Naturopathic In Oakville Articles

Hair Analysis: What can it tell you?
Dr. Samantha Ristimaki, BSc, ND (Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine)

Ask yourself:
Do you regularly use antiperspirants or antacids?
Do you have metal tooth fillings or regularly consume seafood?
Do you live or work in an industrial setting?
Do you spend a great deal of time in traffic?
Do you have chronic symptoms that haven't been diagnosed or treated successfully?
Do you have chronic gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, or gas?
Do you take minimal amounts of vitamin C?
Do you suffer from periodontal symptoms, allergies, or hypertension?
Do you suffer from mood changes that are difficult to explain?
Do you have trouble with concentration, memory, or learning?
Do you get infections easily or recover slowly?
Do you experience a reduced sense of taste or smell, poor night vision, rough skin, or poor wound healing?

If you answered 'yes' to two or more of these questions you may have element imbalances or excess toxic elements in your system.

Why Hair?
Extensive research has established that scalp hair element levels are related to human systemic levels. Blood is widely used for many medical tests however; it does not always reflect what is going on at the organ level. Since it is regulated by hormone mechanisms that work to keep their levels within a specific ranges and hair is not, deviations in hair element levels often appear prior to blood symptoms. This makes them valuable as a preliminary too for predicting the development of physiological abnormalities.
• Low zinc is associated with poor wound healing, weight problems, depressed libido, hair loss and impotence.
• Low magnesium is associated with cardiovascular problems, depression and anxiety.
• Low copper is associated with joint pain, elevated cholesterol, anemia and reduced resistance to infection.
• Low manganese is associated with back and joint problems, hypoglycemia and allergies.

What about Toxic Elements?
Toxic elements may be up to several hundred times more concentrated in hair that in the blood or urine making hair the choice for detection of exposure to arsenic, aluminum, cadmium, lead and mercury.
• Excess lead is associated with fatigue, constipation, insomnia, emotional disturbances, hyperactivity, and learning disabilities in children.
• Excess aluminum is associated with Alzheimer’s disease and may also lead to the depletion of phosphorus in the body which is critical for bone health.
• Excess arsenic is associated with fatigue, skin problems, and tingling in the extremities.
• Excess cadmium is associated with fatigue, tissue aging, musculoskeletal pain, anemia and hypertension.

When is Hair Analysis the Wrong Choice?
Hair is subject to external contamination, particularly from products such as bleaches, perms or dyes. Hair treated within two months of sampling will not provide accurate information. In these cases, blood or urine test may be better choices.