Hair Test for Trace Minerals and Toxins

As you probably know, I relied on a hair test to guide my struggle against sulfites. As an electrical engineer, I suspected that the lead in solder had poisoned my body and created a problem with sulfite oxidase enzyme. The hair test told a different story. My lead levels were completely normal but I had double the amount of mercury and high ( but still normal ) levels of copper. The hair test I used is called MineralCheck by BodyBalance, an associate of Great Smokies Diagnostic Laboratories in North Carolina. You can buy this test kit directly from www.bodybalance.com.

MineralCheck uses a small sample of hair to determine the concentration of 11 essential trace minerals and 9 toxic metals in your body. As hair grows, it is exposed to the same blood flow as your vital organs and accumulates a similar level of minerals and metal. Doctors normally prefer to look at blood levels directly but this may be a bias based on habit. Blood levels of minerals differ somewhat from organ levels. And blood levels are a snapshot of the current concentrations, while hair levels are an average over a period of months. At any rate, MineralCheck gives a readout of the concentration of the following trace minerals and toxic heavy metals. Also provided are the normal range of values so you can easily tell if your numbers are higher or lower than those in the general population.

For most trace minerals, the concentration in hair is representative of the concentration in the body. However, elevated levels of calcium, magnesium and zinc seem to be correlated with an improper handling of these minerals and may actually represent a deficiency in some organs. High levels of toxic metals are a warning sign that gives clues to the source of your chronic health problems. It is always wise to consult a doctor to help you interpret these results and suggest a remedial course of action.

Hair samples should not be contaminated by strong shampoos or hair coloring. If you dye your hair, let a portion grow out without color and then snip the sample from the natural roots. As an alternative, you may provide a sample of pubic hair but this must be indicated on the form that accompanies your hair. Please note that hair samples from New York state may not be processed by the laboratory. I am allowed to sell you the kit but you must cut the hair sample in a state other than New York and have the results sent to a location outside of New York state.  Many localities have conflicting regulations regarding commerce. For instance, I live in California where there is no problem with hair tests but a clean drinking water proposition has been expanded by bureaucrats to include banning any suspected carcinogen from all products sold in the state. So to obtain a hormone cream containing progesterone for my wife, I was forced to have a friend order the product from another state. Now here is the irony. Progesterone cream is considered safe in every part of the world except California. Now where do you think the cream in question was legally manufactured? You guessed it, California.