Averaging Principle
Introduction
Mineral Balancing Science has a lot of principles and concepts which make it a unique nutritional approach. However, it is not easy to summarise Mineral Balancing since there are so many aspects to it which people are most often unfamiliar with. One of these principles that applies to Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis is what we call the Averaging Principle.
When a person receives their hair test results, they will find that they have specific results that indicate their unique tissue biochemistry. But here lies a common misconception.
The results of a hair tissue mineral analysis are not an exact number of your current level, but instead an average over a period of time. Just because your results indicate a specific balance or imbalance of minerals, does not mean that you are always in this state. Your body is always changing, and will not always be in this state.
An Example of the Averaging Principle in Hair Testing
Consider that the mineral levels found in hair change in an hourly fashion, and hair grows about 1 cm each month (Maes & Pate, 1975). A typical hair sample that is sent to the lab is about 2.5 to 3 cm’s in length (Analytical Research Labs; Trace Elements). This means that the “picture” of your biochemistry as indicated by a hair tissue mineral analysis is an average of a three-month window. It should not be interpreted as current or exact.
Take for example calcium. The ideal level on a hair tissue mineral analysis is 40 mg%. If you got your hair analysis results back and it indicated that your calcium level was 99 mg%, you could have had one month where your average calcium level was 81 mg%. The next month, you could have had an average calcium level of 120 mg%, and the third month your level could have had an average level of 90 mg%. This averages out to a calcium level of 99 mg% over a three-month period.
What About Sending a Shorter Hair Sample for More Accurate Results?
After learning about the Averaging Principle, one may ask. “Can I just provide a hair sample that is 1 cm in length? It will show me an average of where my mineral levels have been over a one-month period”.
This is an excellent question, and it’s true. The shorter the hair sample that is provided, the more accurate the results are for your current biochemistry. You could provide a hair sample that is 1 cm long, but you should tell your practitioner so that they can consider this information when they review your results.
If a person provides an initial hair sample that is 3 cm in length, and they intend to retest their hair every 3 months, the next hair sample only needs to be about 1-2cm in length. This helps provide the most current biochemistry. Though, I have found that this requires more of a “sacrifice” of hair, and not everyone is willing to do this.
Through experience, I have found that monthly hair samples are not needed. Though testing your hair mineral levels every two-months is highly recommended for the individual who is struggling with their health so that they can maintain their supplement recommendations for their biochemistry.
References
Analytical Research Labs. FAQ. Retrieved from ARLTMA.com: https://arltma.com/faq/
Maes, D., & Pate, B. (1975, October 29). Trace Element Concentration Patterns in Human Hairs. Retrieved 02 05, 2020, from Simon Fraser University: http://summit.sfu.ca/system/files/iritems1/4338/b13657859.pdf
Trace Elements. Sample Collection Protocol. Retrieved from Traceelements.com: https://www.traceelements.com/LabServices/SampleCollection.aspx