Hair mineral analysis is a fairly common type of health marker test. Your hair contains a lot of data about who you are, how you live, and what your current diet lacks. Hair mineral analysis can be utilized to help build nutritional strategies by highlighting which minerals or vitamins are lacking in your diet.

Bonnie S. Friehling, MD provides medical therapy and esthetic procedures to those in Columbia, Missouri. She also offers nutritional help to those looking to boost their diet and overall health. Hair mineral analysis can give her valuable insight into how your body is functioning, and what minerals it needs to function better.

Hair mineral analysis basics

Hair mineral analysis refers to the process of testing your hair to reveal its mineral makeup. This can be done in a number of different ways, depending on what the results will be used for. Hair follicle tests are commonly associated with testing for drug use, but other types of hair tests are more benign. Hair strands can be ground up, put under a microscope, or tested chemically.

What hair analysis can tell you

You can glean a lot of information from a single strand of hair. Your hair absorbs chemicals from the medications you take, the foods you eat, and environmental toxins, and this information stays in the hair shaft for several months. Hair analysis can reveal drug use habits, genetic diseases, heavy metal poisoning, and other conditions.

Dr. Friehling uses hair mineral analysis to get a better idea of your nutritional health. Your hair can show which minerals are in short supply in your body, as well as provide insights into:

• Stress levels
• Oxidation rate (metabolism)
• Heavy metal poisoning
• Thyroid activity

Heavy metals are one of the first things to show up in a hair mineral analysis. If your doctor suspects you might have been exposed to mercury, lead, arsenic, or cadmium, they might recommend a hair analysis to determine if they’ve affected your health.

A tool for nutrition profile building

If you’re looking to improve your diet and mineral intake, hair analysis can be an invaluable diagnostic tool. With your results, Dr. Friehling can help build a nutrition and mineral balancing plan catered specifically to your needs. Every person is different, and hair analysis is a noninvasive, efficient way to test for deficiencies.

Your unique nutrition plan might include a number of treatments, including an individualized diet, intravenous (IV) therapy, and vitamin/mineral supplements. By balancing the minerals in your body and improving your nutrition, you can enjoy a more fulfilled, energetic life.

Interested in getting nutritional help? Contact Dr. Friehling by calling 573-446-1200, or visit the contact page for more information.