Introduction
Preface
1. What Is Hair Mineral Analysis?
2. Interpretation Principles
3. Components of Hair Analysis Readings
4. Thyroid And Adrenal Gland Assessment
Case
#1. Common problems of young women
5. The Oxidation Rate And Stage Of Stress
Case
#1. Fast oxidation and hyperkinetic
behavior
Case
#2. Slow oxidation, fatigue,
depression and loss of libido
6. Assessing Sugar And Carbohydrate Tolerance
Case #1. Insulin-dependent
diabetes
Case #1. Identical twins with
seizures,
bed wetting, ear infections,
pneumonia and learning disorders
8. Interpretation Review
9. Cardiovascular And Respiratory
Dysfunctions, Allergies And Anemia
Case #1. Post myocardial
infarction,
high blood pressure and
probable diabetes
Case #2. Essential hypertension
Dysfunctions
Case #1. High copper and
pregnancy
Case #1. Delayed wound healing
and
non-union of fractures
Case #1. Impaired digestion
Case #2. Erosion of the
alveolar bone
Case #1. Failure-to-thrive
syndrome
and delayed development
Case #2. Migraine headaches in
children
Case #1. Juvenile delinquency
Case #2. Schizophrenia
Generated Reports And Lifestyle
Appendices:
I. Glossary of Terms and Concepts
V.
Nutrition Review
VI. Hair
Analysis References
Notes
Index
2005
ADDENDUM
Infrared Electric Light Sauna Therapy 392
New Program Considerations 401
Ideal Versus Normal Values 402
More About Drinking Water 402
Hidden Aluminum, Iron And Manganese
Toxicity 404
The JAMA 2001 Hair Analysis Report 405
New Information About Thyroid
Evaluation 406
Autonomic Nervous System Evaluation 410
More Information About Cancer 416
More Psychological Patterns
Associated With Hair Mineral Levels 422
Bio-identical Hormone Replacement
Therapy 426
Yin And Yang Healing 431
New Measuring Instruments 437
************
CHAPTER 1. WHAT IS HAIR
Hair analysis is
much more than a test for minerals.
From a small sample of hair, you can learn about your metabolic rate,
stage of stress, immune system, and adrenal and thyroid glandular
activity. The test offers
information about carbohydrate tolerance, energy levels and tendencies for over
30 illnesses, often years before they manifest. You can also tell if you are eating enough protein, eating
too many carbohydrates, and whether a vegetarian diet is working for you.
Mineral
patterns also reflect mental and emotional conditions. A hair analysis can identify
personality tendencies, how you
handle stress and your stress level.
It can indicate whether you tend toward extroversion or emotional
withdrawal. It can tell if you are
prone to anxiety, depression, phobias or mood swings. Even addiction and violence may be predicted with a hair
test.
Therapists
can use hair analysis to help distinguish which symptoms or behaviors are due
to biochemistry, and which are of emotional origin. Balancing and strengthening body chemistry can also enhance
the effectiveness of psychotherapy and other types of psychiatric treatment.
Families
can learn from a hair analysis why a child has learning difficulties, attention
deficit, infections or difficulty falling asleep at night. Or why a partner may become withdrawn,
moody, anxious or lose interest in sex even though he or she is still very much
in love.
Schools
can use hair analysis to screen all incoming children for nutrient
deficiencies, toxic metals and hypoglycemia. It can also detect biochemical imbalances associated with
anti-social behavior, attention deficit and learning difficulties.
Nutrition
consultants can reduce the guesswork in recommending nutritional products using
a hair analysis. Each metabolic
type requires different foods and varying amounts of vitamins and minerals. Health practitioners can approach each
patient as an individual using hair analysis. Indeed, the test can reveal eight or nine causes for a
single condition such as arthritis.
Each may need a different health regimen. There are few medical ways to detect these subtleties other
than with a hair analysis.
Toxic
metal poisoning is often passed on from mother to child. Future mothers, midwives and
obstetricians can use hair analysis to help remove toxic metals in the body
before they are passed on to the next generation. This would reduce birth defects and infant mortality, and
assure easier pregnancies and healthier children. It is an incredibly important use for hair analysis.
Insurance
companies, practitioners and health-conscious individuals can use hair analysis
as a predictive and preventive health care method. Why wait until a costly disease arises? The chemical imbalances related to many
conditions often develop years before the symptoms show up. Correcting the imbalances may prevent
the disease altogether.
Surgeons
can use hair analysis to help assess the risks of an operation. This can help reduce mortality and
morbidity associated with surgery and other medical procedures. Patients and health practitioners can
use hair analysis to provide feedback on progress in healing any condition when
symptoms alone are not an adequate guide.
Hair testing is one of very few ways to obtain a permanent,
reproducible, graphic record of deep changes in body chemistry. It is a new research tool and therapy
method to assist in the conquest of disease.
Government
agencies and researchers use hair analysis to monitor environmental and
occupational exposure to toxic metals.
Companies can use it as a screening tool to monitor stress and fatigue
levels among employees, and as a preventive health care method.
Finally,
let us not ignore our furry friends.
Animal owners and veterinarians find hair analysis an excellent method
to monitor, prevent, assess and guide correction of health conditions in many
animal species.
MINERALS, THE STEPCHILDREN
OF NUTRITION
How is all this
possible from a few snips of hair?
It is possible because minerals are involved in all body functions. The chemical elements are the basic
building blocks of our bodies. For
years, interest focused on proteins, carbohydrates, fats and vitamins. Minerals are only beginning to receive
the attention they deserve.
Even
more telling are the ratios between minerals. Ratios represent relationships and balances in the
body. Even in our bodies, the
quality of relationships determines our health. Acidity and alkalinity, good cholesterol and bad
cholesterol, hyperthyroid and hypothyroid - all are balances. Using hair analysis to assess balances
and relationships provides information about every body system.
HOW THIS BOOK IS ORGANIZED
The first three
chapters discuss what is a hair analysis and what the mineral levels
represent. Chapters four through
seven cover the basic mineral ratios and their meaning. These chapters introduce many important
ideas that are helpful when interpreting a hair analysis. Chapter eight is a review.
Chapters
nine through fourteen discuss common health conditions and their assessment
through hair analysis. Chapters
fifteen through seventeen cover therapeutics - diet, supplementation and
lifestyle. Chapter eighteen is a
conclusion and discussion of nutrition and health care. Extra technical information and
references are placed in six appendices to avoid cluttering up the text.
WHAT IS A HAIR
Hair
analysis is considered a screening test. A
screening test by definition is not intended to be diagnostic of any disease or
condition. It is, however, a
relatively simple and easily-performed test designed to provide a lot of
information rapidly and inexpensively.
Screening tests are often undervalued in medicine. However, they can play a critical role
in both prevention and early detection of physical and mental disorders.
Some
researchers refer to hair mineral analysis as tissue mineral analysis, trace
mineral analysis, tricho-mineral analysis or TMA. These terms are interchangeable.
WHY USE HAIR?
Hair makes an excellent biopsy material for several reasons:
* Hair is a stable biopsy material. It requires no special handling and
will remain viable for years.
* Mineral levels in the hair are about ten
times that of blood, making them easy to detect in the hair.
* Advancements in technology have rendered
hair mineral analysis cost effective, accurate and reliable.
1. Hair provides a unique cellular
reading of the mineral levels. The
cells, not the blood or urine, are the major site of metabolic activity. Blood tests are excellent, but do not
provide the same information for the following reasons: a) mineral
levels are lower in the blood, making detection of trace elements more
difficult,
b) mineral levels are kept relatively constant in the blood even
when pathology is present. Hair
mineral values often vary by a factor of ten, making measurement easier,
c) toxic metals are not found in high concentrations in the
blood except right after acute exposure, and
d) blood tests can vary from hour to hour, depending upon diet,
time of day and many other factors.
2. Hair analysis is acknowledged to be one of the few ways
to detect toxic metals. Toxic
metals concentrate in the soft tissues, not in the blood or urine. Heavy metal toxicity is an important,
but hidden problem that is often ignored in medicine.
3. Hair testing can provide an assessment of an
individual's stage of stress and oxidation rate. The oxidation rate provides a tremendous quantity of
information very quickly. It is
valuable for determining dietary needs, as well as for recommending nutritional
supplements.
4. Hair testing can provide indicators of glandular
activity, liver and kidney function, and carbohydrate tolerance. Sugar and carbohydrate intolerance is a
critical health problem today, often overlooked by conventional
practitioners. Although the glucose
tolerance test (GTT) is more precise, the hair test can quickly screen for
carbohydrate intolerance problems.
At the same time, it can provide insight into the cause of the problem.
5. Tendencies for over 30 common health conditions can be
identified from a hair analysis, often before symptoms of the condition
develop. Disease trends are often
the most valuable aspect of the test.
6. Trends for common psychological conditions such as
depression, hyperkinesis, anxiety and mood swings may be identified through a
hair analysis. Hair analysis
research confirms the intimate connection between biochemistry and many
emotional disorders.
7. A hair analysis can provide an energetic analysis of the
body. Energy is a common
denominator of health. Restoring
energy is a key to healing.
8. Hair analysis can help take some of the guesswork out of
recommending diets and nutritional supplements.
9. Hair analysis can help monitor progress, even if a
person is not following a nutritional program. Changes in body chemistry for any reason are reflected on
the hair test.
ANALYSIS PROCEDURE
The procedure described below is
used at Accutrace Laboratories in Phoenix, Arizona.[i][i]
Similar procedures are used at most hair testing laboratories except
that some laboratories wash the hair in solvents or detergents. This is not recommended.
Washing hair in the shower has little effect on mineral readings. Once the hair is cut off, washing in
harsh chemicals definitely alters the levels of some of the water-soluble
minerals. This subject is explored
later in more detail.
Hair
samples arriving at the laboratory are first cut into small pieces with
surgical scissors. Then a
precisely weighed amount of hair is digested overnight in nitric and perchloric
acid. The following day the sample
is rehydrated and placed in the measuring instrument to be assessed for
minerals. A small amount of hair
is set aside by the laboratory to retest any element that measures outside of
the usual testing range.
Analysis
methods include atomic absorption spectroscopy (AA), inductively-coupled plasma
(ICP), mass spectroscopy and the graphite furnace. Most laboratories use an ICP or the newer mass spectroscopy
instrument. Essentially, the
dissolved sample is burned at a high temperature. Each mineral gives off a characteristic spectrum or
frequencies of light which is picked up by sensitive detectors in the measuring
instrument. Calibration and
precise control of the flame temperature are essential to obtain accurate
readings. Minerals that are
measured include:
* trace minerals: copper, zinc, manganese,
chromium, iron, boron, selenium, molybdenum, silicon, lithium.
* toxic metals: lead, mercury, cadmium,
aluminum, nickel and arsenic.
Readings
are reported in parts per million (ppm)
QUALITY CONTROL AND LABORATORY LICENCING
At Accutrace
Laboratories, a National Bureau of Standards bovine liver sample, in-house
controls, and samples of all acids and reagents are run as controls at the beginning
and the end of each batch of minerals tested. If the controls are not reported within about plus or minus
10% accuracy, the batch is discarded and re-run.
The
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Care Financing
Administration, Division of Health Standards and Quality carefully inspects
each commercial laboratory annually.
An operating licence is issued only if personnel and procedures meet
rigorous standards. Due to
controversy over mineral testing, hair analysis laboratories are scrutinized
more closely by the government than most blood laboratories.
DOCUMENTATION
Many
papers have been written regarding the accuracy and efficacy of hair testing
for toxic metals. The United
States Environmental Protection Agency published a 300-page study in August 1979. They reviewed over 400 medical reports
on hair testing. The authors
concluded that hair is a "meaningful and representative tissue for
biological monitoring for most of the toxic metals".
Very
few physicians are trained in the detection methods such as the hair mineral
analysis. The author was very
skeptical about the use of the hair mineral test. Clinical experience with over 8000 clients dispelled his
doubts.
Commercial
hair testing on human populations has been carried out for over 25 years. Well over one million tests have been
performed. However, interpretation
of the test is still a research subject.
NORMAL VALUES
The normal values used in
mineral analysis are derived the same way normal values are derived for blood
tests. Large numbers of tests are
run on healthy individuals to determine the normal ranges. Exact or ideal ratios are most important for
the interpretation of the test.
Although everyone will not conform to the ideal values, a rigorous
standard is useful for purposes of comparison and to note progress. Even if they are later modified,
ideal values serve an important purpose as rigorous standards.
CHALLENGES TO THE VALIDITY OF HAIR ANALYSIS
Several studies critical of
hair analysis have been published.
Most recent criticism stems from two studies published in the Journal
of the American Medical Association.
The
first was published in August 1985.[ii][
Fifty-six samples were sent to 13 different laboratories and the results
analyzed for consistency. Four of
the thirteen labs performed very well.
Another three performed moderately well. The author, however, overlooked these positive results and
claimed that all hair analysis was probably a fraud. The results were publicized in medical journals and even
popular magazines.
In
this study, standard hair analysis protocol was ignored in three ways, any one
of which would be enough to discredit the entire study:
* Samples were washed under the kitchen tap
before being sent to the laboratory.
Tap water is often rich in minerals. Hair samples should never be washed in this manner.
* Hair samples were mixed together by
hand. It is difficult or
impossible to obtain a homogenous sample this way.
Another study appeared in JAMA,
#285, #1, Jan.3, 2001. Six hair
samples were cut from one person and sent to six laboratories for
analysis. One laboratory they chose
was operating illegally, and this was mentioned in the article but it was still
included. The authors mentioned
that hair analysis laboratories use different methods of washing the samples,
but then ignored this difference in their conclusion that the test is
unreliable. Problems with this study were:
1) It compared apples and oranges. Some hair analysis laboratories wash the hair while others
do not. It is common knowledge
that washing hair at the laboratory will alter the readings. Yet the authors of the study criticized
the fact that the readings did not come out the same from all the laboratories.
In
fact, the two laboratories that use the same procedure, which is to not wash
the hair, provided identical results in 6 of 9 trace minerals and extremely
close results on the other three.
In other words, in the only valid comparison of hair analysis
laboratories, results showed the exact opposite conclusion than that drawn by
the authors.
2) An unlicensed lab was
included in the study. Why include
a laboratory in a study that is not considered a valid testing laboratory? This makes little sense, unless one
wishes to discredit the field of hair analysis. As might be expected, their results were the least accurate
and were the main reason the authors concluded hair analysis is
unreliable.
3) The “study” involved only
one patient. The word study is in
quotes because no valid medical study is done on only one patient. This report was at best anecdotal,
since one patient hardly constitutes a study. It is shocking that the Journal of the American Medical
Association
would accept such a report and print it.
It is also a poor reflection on the authors that they would draw any
conclusions at all from this anecdotal report.
4) Rather than compare the raw
data, the authors compared whether readings were reported as high, normal or
low. This is not a measure of the
reliability of hair analysis, as they claim. This is comparing the reference ranges of various
laboratories, which is another issue.
5) The authors demonstrated
clear bias and ignorance of hair analysis. They referred to the 1985 JAMA study, stating, “we decided
to update Barrett’s results”. This
implies they were unaware or unconcerned with all the flaws in the earlier
study. Also, there was no mention
of the hundreds of other studies done before and since 1985 that validate hair
mineral analysis.
2. A number of studies discuss whether feeding a mineral causes
that mineral to rise in the hair.
These studies miss the point that the hair represents the state of
body chemistry,
which is only partially determined by ingestion of any mineral or food. Feeding a single nutrient often does
not affect hair levels. Factors
such as nutrient absorption and nutrient interaction are overlooked in these
studies.
3. Some laboratories wash the hair, while others do
not. This can result in different
results if samples are sent to several laboratories for comparison. The lack of standardization is a
problem that remains in the field of hair testing. All material in this text is based on not washing the
hair at the laboratory. This is extremely
important. Washing the hair at the laboratory
erratically removes loosely bound minerals and can reduce readings by 50% or
more.
* Viewing the results one mineral at a time,
rather than as components of a mineral system.
* Replacement therapy (attempting to correct
body chemistry by simply recommending the minerals that are low in the hair).
CAN HAIR ANALYSIS HELP DESIGN NUTRITION PROGRAMS?
Some criticize hair
mineral testing when it is used to recommend nutritional supplements. A few health authorities particularly
object to recommending vitamins from a hair test, since the test only detects
minerals. However, it is known
that certain vitamins, such as vitamin C, can be used to help remove toxic
metals. It is difficult to
understand any objection to the suggestion to supplement vitamin C if a hair
analysis reveals excessive toxic metals.
In the author's experience,
hair analysis is excellent for assessing some nutritional needs, provided the
test is performed and interpreted correctly. One can then obtain a metabolic blueprint of the state of body
chemistry. It is possible to
recommend with some accuracy diet, lifestyle changes and many supplements that
can improve the metabolic patterns revealed on the test.
CONTAMINATION OF HAIR SAMPLES
Are hair samples
rendered inaccurate by hair treatments and environmental contamination? Shampoo, conditioners, rinses, light sweating
and air pollution generally do not significantly affect hair readings. Most hair products do not contain many
minerals that remain in the hair after the product is used. Therefore the test is not
affected. Hair is not very porous,
about 10% in men and 15% in women.
Most contaminants do not remain within the hair. The following
situations can affect the hair readings:
* Heavy sweating immediately before cutting
the sample can raise sodium and potassium readings.
* 'Grecian Formula' and 'Youth Hair' hair dye
contain lead. They will elevate
the lead level (and should be avoided!).
* Head & Shoulders shampoo can elevate the
zinc level.
* Selsun Blue shampoo can elevate the selenium
level.
Asking the client
what products are on their hair will usually be sufficient to rule out abnormal
readings due to hair products. Bleach or other chemicals used in permanents
will have some effect on hair readings.
If possible, take a hair sample before having a permanent or
bleaching. After a beauty parlor
permanent or bleaching treatment, it is best to let the hair grow out for
several weeks. Concentrated hydrogen
peroxide used in these treatments alters the hair structure.[iv][v] Home
permanents use less concentrated peroxide. It is best to wash the hair 4-5 times after these treatments
before having a hair analysis.
However, if a person is very ill, a sample can be taken at any
time. It may not be perfectly
accurate, but will provide enough information to begin a corrective program.
It is best to wash the hair
within 48 hours before sampling.
After showering, hair mineral levels re-equilibrate in an hour or
less. Showering may wash out a
small percentage of water-soluble minerals. However, minerals from the sweat or oil glands appear to
re-establish an equilibrium on the hair shortly after washing. Of course, this re-equilibration cannot
occur if the hair is washed after it is cut from the head at a laboratory.
SHOULD HAIR BE WASHED
The danger of
environmental contamination has prompted some mineral testing laboratories to
wash the hair before analyzing it.
Studies indicate this is far worse than the occasional contamination due to an
environmental agent. Studies by
Dr. Raymond LeRoy[v]
and others indicate clearly that washing the hair at the laboratory
erratically and unpredictably removes calcium, sodium and potassium. Zinc, magnesium, nickel and other elements are also affected
by washing.
Those
who favor washing the hair at the lab contend that any mineral that is washed
out is 'exogenous' - not really part of the hair. In fact, this is pure speculation. Judging by the excellent predictability the mineral ratios
provide when the hair is not washed, one is lead to conclude that the loosely
bound minerals are not simply exogenous.
They are part of the biopsy material.
Even if washing was a good
idea, the medical study cited in support of hair washing is not consistent with
the procedure used at commercial hair analysis laboratories. In this study, antelope hair was soaked
in radioactive sodium.[vi][vii] One
had to wash the hair for 90 minutes to remove all the added sodium. The author is not aware of any
laboratory that washes the hair for anything close to that amount of time. Therefore, only part of the loosely bound mineral
is removed - an arbitrary, erratic and variable percentage. If you are not sure if your laboratory
washes the hair, ask.
HAIR SAMPLING PROCEDURE
Accurate results
depend on cutting hair samples correctly.
It is best if the doctor, consultant or someone in the office cuts the
sample, rather than a family member or hair dresser. Take the sample preferably from the back of the head,
although any part of the head may be used. Be consistent.
If possible, on retests use the same area each time. Pubic, underarm or other body hair may
be used in an emergency. However,
the normal values are not quite the same as for head hair. For example, pubic hair has a higher
phosphorus level. Head hair is
definitely preferable.
Hair
should be clean and dry when sampled.
Cut the hair as close as possible to the scalp. Then cut the sample again,
approximately one inch from the scalp end. Discard the distal ends and use only the hair taken near the
scalp. Thinning shears may be used
if the hair is short. If thinning shears are used on long hair, it may be
hard to tell which end was cut.
Take
several samples from different places at the back of the head or the nape of
the neck. Combine them to form the
one-half gram dry sample required. Be sure a sufficient amount of hair is
sent to the laboratory, and that the laboratory slip is filled out completely. The most common sampling errors are
leaving the sample over one inch long, or not sending in enough hair. A sample that is slightly less than 500
mg can be used, but smaller samples must be diluted, reducing the accuracy.
INSURANCE REIMBURSEMENT
Some insurance companies and
health plans will reimburse for hair mineral testing if the paperwork is
submitted properly. Some codes to
use from the International Classification of Diseases, ninth edition,
(ICD-9-CM) Volume 2, 1980 are:
Heavy Metal Poisoning: 985.9
Heavy Metal Screen: 83015 (older classification)
HAIR TESTING IN
Hair analysis is a
wonderful assessment tool for working with animals. Clinical results are often excellent. All the basic concepts and principles presented
in the following chapters apply to animal nutrition and veterinary
medicine. For those who work with
animals, a few pointers may be helpful.
* Depending on the animal, extra attention is
sometimes required to obtain a clean sample.
* Sodium/potassium ratios are often inverted
in animals.
* Often changing the feed is enough to effect
significant changes in body chemistry.
An excellent
consultant who specializes in the use of the hair mineral analysis for horses
is Dr. Raymond LeRoy, DSc., (602) 866-7701.
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