HTMA Minerals Explained The Big Six Minerals to Look at First

HTMA Minerals Explained: The Big Six Minerals on Your Report

When you first open a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis report, it is very easy to look straight at the heavy metals.

Aluminium.

Lead.

Mercury.

Arsenic.

Cadmium.

These markers matter, of course they do. But if you want HTMA minerals explained in a way that actually helps you understand your own report or your child’s report, the best place to begin is often with the minerals that show the wider terrain.

I call these the Big Six.

Calcium.

Magnesium.

Sodium.

Potassium.

Zinc.

Copper.

These six minerals are not the only minerals that matter. They are simply the first place I want most people to understand because they tell us so much about energy, stress response, nervous system tone, blood sugar rhythm, digestion, elimination, mood, focus, growth, hormones and the body’s capacity to regulate.

They do not tell the whole story.

But they often show us where the story begins.

This HTMA minerals explained guide is here to help you understand why the Big Six minerals matter so much, why a result does not have to be officially flagged as high or low to still matter, and why the relationships between minerals often tell us more than any single number on the chart.

What are the Big Six minerals on an HTMA test?

The Big Six minerals are:

Calcium

Magnesium

Sodium

Potassium

Zinc

Copper

In HTMA interpretation, these are often some of the first minerals to look at because they form the foundation of the chart.

• Calcium and magnesium give us important clues about structure, buffering, regulation, relaxation, blood sugar and the slower, more calming side of the mineral picture.
• Sodium and potassium give us clues about stress response, adrenal signalling, fluid balance, cellular energy, electrical rhythm and the body’s ability to stay switched on without burning through its reserves.
• Zinc and copper give us clues about growth, repair, immunity, digestion, iron handling, connective tissue, neurotransmitters, hormones, histamine and emotional regulation.

The Big Six are not separate little boxes.

They behave like a system.

That is one of the most important things to understand if you are looking for HTMA minerals explained properly. The report is not just showing you individual minerals. It is showing you relationships, movement, retention, depletion, compensation and capacity.

Why the Big Six matter before the details

One of the easiest mistakes to make with HTMA is reading it like a simple high-low chart.

Calcium is high, so avoid calcium.

Magnesium is low, so take magnesium.

Copper is high, so get rid of copper.

Sodium is low, so add salt.

But the body does not work like that.

Minerals act in relationship with each other. One mineral may be high because it is being retained, not because the person is eating too much of it. Another mineral may sit just inside the reference range but still be low in the context of the whole pattern.

This is why a result can look “normal” but still matter.

For example, if magnesium is technically within range but sitting close to the lower end, and the person also has high calcium, low sodium, low potassium, constipation, stress exhaustion, poor sleep and signs of poor regulation, I would not ignore magnesium just because the report has not flagged it as low.

The number matters.

But the pattern matters more.

This is where HTMA mineral levels explained properly becomes so different from simply reading a lab chart. The question is not only “is this mineral high or low?” The better question is “what is this mineral doing in relation to the rest of the chart?”

The Big Six help us step back and ask better questions.

• Is the body retaining minerals or losing them?
• Is the nervous system more activated or more depleted?
• Is there enough mineral reserve for energy, focus, sleep and repair?
• Is the body able to eliminate well, or does it look like it is conserving?
• Is the chart matching the real-life person in front of us?

This is why the Big Six are so useful.

They help you understand the terrain before you start reacting to the details.

HTMA minerals explained: why relationships matter more than single numbers

A mineral on its own only tells part of the story.

Calcium matters, but calcium in relation to potassium may tell us something different from calcium by itself.

Magnesium matters, but magnesium in relation to calcium can give clues around blood sugar, tension, relaxation, tissue storage and availability.

Sodium matters, but sodium in relation to potassium can tell us more about vitality, stress response, inflammatory tendency and whether the body is in a more alarmed or exhausted pattern.

Zinc matters, but zinc in relation to copper can shift the whole interpretation around immunity, hormones, mood, histamine, iron handling and connective tissue.

This is why HTMA minerals explained as isolated nutrients becomes too flat.

It misses the intelligence of the chart.

A mineral can be high and still not be useful.

A mineral can be low because it has been used up.

A mineral can be low because it is not being absorbed.

A mineral can be high because it is being retained.

A mineral can be present in the hair but not being used well by the body.

A mineral can be borderline and still clinically meaningful when the rest of the chart is saying the same thing.

This is why interpretation matters.

Calcium on HTMA

Calcium is often thought of as a bone mineral, and yes, most of the body’s calcium is stored in bones and teeth. But calcium is also involved in blood clotting, nerve signalling, muscle contraction, enzyme reactions, heart rhythm and insulin release.

On an HTMA report, calcium is not just about how much calcium someone eats.

High calcium does not automatically mean someone has been eating too much dairy or taking too much calcium.

In HTMA interpretation, high tissue calcium can often reflect a slower metabolic pattern, calcium retention, over supplementing vitamin D, reduced mineral movement or a body that is buffering and conserving. This is why calcium has to be read alongside magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus and the wider ratios.

Calcium can be calming and structural when it is in balance.

But when calcium is high in relation to other minerals, it can sometimes reflect a system that is becoming more sluggish, more buffered or less able to move energy cleanly.

This is where a calcium result becomes far more interesting than “high” or “low.”

High calcium can sometimes sit alongside fatigue, coldness, low motivation, constipation, poor stress tolerance or a sense of feeling heavy in the body.

In children, a calcium-dominant pattern may show more subtly. A child may seem emotionally full, easily overwhelmed, slower to recover, constipated, tired in the morning or unable to access steady energy, even if they do not look low energy on the outside.

This is why HTMA minerals explained for children has to be careful. We are not using the report to label the child. We are using it to ask better questions about energy, regulation, reserve and load.

Calcium is not the issue by itself.

The question is always: what is calcium doing in relation to everything else?

Magnesium on HTMA

Magnesium is involved in hundreds of reactions in the body. It supports energy production, blood sugar regulation, muscle relaxation, bowel rhythm, cell membrane function, nervous system regulation and the body’s response to stress.

It is one of the minerals people recognise most easily.

But magnesium is also one of the minerals people often oversimplify.

If someone is stressed, tired, constipated, tense, anxious or struggling to sleep, magnesium may absolutely be part of the picture. But magnesium does not sit alone.

It has to be understood alongside calcium, sodium, potassium, stress state, metabolic type and overall mineral reserve.

This is especially important when magnesium is not officially flagged as low, but still looks low in context.

A borderline magnesium result can matter.

A low-normal magnesium result can matter.

A magnesium level that looks acceptable on paper can still be part of the story if the ratios suggest poor utilisation, poor availability or imbalance with calcium, sodium and potassium.

This is why “just take magnesium” can sometimes miss the deeper pattern.

Magnesium may help a symptom.

But HTMA asks a bigger question: why is the mineral pattern showing this need in the first place?

In my certified HTMA practitioner teaching around the first six my teacher Karen made this point beautifully

magnesium is not treated as a cure-all. Stress can use up magnesium, but it also uses up sodium, potassium, zinc and copper. If you only focus on magnesium, you may soothe one symptom while missing the wider terrain.

That matters for adults who have relied on magnesium for sleep, headaches, tension or stress.

It matters for children too, because a child may need support with mineral rhythm, protein, light, bowel regularity, blood sugar, sleep and nervous system load, not simply an isolated nutrient.

HTMA minerals explained properly means magnesium is important, but never separate.

Sodium on HTMA

Sodium is often reduced to salt in public health conversations, but in the body it is so much more than that.

Sodium is involved in fluid balance, blood volume, adrenal signalling, stomach acid production, cell membrane permeability, nerve signalling, muscle function and the stress response.

On HTMA, sodium gives us clues about activation, adrenal response and mineral movement.

Low sodium may suggest reduced adrenal output, lower reserve, poor retention or a body that is struggling to stay energised.

High sodium may suggest a stronger stress response, inflammation, tissue irritation, mineralocorticoid activity or a body that is holding sodium under pressure.

This is why high sodium on HTMA does not simply mean “you eat too much salt.”

And low sodium does not automatically mean “just add loads of salt.”

Sodium needs context.

In a fast pattern, sodium and potassium may be higher, showing a more activated, stress-responsive state.

In a slow pattern, sodium and potassium may be lower, which can suggest lower reserve, reduced adrenal signalling or poorer mineral movement.

Sodium and potassium are often described as primary solvents in this style of interpretation because they help other minerals remain available and mobile. When they are low, other minerals can become more static or less accessible.

This is where the chart can start to make real-life sense.

The person may say they feel flat.

They may struggle with protein digestion.

They may have poor morning energy.

They may crave salt but still not seem to hold onto it.

They may feel better with electrolytes but only for a short time.

They may have a nervous system that looks like it is always working hard, yet the mineral pattern shows very little reserve underneath.

In children, sodium can be especially interesting because children often burn through minerals quickly when they are growing, adapting, emotionally processing, recovering from illness or living under constant nervous system demand.

Low sodium in a child may sit alongside low stamina, poor recovery, lower morning energy, salt cravings, emotional volatility, poor protein digestion or a body that does not have much reserve.

Again, it is not a label.

It is a clue.

Potassium on HTMA

Potassium is one of the most important minerals for cellular energy and electrical rhythm.

It helps maintain fluid balance, supports cell membrane function, influences heart rhythm and muscle function, helps glucose move into cells and sensitises cells to thyroid hormone.

Potassium is often one of the most revealing minerals on a chart.

In a slow pattern, potassium may be one of the first minerals to fall. When potassium drops, sodium may also drop, magnesium can become less available and calcium may begin to rise or become more dominant in the tissues.

This matters because sodium and potassium help other minerals stay available and mobile.

When sodium and potassium are low, the body may struggle to keep minerals moving properly.

This is one reason a child or adult can look depleted, sluggish, emotionally overwhelmed, constipated or unable to access steady energy.

Potassium is also strongly connected with blood sugar rhythm.

If potassium is low or poorly available, the person may experience cravings, dips, shakiness, fatigue after exertion, poor focus or an inability to stay steady between meals.

This does not mean every person with low potassium needs potassium supplements.

Food rhythm, mineral balance, protein intake, digestion, hydration, light exposure, sleep and stress load all matter.

For children, potassium is important for energy, mood, growth, muscle function, appetite rhythm and the ability to meet the demands of the day.

A child may look restless, reactive or switched on, but still be running with low mineral reserve underneath. This is one of the reasons HTMA can be helpful for families. It gives a different way of seeing the body beneath the behaviour.

Not to excuse everything.

Not to reduce the child to a chart.

But to ask: does this child have the mineral capacity to regulate, recover, digest, sleep and grow well in the environment they are living inside?

That is the kind of question the Big Six help us ask.

Zinc on HTMA

Zinc is often low on HTMA reports, but zinc also needs careful interpretation.

Zinc is involved in immune function, growth, repair, skin health, taste and smell, appetite, stomach acid production, protein synthesis, DNA and RNA transcription, hormone patterns and nervous system function.

For children, zinc is especially important because growth, immune resilience, digestion, appetite, focus, learning, skin repair and emotional regulation all place demands on zinc.

Low zinc may sit alongside poor appetite, picky eating, slow wound healing, frequent infections, skin issues, white spots on nails, poor taste or smell, low stomach acid, digestive discomfort, reduced focus or a child who seems to run out of resilience quickly.

But again, zinc should not be read alone.

Zinc and copper are in constant relationship.

If zinc is low relative to copper, this may affect mood, immunity, hormones, histamine, iron handling, connective tissue and stress resilience.

If zinc appears high, that does not always mean zinc is abundant and being used well. Sometimes high zinc can reflect poor utilisation, imbalance with other minerals, or a pattern where the mineral is present but not doing what it needs to do efficiently.

This is why supplementing zinc blindly can create further imbalance, especially when copper, iron, sodium, potassium and the wider mineral picture have not been considered.

Zinc is a beautiful mineral for repair, appetite, immunity and growth.

But it still has to sit in the orchestra.

This is where HTMA minerals explained properly becomes very different from generic nutrition advice. It is not just “zinc is good for immunity.” It is “what is zinc doing in this person’s pattern, and how does it relate to copper, digestion, stress and growth?”

Copper on HTMA

Copper is one of the most misunderstood minerals on an HTMA report.

It is essential.

It is not simply bad when high or good when low.

Copper is needed for the electron transport chain, iron recycling, haemoglobin synthesis, connective tissue, neurotransmitter activity, immune function, histamine regulation and antioxidant enzymes.

Copper also has a deep relationship with hormones, especially oestrogen, and with emotional regulation.

This is why copper patterns can be so relevant in adults dealing with mood shifts, anxiety-type patterns, PMS, postpartum depletion, histamine-type symptoms, fatigue, low iron patterns or poor stress tolerance.

In children, copper patterns may be relevant where there are focus concerns, emotional volatility, sensory overwhelm, skin issues, immune patterns, gut symptoms, sleep disruption or signs that iron is not being used well.

But copper is not just about the number on the chart.

• Copper transport matters.
• Ceruloplasmin matters.
• Liver and bile flow matter.
• Zinc matters.
• Iron matters.
• Adrenal function matters.
• Protein intake matters.

A high copper reading, low copper reading or suspected hidden copper pattern all need context.

This is why copper should not be approached with fear. It should be approached with respect.

One of the most useful things about HTMA is that it can open up this conversation. Someone may be taking iron but still not using it well. Someone may be told their histamine is high, but their copper and zinc pattern may be telling a more layered story. Someone may have mood and stress patterns that make far more sense when copper transport, zinc status, adrenal patterns and mineral balance are viewed together.

Copper is not a villain.

It is a messenger.

What the Big Four show first

Within the Big Six, the first four minerals are especially important:

Calcium

Magnesium

Sodium

Potassium

These four give a strong first impression of the energy terrain.

They help us understand whether the body looks more slowed, more activated, more depleted, more buffered or more mineral-hungry.

If calcium and magnesium are high relative to sodium and potassium, the body may look more slow, conserving or less able to mobilise energy.

If sodium and potassium are high relative to calcium and magnesium, the body may look more activated, stress-responsive or fast-burning.

If all four are low, the body may be showing low reserve and sensitivity, where support often needs to be much gentler.

This is why calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium are such a useful first-look framework.

They do not tell you everything.

But they tell you a lot about whether the body has energy to spend or whether it is trying to hold itself together with limited reserve.

This is also why the borderline results matter.

A potassium level that is technically “in range” but very close to low can still matter if the pattern is slow, sodium is low, calcium is rising and the person is struggling with energy, regulation or blood sugar.

A magnesium level that is technically acceptable can still matter if the calcium to magnesium relationship is showing strain.

A sodium level that is low-normal can still matter when the person is depleted, salt-craving and struggling to recover.

This is why a report should never be read by the flags alone.

The body is not a traffic light system.

It is a living pattern.

Why zinc and copper complete the picture

Zinc and copper add another layer.

They help us understand repair, growth, immunity, digestion, hormones, histamine, iron handling and emotional regulation.

This is why the Big Six work so well together.

The first four minerals tell us a lot about energy and stress.

Zinc and copper tell us a lot about regulation, repair and communication.

You cannot fully understand a child’s focus, mood, appetite, sleep or immune resilience without thinking about zinc and copper.

You cannot fully understand adult fatigue, hormonal shifts, low stress tolerance, histamine-type symptoms, low iron patterns or emotional volatility without thinking about zinc and copper.

They are not the whole story.

But they are often sitting right in the middle of it.

HTMA minerals explained for children

Children are growing, learning, moving, building bone, forming brain connections, developing enzymes, processing emotions, adapting to food, light, microbes and their environment every day.

That takes minerals.

A lot of minerals.

The Big Six can give clues about whether a child has enough mineral reserve for growth, regulation, sleep, focus, immune resilience, bowel rhythm, appetite and emotional capacity.

This is important because children often show us their biology through behaviour, appetite, sleep, skin, bowels, sensory patterns, emotional responses and energy rhythm.

• A child who looks wired may still be depleted underneath.
• A child who struggles to settle may still be low in the minerals needed to regulate.
• A child who reacts strongly may be carrying more demand than their mineral reserves can easily meet.
• A child with constipation, poor appetite, disrupted sleep, frequent infections, focus challenges or emotional volatility may not need more pressure placed on the behaviour. They may need someone to look at what the body is trying to carry.

This is where HTMA can be so useful.

Not because it labels the child.

Because it helps us ask better questions about what their body is carrying and what support might be needed first.

For a child’s report, I would usually want to know:

What do calcium and magnesium suggest about buffering, tension, blood sugar and regulation?

What do sodium and potassium suggest about adrenal signalling, energy and reserve?

What do zinc and copper suggest about growth, immunity, appetite, repair, histamine, iron handling and emotional regulation?

Does the chart show a body with energy available for development, or a body that is conserving?

Does the mineral pattern match the child’s sleep, digestion, mood, appetite and recovery?

This is how HTMA minerals explained for children becomes genuinely useful. It does not turn the child into the issue. It helps us understand the conditions their biology is trying to adapt to.

HTMA minerals explained for adults

In adults, the Big Six often help make sense of patterns that people have normalised for years.

Fatigue.

Burnout.

Poor stress tolerance.

Hormonal shifts.

Blood sugar dips.

Low mood.

Wired evenings.

Restless sleep.

Constipation.

Histamine-type symptoms.

Low iron patterns.

Feeling functional, but not truly recovered.

These patterns often make more sense when you look at mineral balance.

Not because minerals explain everything.

But because minerals are involved in the systems people rely on every day: energy production, nervous system regulation, hormone signalling, digestion, blood sugar, immune resilience and detoxification capacity.

The body cannot run on mindset alone.

It needs minerals.

And the Big Six are often where the pattern starts to speak.

For adults, this can be especially helpful when someone has been told their blood tests are normal but they still do not feel well. Blood work has its place, but HTMA gives a different kind of picture. It can show longer-term patterns of mineral retention, loss, stress response and toxic element exposure that may not be obvious from a standard blood panel.

This does not mean HTMA replaces other testing.

It means it can add another layer.

It helps us ask: what is happening in the tissue pattern, and does it match the story of the person?

Why borderline HTMA mineral levels still matter

This is one of the most important things to understand when reading an HTMA report.

A mineral does not have to be officially flagged as low to matter.

If the low range starts at x and mineral is just above that, that does not automatically mean it is irrelevant.

It may be technically in “range”, but still low in the context of the person.

This is especially true if the surrounding minerals and ratios are telling the same story.

For example, magnesium may look borderline rather than officially low, but if calcium is high, sodium and potassium are low, stress symptoms are present, bowels are slow and sleep is poor, magnesium is still part of the pattern.

The same applies to zinc, potassium, sodium and copper.

A number is not interpreted in isolation.

A borderline result can be clinically meaningful when the wider chart, symptoms and history all point in the same direction.

This is why HTMA is not just about spotting red flags.

It is about reading relationships.

It is also why someone can be told “everything looks fine” when, to a trained eye, the pattern is already showing the early shape of depletion, stress compensation or poor mineral availability.

The body often whispers before it shouts.

HTMA can help us hear the whisper earlier.

What the Big Six can show about metals and elimination

Another reason to start with the Big Six is that toxic metals are not separate from mineral status.

The body needs mineral reserve to eliminate well.

It needs protein, bile flow, bowel regularity, hydration, antioxidant systems, sodium, potassium, zinc, sulphur pathways and enough energy to move things out.

So if someone looks at their report and sees low toxic elements, that does not always mean there is nothing stored.

Sometimes it means the body is not moving things well yet.

Sometimes the first test shows mineral depletion more clearly than toxic output.

Sometimes the toxic elements rise on a retest after mineral balance improves, because the body now has more capacity to eliminate.

That can worry people if they do not understand the pattern.

This is why you do not want to look at metals before understanding the mineral terrain.

If sodium and potassium are low, magnesium is low, zinc is low, copper is imbalanced, digestion is sluggish and the person is exhausted, the first question may not be “how do we detox?”

It may be “does the body have the capacity to eliminate safely?”

This is especially important for children and sensitive adults.

The aim is not to push harder.

The aim is to build capacity.

What to do when looking at the Big Six on your report

When you look at your report, try not to rush into correcting numbers.

Start with the pattern.

Ask:

What is happening with calcium and magnesium?

What is happening with sodium and potassium?

Do the first four minerals suggest activation, conservation, depletion or low reserve?

What is happening with zinc and copper?

Does the zinc and copper pattern match the person’s mood, focus, immunity, digestion, hormones, histamine or iron picture?

Are any minerals borderline rather than clearly high or low?

Do the ratios support the same story?

Does the chart match the real-life adult or child in front of it?

This is where the report becomes useful.

Not as a list of isolated minerals.

As a map of how the body may be adapting.

What not to do with the Big Six

Do not use this page as a supplement checklist.

Do not assume high means avoid and low means take.

Do not treat one mineral without looking at the others.

Do not ignore a mineral just because it is barely inside range.

Do not panic if a child’s chart looks depleted, slow or reactive.

Do not assume low toxic metals means there is no toxic load.

Do not use HTMA to label a child.

The aim is to understand what the body is showing.

A simple way to remember it

The Big Six are where I would usually begin because they help you see the terrain.

Calcium and magnesium show buffering, structure, regulation and relaxation.

Sodium and potassium show stress response, adrenal signalling, cellular energy and mineral movement.

Zinc and copper show growth, repair, immunity, digestion, iron handling, hormones, histamine and emotional regulation.

Together, they help answer a much better question than “what is high and what is low?”

They help us ask:

What is the body trying to do?

What is it struggling to maintain?

Where is it conserving?

Where is it burning through reserve?

Where might support need to begin?

That is why the Big Six matter.

And that is why HTMA minerals explained well should never flatten the report into a list of highs and lows.

The chart is not just data.

It is a conversation with the body.

How to use this part of your report

If you are looking at your own HTMA report or your child’s report, start with the Big Six before trying to understand every detail.

Look at calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium first.

Then look at zinc and copper.

Then look at the ratios.

Then ask whether the pattern matches the real-life person.

Is the energy steady, low, wired, unpredictable or easily depleted?

Is sleep restorative or unsettled?

Are there cravings, blood sugar dips, constipation, loose stools, histamine-type reactions, low resilience or signs that the body is working hard to regulate?

For children, think about the wider story too.

Pregnancy, birth, feeding history, sleep, infections, antibiotics, stress, sensory load, food rhythm, outdoor time, artificial light, home environment and emotional load can all shape how much capacity the body has.

This does not mean you need to panic or start correcting every number.

It means the Big Six can help you ask better questions.

The report becomes more useful when it is read alongside the person in front of it.

FAQs

What are the Big Six minerals on an HTMA report?

The Big Six minerals on an HTMA report are calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, zinc and copper. If you want HTMA minerals explained in a practical way, these are often the first minerals to understand because they give clues about energy, stress response, nervous system tone, blood sugar, digestion, repair, immunity, hormones and regulation.

Why should I look at the Big Six first?

The Big Six help you understand the terrain before reacting to individual results. When HTMA mineral levels are explained properly, they are read as relationships, not isolated highs and lows.

What does HTMA minerals explained mean?

HTMA minerals explained means understanding the mineral pattern on a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis report. It is not just about whether a mineral is high or low. It is about how the minerals relate to each other and what they may suggest about energy, stress response, regulation, digestion, hormones, elimination and mineral reserve.

What are the first minerals to look at on an HTMA report?

A useful starting point is calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, zinc and copper. Calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium show a lot about the energy and stress picture, while zinc and copper add important information about growth, repair, immunity, digestion, hormones, histamine and emotional regulation.

Does high calcium on HTMA mean I am eating too much calcium?

No, not necessarily. On HTMA, high calcium may reflect calcium retention, stress patterns (calcium shell) , slower metabolic patterns, reduced mineral movement or wider imbalance. It should be read alongside magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus and the ratios.

What does low sodium mean on HTMA?

Low sodium may suggest reduced adrenal output, low reserve, poor mineral retention, or lower stress capacity. It should not be read on its own, and it does not automatically mean someone simply needs more good quality salt it may mean the adrenals need supporting too.

What does potassium show on HTMA?

Potassium gives clues about cellular energy, glucose handling, fluid balance, thyroid sensitivity and electrical rhythm. In slow patterns, potassium is often one of the first minerals to fall.

Why are zinc and copper important on HTMA?

Zinc and copper are important for growth, repair, immunity, digestion, iron handling, hormones, histamine, connective tissue, neurotransmitters and emotional regulation. Their relationship is often more important than either mineral on its own.

Why do minerals matter for children?

Children are growing, learning, building tissue, developing the nervous system and adapting to their environment every day. HTMA for children can help us understand things like mineral reserve, heavy metals,  energy, focus, sleep, appetite, bowel rhythm, immune resilience and emotional capacity.

Can a borderline mineral result still matter?

Yes. A borderline result can matter if the wider chart, ratios, symptoms and history all point in the same direction. For example, magnesium may not be officially low, but it may still be relevant if calcium is high, sodium and potassium are low, sleep is poor, bowels are slow and stress symptoms are present.

What is the most important thing to remember?

Do not read an HTMA report one mineral at a time. The value is in the relationships. The Big Six help you understand what the body may be conserving, losing, using, retaining or struggling to regulate.

 

References

Watkins K. The First Six Elements. Mineral Check Ltd. Practitioner Training Module.

Watkins K. Hair Mineral Analysis: Clinical Application and Balancing Body Chemistry. Mineral Check Ltd. Practitioner Guide.

Trace Elements Inc. Newsletter Archives.
https://www.traceelements.com/EducationalResources/NewsLetter.aspx

 

Disclaimer

This article is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your GP, consultant or qualified healthcare professional before making changes to medication, treatment or healthcare.