Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis
From Interclinical laboratories, HTMA measures the levels and comparative ratios of a variety of minerals found in hair from your scalp.
In Australia, we use Interclinical laboratories as our primary source of HTMA’s. The samples they receive are sent to Trace Elements Inc. in the United States. You can order adult kits or kids kits directly.
We prefer results from either of these sources (or other companies who use TEI), but can use other HTMA results too in most circumstances.
If you have results from another laboratory, please contact us so that we can determine whether or not we can use these tests.
For more information on the best way to get hair samples, please check this video. Interclinical themselves have a great guide too, which you can review here or TEI have a great resource on their website here.
(Australian and New Zealand clients only)
International Clients
If you are in a country other than Australia or New Zealand, sorry to say, we can’t help you with the HTMA kit! The good news is that you will be able to find a local supplier.
Ideally, we suggest finding a HTMA lab who uses the TEI laboratories, such as Mineral Checks in the UK. Many clients order via Even Better Now because they use TEI but offer services around the world. Please check the information Even Better Now provide, as they too are unable to service some locations.
Trace Elements Inc (TEI) can be contacted directly here to ask them for the best company for your location. Results from ‘ARL‘ (Analytical Research Labs Inc) are another alternative to TEI with similar quality.
We can typically use results from other laboratories outside of these, but the results may require some additional adjustment by us before your consult, and/or we may mention to you that the laboratory “washes their samples” so we may see impacts on the results we see. It will still be something we can overall use to help you on your way forward (and maybe next time you could use a different lab).
If you aren’t sure, you are welcome to get in touch to check before you order your hair analysis kit.
Blood Tests
Blood tests are important in determining mineral balance – Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) gives only part of the picture.
Whether you are living in Australia or overseas, below is a list of the bloods we use:
Iron studies (including Iron, Total Iron-binding Capacity (TIBC), Transferrin, Ferritin, Saturation)
Plasma Zinc
Red Blood Cell (RBC) Magnesium – sometimes also known as Red Cell Magnesium
Serum Copper (sometimes just noted as ‘copper’)
Serum Ceruloplasmin
Haemoglobin (or ‘hemoglobin’)
Vitamin A (or Retinol)
Vitamin D (25[OH]) – sometimes known as ‘storage’ vitamin d
Optional: Vitamin D (1-25(OH) D3) – also known as ‘active’ vitamin d and ionised calcium (Aussies: you can order these extras as apart of’MAG 3′ in the options below).
This test can be expensive so it’s not an ‘absolutely need’, but worth considering if you are deeply worried about your vitamin d levels being too low or have high pressure on you from others that you need to address your “low” vitamin d.
The vitamin a/retinol, and either of the vitamin d options will likely need to be manually added to your cart if ordering DIY tests (for iMedical this is important to know).
Australian Clients
You may be able to get the blood results done through one of your existing physicians and they may bulk bill them. Many don’t want to do tests just because you ask for them, but generally if they can give adequate reasoning to Medicare as to why you need the tests done, they MAY consider it.
Queenslanders: please use Sullivan Nicolaides or Clinical Laboratories, NOT QML where you can. QML test RBC magnesium in a unit we cannot use.Clinical Laboratories have some sites particularly around SE Queensland and some regional cities too, though aren’t as widespread as Sullivan Nicolaides yet. They are spreading through the state after another pathology company was taken over in 2021-2022.
All other states: where possible, use ‘Clinical Laboratories’ as your location to get blood drawn/tested. Many other labs do not use the RBC magnesium units we need.
You may be able to get the blood results done through one of your existing physicians and they may bulk bill them. Many don’t want to do tests just because you ask for them, but generally if they can give adequate reasoning to Medicare as to why you need the tests done, they MAY consider it.
Adults can order via iMedical and select one of the options below. It may end up less fuss and cheaper to do this than travelling to/waiting at/seeing your GP and then going back again to get the results.
If you live in Queensland, the options you need to choose will depend on where you are. If you have access to a ‘Clinical Laboratories’ collection centre, then you can use the ‘MAG 2‘ or ‘MAG 3‘ options. If you only have Sullivan Nicolaides or QML, please contact iMedical to get assistance with regards to what to purchase. The latter is more expensive than for other states, but Sullivan Nicolaides will provide the right RBC magnesium option.
All other states can order the ‘MAG 2’ or ‘MAG 3‘ options but it is important to make sure you choose the recommended lab for collecting the right RBC magnesium per details below.
If ordering via iMedical – VERY IMPORTANT:
You should specify during the purchasing process that you want RBC mag in mmol/L, so ask them to please confirm the laboratory you should attend. If there’s a ‘extra notes’ option as you order, you could add the note there.
They may give you multiple lab/collection centre options in the automatic information provided, but many of those will NOT provide them in the right unit for our purposes. In most states, Clinical Laboratories are who you will want to use.
If in doubt, before you go to the lab or purchase your bloods, reach. outto iMedical and confirm.
International Clients
We have listed details for options in countries we have the resources for. These do change from time to time, and often we aren’t aware, so you may need to do your own local research.
Other countries may have other requirements so please contact us to discuss the tests if you cannot get them via ways you would normally do so in your country.
NZ:
PathLab may be able to offer the ‘Full Monty’ tests via patient requested labs. Please contact them directly to discuss.
You can also self request some of the tests via Southern Community Laboratories, Wellington SCL, Medlab South, Taranaki Pathology Services via a single portal here.
At this time, we are unaware of more extensive self-requested laboratory options outside of these, located on the South Island. Please let us know if you do find any options!
CANADA:
Canadian’s have some more challenges with requesting tests – many physicians will not do them, and depending on where you live, you are more restricted with what you can request yourself. Options to investigate via your GP/health care provider (or possibly DIY) could include:
Lifelabs
Gamma Dynacare
bloodtestscanada.com (not all tests will be available – but get in touch with them to ask – demand may encourage them to diversify)
Blood tests Canada – iron measures
UK:
Limited options exist at this time for DIY blood tests, but please contact us if you are needing help to source options, as we may have resources or options to support you via our RCPC colleagues in the UK who can help.
USA:
Request A Test – This option is a bit more expensive than Ulta Labs, but it is available in a wider range of States, and also includes Vitamin A & D.
Ulta Labs – This option is less expensive than Request A Test, but it is not available in all States. This is the company to use if you wish to run blood tests on kids (Request-a-Test won’t do them at all for kids under 17 or 18!).