Hair, Tissue, Mineral Analysis (HTMA), A Game Changer For Health
- Nourish Health
- Aug 22, 2023
- 9 min read
Updated: Jul 25
One might say that I have a slight obsession with the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis, otherwise known as HTMA. This functional test has become one of my favorites - for all my clients. Not only is the HTMA affordable, but it's a valuable functional health screening tool that provides a vast amount of insight to your health.
Alright, I’ll be real—this test is one of the trickiest puzzles I’ve tackled as a Functional Nutritional Therapist. I’ve been sitting on this option for over two years, diving deep into five intense trainings (one all about kids!) to make sure I really get all the twists and turns this test throws at us. Reading an HTMA is like piecing together a giant jigsaw puzzle—every piece connects and affects the others, and you can’t just look at one without seeing the whole picture.
Also, here’s the scoop: HTMA isn’t a magic crystal ball or a diagnosis machine. In my practice, I don’t hand out recommendations based on this test alone. Instead, I team it up with health check-ins, your symptoms, and other lab results to spot patterns, connect the dots, and uncover new ways to support your unique body.
Want to know more about why I am so obsessed with this test, read on!
What is a HTMA?
Think of HTMA as a sneak peek into your body’s backstage—using tiny hair samples, it reads the mineral levels and heavy metals tucked inside your cells.
Hair isn’t just for style; it’s a clever little archive where minerals settle in unique patterns. When a skilled practitioner decodes these patterns, it’s like unlocking a personalized blueprint of your body’s biochemistry. The best part? Your hair tells the story of the last three months—your nutritional highs and lows, how your body’s handling stress, toxins, metabolism, and all the backstage drama happening inside.
Okay, sounds neat, but you may be asking why minerals matter?
Importance of Minerals
Minerals are the 'spark plugs' in the chemistry of life. They act as essential cofactors—or helpers—for nearly every metabolic process in the body. From producing hormones and breaking down toxins to making digestive enzymes and generating energy, your body depends on minerals to get the job done.. They need to be consumed from our diet and sadly due to over farming - our soil often is lacking in minerals, thus our food is low in its minerals content. At the root of many of our imbalances - lies low mineral consumption, absorption or biounavailablity.
Mineral levels and their balance with other nutrients (ratios) play a crucial role in how well your cells function, affecting both your physical and mental performance. That’s why we never look at minerals in isolation. For instance, supplementing with one mineral can significantly influence the levels of its opposing mineral. Take zinc as an example—you’ve probably heard about its benefits during illness, but what’s often missed is that zinc can lower your copper levels.
Alrighty, so what's the big deal with that?
Copper is needed for all energy production in the body and it works along side iron. Both copper and iron (recycling) are the key to getting out of fatigue and restoring homeostasis to your energy production. The number one symptom I hear from my clients' is fatigue. Fatigue has reached an all time high over the past four years and I believe balancing your minerals holds the key to allowing you to shift.
Minerals role in body systems
Let’s take a quick look at some of the key body systems where minerals play a big role in keeping things running smoothly—from boosting energy to balancing hormones, supporting kids’ health, and more.
Adrenals: Sodium and potassium are fuel for our adrenals and depleted from chronic stress.. Magnesium is needed by the adrenals and has a high burn rate during times of stress. Both mercury and unregulated copper can add stress to the adrenals. Think stamina, stress, blood sugar and sleep.
Digestion: Zinc, sodium and cobalt are needed by the parietal cells to secrete stomach acids and also needed in the production of bile. If your stomach acid and bile are low, then you risk limiting digestion and assimilation of nutrients from your diet. Additionally, when phosphorus is out of balance that can indicate inadequate protein intake or that your body isn't breaking down protein well. Protein provides the build blocks of life. Think building/repairing, nutrient assimilation and detoxification.
Thyroid: The balance between calcium and potassium, can give insight to the intracellular activity of the nutrients needed for thyroid health. Iodine is required for the production of thyroid hormones and takes up thyroid through the sodium-iodide-symporter along with magnesium. Selenium, copper, zinc and iron all play a role in T4 to T3 conversion. Think metabolism/energy, hormone balance, and brain fog.
Liver: We need our liver functioning at its optimal level due to the amount of everyday toxicants we are exposed to. For example, a high cobalt on your test is a sign your liver is stressed, high iron can also be a stressor to the liver, as well as, high levels of heavy metals. Sulfur is an important element when it comes to detoxification capacity and we also get a glimpse at this mineral and how it relates to your liver through a HTMA. Think detoxification, hormones, digestion, blood sugar, energy, skin issues and sleep issues.
Sex Hormones: Zinc stimulates the pituitary to release FSH and LH. Zinc is needed for progesterone and testosterone. Additionally, zinc and copper need to be in balance for estrogen and progesterone ratio. Magnesium is needed to make progesterone and estrogen, as well as, supporting estrogen excretion through the bile. Think pms, estrogen dominance, irregular cycles. and mood.
Honestly, I could go on, but I think you get the idea of why I am so excited to be able to offer the HTMA as a screening tool!
What causes mineral imbalance?
Many of our everyday choices can contribute to mineral imbalances such as stress, our food choices and low levels of minerals found in soil depletion, toxicants in the environment, lack of sleep, our drinking supply, certain medications, supplements, viral and bacterial infections and more. These imbalances can be at the root of our feeling 'unwell' and 'lack of energy'.
General signs and symptoms of mineral depletion
low energy / fatigue
headaches/ migraine
water retention / puffiness
brain fog
sluggish thyroid
digestive issues / low stomach acid
high urination
poor stress resistance
poor sleep quality
mood imbalances
always fighting a cold
take the mineral quiz
What can a HTMA test reveal?
Think of an HTMA test as your body’s little health detective—digging up clues about your health. It gives you the inside scoop you need to stay ahead of any sneaky health trouble before it crashes the party. With this treasure trove of info, you’re better equipped to keep your body happy and healthy for the long haul.
Check out insights gained from a HTMA
mineral deficiencies & imbalances
heavy metal toxicity
metabolic rate (fast or slow oxidation)
optimal macronutrient ratios (for your oxidation type)
adrenal & thyroid dysregulation
impact of stress on your body
blood sugar imbalances
nervous system imbalances
protein synthesis & digestion
inflammation
energy levels
mood challenges
Who can benefit?
Everyone can benefit, that's another cool thing about this screening tool. It's non-invasive, and can be done at home with only a teaspoon level of hair. I have used the HTMA with the following clients and each has had great success in bringing their main health challenges back into balance by following the nutritional guidelines and lifestyle adjustments their receive in their Roadmap to Health.
Children: Children are growing, learning, and changing every single day—and behind the scenes, minerals are quietly working to make that all happen. From behavior and mood to immune strength and sleep, minerals act like traffic controllers, helping all the body’s systems talk to each other. When these minerals fall out of balance—or when hidden toxins are in the mix—kids may show signs in their energy, emotions, or focus. Learn more about how a HTMA can reveal healing opportunities for your child, here.
Burnt out moms: Let’s be honest—motherhood is a full-contact sport. Pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding are beautiful… and completely depleting. Add in sleepless nights, constant to-dos, and no real “off switch,” and it’s no surprise your mineral reserves might be running on fumes. Minerals are like your body’s internal batteries. They help regulate stress, balance hormones, restore energy, and keep your mood steady. When they’re low, everything feels harder—mentally, emotionally, and physically. The good news? You can rebuild.
Hormone regulation: From postpartum recovery to PMS to perimenopause, minerals play a foundational role in keeping hormones balanced and symptoms in check. They support everything from mood and energy to sleep, cycle regularity, and stress response. Whether you're navigating the early weeks after birth or the shifting tides of perimenopause, balanced minerals help regulate the systems behind the scenes—because every hormone interaction starts with a mineral spark. Replenishing your mineral base can be the gentle reset your body’s been asking for. Learn more about how a HTMA can reveal healing opportunities for women at every age, here.
Mood dysregulation: Your brain doesn’t run on willpower alone—it runs on minerals! Think of them as the behind-the-scenes crew helping your body make calming, feel-good brain chemicals like serotonin and GABA. Without enough zinc or magnesium, that 5-HTP supplement won’t turn into the serotonin you’re hoping for. And it’s not just about what’s missing—toxic metals can crash the party, mimicking symptoms of anxiety, irritability, or even depression. The good news? We’ve seen time and again that restoring mineral balance through nutrition can make a big difference in mood—whether it’s for your child, your teen, or even you.
Fatigue: If you’re dragging through the day or running on fumes, your energy issues might not be about sleep or caffeine—it could be your minerals. When key minerals like magnesium, potassium, or iron are out of balance, your body has a harder time producing and using energy. And it’s not just about what’s low—toxic metals can clog the system, making everything work harder than it should. Balancing your minerals and gently clearing out what doesn’t belong can help restore steady, natural energy. Pairing this with key blood markers gives us a clearer view of how your energy systems are really functioning—and how to get them back on track. Bloodwork, click, here.
General health conditions: Mineral imbalances and toxic elements can aggravate many health conditions such as, POTS, fatigue, thyroid imbalances, high or low blood pressure, blood sugar imbalances, skin issues, osteoporosis and migraines to name a few.
So, what do we do with this information?
We compile your questionnaires, food journals, and HTMA results to develop a comprehensive RoadMap to Health. This plan includes targeted dietary guidance based on your metabolic type, focusing on optimizing macronutrient intake and supporting your body’s mineral balance. We provide supplement recommendations aimed at facilitating appropriate adjustments in mineral levels and ratios. Additionally, we suggest specific lifestyle modifications tailored to your metabolic profile to promote an optimal environment for physiological balance and healing.
This is a maximum 3-4 month plan with a retest round the 4-5 month mark. We never want to continue on a given protocol beyond the recommended time frame because changes can occur that can indicate changes need to be made in the protocol. Neglecting to do this could push a person out of balance in the other direction, which is the opposite of what we’re trying to accomplish.
How do you work?
By now I am sure you can see why I am so excited to add HTMA to my practice. While, the test itself reveals much data, we work in priorities with each client. We meet each client where they are at and offer nutritional support and lifestyle adjustments to bring the body back into homeostasis.
We always prefer to work with clients one-on-one, as we find most need longer term support, accountability and coaching. However, we also found many want the ability to run individual functional test(s) and gain generalized insight from a qualified practitioner, thus is why we also offer many of our functional test via an A La Cart option.
If you are ready to deep dive and find out what a HTMA can reveal for your health, then we have an amazing offer for you. For a very limited time, we are offering our ReBoot: Hair Tissue and Mineral Analysis at a discounted rate. Check out what you get in this package.
Package Includes:
At-home test kit (hair sample)
HTMA Nutritional Questionnaire & Food Journal
Full Results
Personalized 3-month Road Map to balanced health
Suggestive supportive lifestyle adjustments
Suggestive supplements (offered at a discount)
Optional: bloodwork (purchase & schedule here)
30min (optional/extra fee) consultation to review your results.
Resources
Our Approach
I am a clinically trained psychotherapist, who learned along with education and practicum hours that one's health challenges can be at the root of their psychological obstacles. I view the body and mind from a holistic perspective and dive deep with my clients to root out the core imbalances that keep them from progressing in the healing of their body and mind.
Have a Nourishing Day!
Sources
Watts, DL. Nutrient Interrelationships Minerals — Vitamins — Endocrines. Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine. Vol. 5, No. 1, 1990. http://www.orthomolecular.org/library/jom/1990/pdf/1990-v05n01-p011.pdf
Watts, DL: Trace Elements and Neuropsychological Problems as Reflected in Tissue Mineral Analysis (TMA) Patterns. Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, 1990; Vol. 5, No. 3: 159-166. http://www.orthomolecular.org/library/jom/1990/pdf/1990-v05n03-p159.pdf
Casdorph, H.R. and Walker, M., Toxic Metal Syndrome, Avery Publishing, New York, 1995.
Pfeiffer, C & Mailloux, R: Excess Copper as a Factor in Human Diseases. Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, 1987; 2, no. 3: 171-182. http://orthomolecular.org/library/jom/1987/pdf/1987-v02n03-p171.pdf
Environmental Protection Agency. Toxic Trace Metals in Human and Mammalian Hair and Nails, EPA-600 4.79-049, August 1979, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research and Development.
Walsh, William, Ph.D. Biochemical Treatment of Mental Illness and Behavior Disorders. Health Research Institute, Minnesota Brain Bio Association November 17, 1997 http://www.hriptc.org/BioTreatment.html
Assarlan, GS, Oberleas, D, Effect of washing procedures on trace element content of hair. Clin Chem., 1977;23(9):1771-1772.
Seidel, S. et al., Assessment of Commercial Laboratories Performing Hair Mineral Analysis, JAMA, 285(1) Jan 3:67-72. http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=193418
For a complete list of books and studies on Hair mineral Analysis, see http://nutritionalbalancing.org/center/htma/science/articles/htma-references.php
