Tissue Mineral Analysis
Robert J Fox DOM, L.Ac, RN
Hair analysis offers an accurate assessment of the concentration of minerals in the body – those that are toxic in any amount, those that are essential, and those that are needed in small amounts, but toxic in larger amounts. By allowing early detection of toxic substances such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and aluminum, hair analysis makes it possible to identify and treat toxicity before overt symptoms appear. Along with detection of heavy metal toxicity, determining levels of minerals such as calcium makes it possible to identify and treat a range of nutritional deficiencies well before health problems become serious.
Before the technique of hair analysis was developed medical practitioners who were interested in the concentration of trace elements in the body had to rely on urine and serum sampling. Unfortunately, these tests have been shown to be inaccurate. They simply do not reflect the concentration of minerals in the cells and organs, but instead show the level of circulating minerals. The correlation between mineral concentrations in the internal organs and the hair has been found to be much more reliable. In fact, hair analysis has been found to be such an accurate measure of substance exposure that it is often used to detect drug use.
Levels and ratios of tissue minerals relate to the activity of specific organs and glands. By calculating ratios on a tissue mineral test, the function of major glands and organs can be assessed often long before abnormalities appear on x-rays, MRI's, and/or blood tests.
Where does heavy metal toxicity come from?
Heavy metal toxicity can come from a vast number of sources. One could say that heavy metal toxicity could come from nature, but this is a long shot. While it's true that all elements show up to some degree in the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the water we drink it is not true that they naturally occur in toxic doses. Nature desires to promote life. It is our affect on nature that causes certain elements to come back to us in our food, air, and water in toxic doses.
The most common toxic metals that show up on a tissue mineral analysis are aluminum, aresenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, and nickel.
One of the most common sources these days for heavy metal toxicity are the "silver" dental fillings. These silver dental fillings are actually made up of primarily silver and mercury. Mercury was deemed toxic to the system years ago and for a period of time it was illegal to have mercury in the dental filling. Some how it became accepted by the ADA (American Dental Association) to have mercury in the fillings and to this day it is still common practice.
There are some dentists that will tell you that mercury is not a problem, that the mercury is "encapsulated" or that it is a safe amount that is being introduced into the system. However, when representatives for the ADA are questioned with regard to the allowable level of exposure they answer "we don't know". Along the same line, If mercury were safe we would not be seeing individuals displaying symptoms of neurodegenerative disease with mercury showing up in their tissue mineral analysis. And we would not be seeing those same individuals displaying a lessening of symptoms of neurodegenerative disease following chelation therapy.
Chelation therapy is the use of oral or intravenous biochemicals that bind to the heavy metals to allow for excretion through the urine and feces. Examples of chelative substances are ascorbic acid, lipoic acid, 2-3 dimercaptosuccinic acid, chlorella and bentonite clay.
Robert J Fox DOM, L.Ac, RN
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Last modified: August 04, 2004