condition or place your body under a lot of pressure, a hair mineral test could be a game changer for your health.
© Getty Images
23 / 30 Fotos
Process
- The small hair sample is usually cut from the nape of the neck. After the sample is taken, it’s sent to a lab for analysis. The hair is first cleaned to ensure it’s free from any debris or contaminants.
© Getty Images
24 / 30 Fotos
Methods
- Either the Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) or Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) methods are used to analyze the samples.
© Getty Images
25 / 30 Fotos
Normal ranges
- Once the sample is processed, a report is issued that provides the levels that are being measured against a normal range, as is common in blood analyses.
© Getty Images
26 / 30 Fotos
Suggestions
- Targeted supplementation and modifications to one’s diet and lifestyle, among other measures, can be suggested to correct the imbalances detected, if any.
© Getty Images
27 / 30 Fotos
Medical intervention
- In some cases, the test results can indicate a graver issue that may require medical intervention and treatment. Further analyses can hone in on the root of the issue you might be facing.
© Getty Images
28 / 30 Fotos
Other tests
- There are some issues with hair tests, however. Mostly, they point to issues of contamination in the sample, as the hair is very exposed to all elements, and standardization, as different labs may have different processes. Other kinds of tests should also be used to gain a fuller understanding of a patient’s health. Sources: (Mayo Clinic) (National Institutes of Health) (PubMed) See also: Cancer screening: what tests you should be doing and when
© Getty Images
29 / 30 Fotos
What's a hair mineral test, and how can it help identify health issues?
Detecting toxins and heavy metals
© Getty Images
A hair analysis can help to detect lingering health issues that are otherwise difficult to identify. Alternations in minerals, the presence of heavy metals, and other conditions can be analyzed in great detail with a hair test. A small sample of hair is collected and sent to a laboratory for analysis. Nutrient imbalances, hormonal issues, and metabolic trends, among other health issues, can all be highlighted if you're seeking greater insight into your health and well-being.
Want to find out more about hair tests and what kind of things you may be able to discover? Click through the gallery to get started.
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