What is Hair Mineral Tissue Analysis (HTMA)?
A. Hair tissue mineral analysis is an analytical test which measures the mineral content of hair. The hair sample is obtained by cutting the first 1.5 inches of growth closest to the scalp at the nape of the neck and is prepared in a licensed laboratory through a series of chemical and digestive high temperature procedures. Highly sophisticated detection equipment is used to achieve the most precise and accurate results. Q. Why not just use blood, or urine? A. Hair is the ideal tissue for testing and sampling. It can be cut easily and painlessly and can be sent to the lab without special handling requirements. Clinical results have shown that a properly obtained sample can give an accurate indication of mineral status and toxic metal accumulation following long term or even acute exposure. Hair is used as one of the tissues of choice by the Environmental Protection Agency when determining toxic metal exposure. A 1980 report from the E.P.A. stated that hair can be effectively used for b
