What Is HTMA?
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis
An easy at-home test that uses a small hair sample to show your mineral patterns over the past few months. It's how we start building a plan made for you, or for your child.
The Basics
What HTMA Shows
Your body uses minerals like magnesium, sodium, potassium, and zinc for energy, mood, sleep, and focus. HTMA measures these minerals, and certain heavy metals, in a small sample of hair.
A blood test shows a single moment. Hair grows over time, so HTMA shows patterns from the past few months.
I read your results alongside your health history, food, and sleep to decide where to start.
For Every Season
Before Pregnancy, After Birth & Beyond
Preparing for Pregnancy
Minerals play a role in energy, thyroid, and how your body handles stress. Building them up before you start trying may help you go into pregnancy more nourished.
After Birth
Pregnancy and nursing draw on your mineral stores. Your results help us decide what to support first as you recover.
The Mom Years
Busy seasons draw on your stores, too. A plan built on your results helps you focus on what matters most for your energy, mood, and sleep.
Why Start Here?
Why I Start With HTMA
It's an easy yes. One small hair sample, collected at home, with no needles.
It's accessible. It costs less than many functional lab panels.
It's personal. It turns "what should I try?" into a plan based on your results. Specific testing is what made my own plan clear, too.
The Process
How It Works
Collect
After a short health history, collect a small hair sample at home with simple instructions. No needles, no blood draw.
Review
When your report comes back, we go through your mineral patterns together, in plain language.
Plan
You get a simple plan for food, minerals, supplements (if needed), and daily habits, plus a follow-up.
Our Lab Partner
Trace Elements, Inc.
An independent lab that has specialized in hair tissue mineral analysis since 1984.
Get Started
Two Ways to Start With HTMA
For You
Mineral Insight
Your test, a one-on-one review, and a simple plan for clearer thinking, steadier energy, and better sleep.
For Your Child, Ages 4–17
Kids Mineral Insight
Your child's test, a review with you, and a simple plan you can use at home. Your child keeps their pediatrician.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
No. HTMA is a screening tool that shows mineral patterns. It doesn't diagnose a deficiency, toxic-metal poisoning, or any condition. I read your results alongside your health history, food, and sleep, and it works best alongside care from your (or your child's) primary-care provider.
HTMA has been studied for decades. Research supports hair as a useful sample for monitoring certain toxic metals, and some studies link hair mineral levels to health markers. It also has limits: results can be affected by hair treatments, collection, and lab methods, which is why it's used as a screening tool. A few examples:
- EPA Report: The Environmental Protection Agency stated that human hair can be used for biological monitoring of toxic metals, noting that if analyzed correctly, "the data are reliable" (EPA, 1979).
- Heart Health: A 13-year study found that higher hair mercury levels were linked to a higher risk of acute coronary events (Houston, 2007).
- Bone Health: Hair magnesium levels were associated with bone mineral density, while serum levels were a weaker indicator (Song et al., 2007).
- Blood Sugar: Lower hair chromium levels were seen in older adults with type 2 diabetes compared to healthy controls (Stupar et al., 2007).
Research is shared for education only.
We use Trace Elements, Inc. (TEI), an independent lab that has specialized in HTMA since 1984. TEI is CLIA-certified, inspected by the Department of Health and Human Services, licensed where states require it, and calibrated daily to standards traceable to NIST. Specialized labs also avoid washing steps that can strip water-soluble minerals from the sample.
Yes. Kids Mineral Insight is made for Kentucky kids ages 4–17, and works alongside your child's pediatrician.
Start with our complete HTMA guide for maternal health. Trace Elements also shares a FAQ, published articles, and educational resources.
Your Next Step
Start With the Basics
HTMA is included in Mineral Insight for women, Kids Mineral Insight for ages 4–17, and The Intention Method.