Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) a less invasive alternative to blood testing

What is the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA)?

The HTMA is a safe, scientific and analytical test used to assess the mineral content within hair strands. The analysis will show the concentrations of minerals and metals that have accumulated in the hair over the last 1-3 months. It shows up to 35 nutrient and toxic minerals, and over 25 important mineral ratios. 

It is non-invasive, as it just requires a small hair sample, no needles. For some children the thought of a hair-cut can be upsetting, but only one lock of hair is needed for this test.

Who might benefit from doing a HTMA?

• Anyone that find blood tests traumatic or have a phobia of needles.

• Anyone with feeding differences/challenges, ARFID or that eat a limited range of foods.

• All Children and teenagers that might have mineral deficiencies - Minerals are essential for healthy growth and development.

• HTMA testing may be beneficial if you or your child have:

  Mental health challenges such as anxiety & depression
  Learning difficulties
  Fatigue
  Burnout, stress
  Hyperactivity
  Poor digestive function
  Poor concentration and brain fog
  Regularly getting sick

 What is the HTMA is looking for?

Common important minerals and how balanced they are in the body such as calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium and more. We want to know that the person having this test has optimal mineral levels.

Heavy Metals such as cadmium, arsenic, lead, mercury and more. Unfortunately, in contemporary life, there are numerous sources of heavy metals that, when encountered, can pose risks to the brain and body development of children.

Why might my child have mineral imbalances?

If your child eats a limited diet, has ARFID or feeding challenges they might not be meeting their nutrient needs. Even if your child does eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, they may not have optimal mineral levels because in Australia our soil is quite depleted of many minerals.

When children and adults are under stress, minerals such as magnesium, zinc and iron can become depleted quickly in the body.

A child that has digestive challenges may not be able to detoxify toxic metals properly and this can interfere with mineral absorption and levels in the body.

How to order a HTMA test

This test is practitioner only, which means that you need a practitioner to order it for you. As a Clinical Nutritionist I can order this test for you. If you'd like more information, why not book in for a FREE 10-minute discovery call and we can discuss the HTMA process. 

Written by Margo White, your Melbourne-based neurodiversity affirming clinical nutritionist and ND advocate. If you’d like to book a consultation with me, schedule an appointment below.

This article is intended as general advice only and does not replace medical advice. It is recommended that you seek personalised advice specific to your individual needs.

Below is a Sample Report of what the first page of the HTMA looks like.