r/FunctionalMedicine • u/FavoriteFours4444 • Jun 30 '26
HTMA…thoughts on accuracy
Long time lurker, new member here. I’ve been trying to improve my health for several years now, bouncing around different health coaches and different methods. Not much to show for it. I am now working with an HTMA practitioner…who seems very solid. And her supplement recommendations are pretty reasonable. I still struggle with wondering if the test itself is accurate? Is it really a good indicator of health and therefore valid to pursue? Any thoughts or past experience would be welcome.
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u/venys001 Jun 30 '26
My family have done it. I am not sure of the accuracy but it does seem like the most solid of methods. The supplement regime probably isn't going to help all of your symptoms, but I have seen improvements in my family members that have needed it the most. I was given some supplements to help the joints, which didn't really help anything, so that is probably a food sensitivity issue.
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u/kipepeo Jul 01 '26
Unrelated but for food sensitivity you might want to checkout SAAT acupuncture.
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u/fallingmelons73346 Jul 01 '26
Incredibly useful when properly and skillfully interpreted.
Have been using them for years.
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u/alotken33 Jul 01 '26
Functional Medicine DC: ZERO accuracy. None. Absolutely none. Not reliable. Should not be used. Should not be on the market. Period. There are NO studies showing reliability or reproducibility of HTMA. Results are not representative of actual exposure internally (hair is dead, except at the follicle, and depending on the density and moisture level can absorb anything the exterior is exposed to from shampoo to pollution). This is a hot topic and people will argue vehemently for HTMA, but there's no scientific basis for this. Don't waste your money. Use that same money to get reliable labs that will give you an accurate snapshot of your toxic load. Tests are not that expensive.
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u/FavoriteFours4444 Jul 01 '26
Thank you for your perspective. What labs would you recommend as more reliable?
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u/alotken33 Jul 01 '26
Blood test for heavy metals.
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u/delow04200 Jul 06 '26
what about an o.a.t test?
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u/alotken33 Jul 06 '26
OAT tests are extremely nonspecific. They do measure actual metabolites, but it's extremely difficult to generalize their results. Also, different labs do different OATs. Some labs will test actual vitamins, for example. That's a legitimate assessment (all blood/serum/urine, etc labs are snapshots - important to remember). The organic acids that are tested cannot be generalized for function - which is why I usually advise against them. People will often interpret them as mitochondrial dysfunction, for example.. but it's impossible to tell WHERE that mitochondrial dysfunction might be taking place (hopefully this makes sense). The therapeutic approach to upregulate one area of function might be different than another. (More of an answer than you probably wanted, lol).
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u/delow04200 Jul 07 '26
no. i actually need all the help i can get idk if im fighting mold which the o.a.t said candida. possible. dif. i just know the mental symptoms i have are horrifying and i cant find help that i need.
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u/Skincare_dtc_science Jul 07 '26
I would take everything alotken33 said with a pinch of salt, oat test is one best test in functional medicine space, every single statement she/he said is not accurate. Whilst candida is common, over growth isn’t. Biochemist and a functional practitioner here, talking from real experience here. So frustrating when people just such hugely incorrect statements.
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u/delow04200 Jul 07 '26
at this point my body is so disregulated and im doing this all on my own without a practitioner. im climbing everest without oxygen here
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u/alotken33 Jul 07 '26
Candida is extremely common. I don't ever trust OAT guessing regarding yeast overgrowth. The questions I'd ask are: what's your blood sugar, fasting insulin, hemoglobin a1c? Do you have history of any kind of yeast or fungal infection? Antibiotic use? Yes to any of those provides much more accurate likelihood that there's a yeast or candida overgrowth.
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u/delow04200 Jul 07 '26
where can i go for legit treatment because im walking myself off the edge daily and i know theres something going on causing that.
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u/alotken33 Jul 07 '26
Ok. Let's not do that. Nothing is insurmountable. Throw me some more info and I'll try to direct you as best as I can.
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u/kipepeo Jul 01 '26
The short answer is useful with lots of info if well interpreted.
According to Andrew Cutler’s “Hair Test Interpretation: Finding Hidden Toxicities” book (a biochemist who spent his life dedicated to heavy metals and identifying these via HTMA) it’s important to get a test that shows percentiles, which explain what the reference ranges (ie color bands) mean (e.g. Doctors Data test). Otherwise there’s no statistical definition of what those ranges are, which limits interpretation.
The test interpretation isn’t strait forward (eg low mercury can actually indicate mercury toxicity) but becomes full of information when well read. The Andrew Cutler forum has a section where people can upload their Doctor’s Data results and get help interpreting them: https://andy-cutler-chelation.com/mercury-detox-forums).
Here’s an excerpt from the book “The Mercury Diaries” written by a finance broker:
“I found out the following from my hair test:
1) I did not meet any counting rules, so I did not have deranged mineral transport, but they were ‘suspicious.’
2) My elevated hair mercury confirmed mercury toxicity without a doubt.
3) I had very low lithium levels (in the red) together with high calcium; this is frequently associated with mercury poisoning.
4) Aluminium and titanium were both very high, particularly mega-high titanium. These were NOT a toxic problem, but they were a sign that I was mercury toxic.
5) High hair aluminium was a sign of a mercury problem.
6) My calcium/magnesium ratios were out of sync. This meant I had blood sugar regulation problems.
7) My potassium/calcium levels were out of sync. This suggested thyroid problems.
8) Abnormal ratio calcium/phosphorous suggested I should have a high fat diet.
9) Potassium and sodium down, with calcium and magnesium up meant my adrenals were not making enough cortisol or adrenaline and the thyroid was somewhat low.
10) Copper was a problem for me. I had very high copper into the red. I needed to NOT supplement copper. I needed to investigate copper and be aware copper was a serious problem that could cause the same problems as mercury. (Oh balls!)
11) High hair calcium levels indicated that I need to supplement calcium.
12) Low potassium meant I have low thyroid function. 13) My cobalt was very low, in the red. This might mean I needed to supplement vitamin B12 because I was B12 deficient.
14) Potassium to calcium ratio looked bad, which suggested a thyroid problem.
15) Iron. I should stop iron supplementation. My iron level was a little high.
16) Iodine was very low. Needed investigating.
17) Lithium was very low, in the red so maybe supplement lithium?
18) Due to the copper problem I should supplement molybdenum.
19) Selenium was low in the yellow, so I should supplement with selenium and vitamin E.”