HTMA Testing: The Mineral Blueprint You Didn’t Know You Needed
If you’ve ever felt off (low energy, brain fog, random heart palpitations, brittle nails, or even anxiety) but you didn’t know where to start to figure out what was going on, this is the post for you.
Sometimes, what’s missing isn’t more testing, it’s the right kind of testing.
Enter: HTMA, or Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis tests.
It’s one of my favorite functional labs because it gives us a behind-the-scenes look at how your body is managing stress, metabolizing nutrients, and detoxifying over the last three months. It’s non-invasive, affordable, and shockingly insightful for something that involves just a few snips of hair and $79.
Let’s break down what this test actually measures, why it matters, and what it can reveal about your health (that bloodwork might miss).
Why Minerals Matter So Much
Minerals are the foundation of human physiology. They’re needed for every cellular process, from hormone production to detoxification to mood regulation.
Yet research shows:
Over 75% of Americans are deficient in magnesium (NIH, PMID: 19621856).
The majority of adults fall short on calcium (PMC5684325).
One in three adults struggles with high blood pressure or vascular issues, both influenced by mineral imbalances (CDC).
Before you reach for more vitamins, it’s worth asking, do you have the mineral foundation to even use those nutrients effectively?
Who Can Benefit from an HTMA Test?
You might consider this test if you struggle with:
Fatigue or burnout
Low blood pressure or dizziness
Heart palpitations
Muscle cramps or headaches
Anxiety or low mood
Digestive issues or food sensitivities
Chronic inflammation or autoimmunity
Skin discoloration, hair loss, or brittle nails
Basically, if your body feels stuck or you’ve been told “your labs are fine,” this test can help uncover why.
What the HTMA Test Measures
The HTMA looks at five key areas that give us a full snapshot of your mineral balance and metabolic activity:
Electrolyte Minerals
Trace Nutrient Minerals
Heavy Metals (Toxic Elements)
Mineral Ratios
Oxidative Rate (Your Metabolic “Speed”)
This blog will walk through each one and why this data matters more than we think.
1. Electrolyte Minerals: Your Stress + Energy Story
Think of these as the “spark plugs” of your body. Minerals like calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium all control energy production, nerve signaling, and how your body responds to stress.
Here’s what makes HTMA so powerful: unlike blood, which reflects a single moment in time, your hair shows a 3-month average of how your body has handled stress.
That means high calcium, for example, doesn’t mean “too much calcium in your diet.” It might mean your body is storing calcium in tissue because stress or inflammation has thrown its mineral partners out of balance.
What’s do I mean, “mineral partner”? Every mineral has a partner that it has a relationship with. Some are one way relationships and others are two-way. Some examples include:
High calcium + low magnesium? We don’t remove calcium — we replenish magnesium to restore balance.
Too much zinc? We support copper.
Too much copper? We support zinc.
Minerals work like a symphony, and when one section plays too loudly, everything sounds off.
2. Trace Minerals: The Micronutrients That Run the Show
Trace minerals like selenium, manganese, chromium, and cobalt might be small, but they’re mighty. They support thyroid function, insulin sensitivity, antioxidant protection, and hormone balance. It’s important that we know if something is too high or too low and how they look relative to their “partners.”
3. Heavy Metals: The Unwanted Guests
Mercury. Lead. Aluminum. Cadmium. Arsenic.
We don’t want any of these to be high. But the reality is, most of us are exposed daily through food, water, personal care products, cookware, and even pollution.
The HTMA helps identify whether these metals are building up in your tissues or being excreted properly. If something shows up in the orange or red zones, it may mean your body is working to remove it, and that’s where detox pathways and mineral rebalancing become key. It’s also important to note that sometimes, heavy metals might be laying stored away in the body and we won’t see them on a hair test until we activate our detox pathways and mobilize this system.
4. Mineral Ratios: The Real Goldmine
This is where the magic happens.
The ratios between minerals tell us how your systems are communicating, especially your adrenals, thyroid, and nervous system.
For example:
Calcium/Potassium ratio gives insight into thyroid activity.
Sodium/Magnesium ratio reflects adrenal function and stress response.
Zinc/Copper ratio influences mood, immunity, and even PMS symptoms.
When one ratio is off, it doesn’t just affect one system, it creates a ripple effect. That’s why we use these ratios to guide supplement protocols and lifestyle recommendations that bring everything back into harmony.
5. Oxidation Rate: Your Metabolic “Speed”
This is essentially your burn rate and shows fast or slow your body converts food into energy.
Chronic stress, under-eating, or over-exercising can all push the body toward slow oxidation, where energy production plummets.
On the flip side, if you’re in a fast oxidation state, your body may be burning through minerals too quickly to keep up.
The goal? A mixed oxidation rate that’s balanced, promotes steady energy, a stable mood, and a resilient stress response.
How the Test Works (It’s Easier Than You Think)
Cut about 1.5 inches of hair from the scalp (preferably from the back of your head).
Use stainless steel scissors — no aluminum, please!
Take 4–5 small snips from different areas (10–20 strands each).
Don’t wash your hair right before collecting the sample.
Avoid coloring or bleaching within a week of the test.
Send the sample off — and within a few weeks, we’ll have a clear snapshot of your mineral status and stress response.
Get your minerals in order
Your body is electric. Literally. Minerals are what make that electricity flow.
The HTMA test tells us how your body is coping with the day to day stressors it’s up against and what might be missing because of the work it’s doing to keep us going.
SimIt’s like getting a stress report card for your cells, and it allows us to stop guessing, start supporting, and help your body find balance again.
ALL Calibrate packages (including the Mini Health Reset) includes this test in the price. It’s that insightful.
Get started today with a free consult.