Mineral Balance and Heavy Metal Bioaccumulation: Testing Options

Let’s start off with: what are minerals?

Minerals are a micronutrients that are cofactors (think like ingredients needed) for metabolic reactions – to help our bodies make hormones, detoxify toxins, make stomach acid to digest food, provide energy, among so many other necessary functions. 

Where do minerals come from?

Humans can get minerals from what we eat and drinks – think of it as ongoing fuel to help run our bodies. Examples of necessary minerals for sustaining life include calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, copper, zinc, iron, selenium, & iodine. If we don’t get enough minerals or too many minerals for a variety of reasons, health problems can arise.

How does improper mineral status occur?

1. Not consuming enough minerals or not consuming minerals in the proper ratios to support normal bodily function and/or
2. When our bodies are under stress, minerals are used up more quickly and/or
3. A person is using hormonal birth control and another medications that depletes minerals and/or
4. A person megadoses on one supplement and an untoward consequence is it depletes a different mineral (example: too much zinc causes a copper deficiency) and/or
5. A person has heavy metal bioaccumulation in their body and this can displace minerals in the body and/or
6. Childbirth occurs and while beautiful and wonderful, there is a large transfer of minerals during childbirth and can leave mom with less

Why is having improper amounts of minerals in the body a health problem?

Minerals in the wrong amounts can cascade to

• Thyroid dysfunction
• Insulin resistance
• Bloating
• Weight loss resistance
• Hormone dysfunction/fertility struggles
• Acne or other skin concerns
• Poor stomach acid production leading to digestive problems 

How do we know if there is a problem with mineral status in the body?

Listening to our body’s symptoms and testing and not guessing.

How can you test for minerals imbalances and heavy metals?

There are a few main options:

1. Bloodwork for minerals; labs looks at extraceulluar levels and what is being transported in the body at that moment; Pros – it is cheap and easy. Cons – it’s a snapshot in time and usually picks up the “worst of the worst.” Note that the body tries to tightly regulate levels of minerals in the blood so not much action going on in the blood unless there is a severe problem. “Blood is homeostatic. That is, blood has the capacity to balance itself in essential minerals at the expense of cell and tissue reserves of these same minerals.” – Dr. Rick Malter, PhD, The Strands of Health, 2003.
   
2. Bloodwork for heavy metals; It only tends to pick up acute high levels of life threatening heavy metal exposure. This is because the body will try to “store” heavy metals in tissues and bones to attempt to protect itself. So by design you often won’t see heavy metals for long in the blood and Western medicine will say “your labs are normal everything is fine.” If life threatening exposures are occurring (which is rare) often a person is taken to ER for likely chelation therapy. The problem is so many of us have accumulation which is a huge problem too but it isn’t well addressed despite research saying subclinical levels are harming us.
   
3. HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis); this test requires a sample of 1.5 inches of hair from the scalp and provides a 3 month look; it is an intracellular view and more of a movie versus on snapshot like bloodwork. It will show both minerals and heavy metals plus their relationship to each other.

Benefits to HTMA testing:

• At home test
• No needles – yay!
• Small hair sample taken from the scalp that is undyed (about 1 tsp is needed that is taken closest from the scalp and not the ends of the hair strand which could be years old)
•  Inexpensive relative to other functional tests
• An earlier indicator of a trend towards health problems

What are some of the various minerals will the test give insight into:

• Calcium: Calcium is essential for maintaining strong bones and teeth, regulating muscle contractions, and supporting nerve function. It also plays a role in blood clotting and hormone secretion.
• Magnesium: Magnesium is involved in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It supports energy production, muscle and nerve function and promotes a healthy heart rhythm. Magnesium deficiency is common and can lead to symptoms like muscle cramps, fatigue, and mood changes.
• Sodium and Potassium: These minerals work together to maintain fluid balance, regulate blood pressure, and support nerve function. They play a vital role in proper muscle contractions, including the heart.
• Zinc: Zinc is crucial for immune function, wound healing, and DNA synthesis. It also plays a role in taste and smell perception, as well as supporting reproductive health.
• Copper: Copper is necessary for the formation of red blood cells, connective tissues, and enzymes involved in energy production. It also supports immune function and collagen synthesis.
• Iron: Iron is a key component of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to the body’s tissues. It plays a vital role in energy production, cognitive function, and immune health.
• Selenium: Selenium is an essential antioxidant mineral that supports thyroid function, and immune health, and may help protect against certain types of cancer.
• Iodine: Iodine helps with thyroid function, supports metabolic health and immune system function.

What heavy metals does the HTMA test show?

The HTMA test also looks at several heavy metals that your body is execreting in the hair over the past 3 months.

• Antimony
• Arsenic
• Lead
• Aluminum
• Mercury
• Cadmium
• Uranium
• Beryillum

There is NO safe amount of heavy metals!

It is ideal that heavy metals toxins are in non existent amounts in the body  According to a report in Scientific World Journal saying “Toxic metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury are ubiquitous, have no beneficial role in human homeostasis, and contribute to noncommunicable chronic disease.”

Hair Testing is Legit

The HTMA report will show levels and high levels of heavy metals are considered statisticaly signficant but not necessarily clinically significant. The EPA has stated that human hair can be effectively used for biological monitoring of toxic heavy metals. The exposure could have happened decades ago in some situations or transferred from mother to child but is now trickling out in the hair.

Why do you want to see both minerals and heavy metals on a report?

Research has shown that various toxic heavy metals can produce an antagonist effect on various minerals – meaning they displace the minerals and can cause deficiencies. The report will also show the relationship of one mineral to another as they can have antagonistic effects on each other. See sample HTMA report here.

How does this HTMA report help?

It can help gauge what “work” needs to be done and an individualized plan can occur which takes the skillset of a highly trained practitioner. Becoming aware of the burden to your own body is crucial so you can start to take reactive measures to care for the imbalances that exist and put preventative measures in place to stop further exposures of heavy metals. The test is a comprehensive report; it is not considered diagnositic but rather providing information.

Imperfect testing > doing nothing about the heavy metal burden placed on the majority of humans which is a huge driver of chronic non communicable illness.

Where are we exposed to heavy metals?

• Tap water
• Pipes
• Plastics
• Fertilizers
• Polluted air including auto exhaust
• Certain deodorants and other personal care products
• Eating fish and other foods contaminated with heavy metals like chickens
• In utero – from mother to child; we can pass toxins

Low risk/High reward

Learning about minerals plus eating mineral rich foods – no risk, high reward. Also, learning about heavy metals and their dangers and doing something about it – no risk, high reward. Just like heavy metals can displace some minerals, getting more of minerals can displace heavy metals. Sometimes binders are needed to help pull heavy metals from the body.

Getting this HTMA test will help you get a plan in place that is specific to your needs. Bloodwork to screen for deficiencies is also another solid option. If you need one-on-one help, please schedule a consult package so we can test, don’t guess and zoom out on nutritional status and come up with a game plan for your wellbeing.

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