HTMA

What to do and what not to do before collecting your sample

Prescription Medications: There is no need to stop taking your prescription medications for the HTMA test. 


Supplements: You can continue taking your supplements as normal for the HTMA test. 


Foods: You can continue to eat as you normally would prior to the HTMA test. 


Collecting Your Hair for the HTMA Test: Your collection sample should consist of approximately 1 heaping teaspoon of hair that is cut from the root of the hair, keeping only the first inch that grows closest to the scalp and discarding the rest. See the instructions in the kit to be certain you are collecting an adequate amount. 


Sample Collection: Collect from clean, dry hair that does not contain any gels, sprays, or other hair products.


*Heavy metals are labeled as "Toxic Elements" on the HTMA. 


Heavy Metal Exposures

Aluminum: Aluminum is the third most abundant element in the Earth’s crust and occurs naturally in the environment and drinking water. Aluminum may be ingested, absorbed through the skin, or inhaled. The average adult in the United States ingests 7–9 mg of aluminum per day through food and 10-100 mg of aluminum per day through aluminum-based products and environmental sources. Sources of aluminum exposure include:

  • Processed Foods:

    • Coloring agents

    • Anticaking agents

    • Processed cheese 

    • Table salt 

    • Baking powders/baking soda 

    • Pickles 

    • Bleached flour 

    • Prepared dough 

    • Cake mixes 

    • Non-dairy creamers 

    • Vanilla powders 

  • Materials such as: 

    • Aluminum-containing food packaging 

    • Aluminum-containing pots and pans 

    • Aluminum-containing steamers and strainers 

    • Cooking utensils and baking trays 

    • Soda cans

  • Aluminum Foils: It is estimated that as much as 4 milligrams of aluminum can be transferred to each serving of an acidic food (tomatoes, citrus fruits, etc.) that has been heated or stored in aluminum foil. 

  • Cosmetic Products 

    • Deodorants & antiperspirants that contain aluminum hydroxide

    • Eye shadows 

    • Sunscreens 

    • Toothpastes 

    • Drugs (antacid agents) 

    • Antacids have 300–600 mg of aluminum hydroxide 

    • Vaccinations 

    • Tap water 

    • Pesticides and herbicides 

    • Jet fuel

    • Mining, Factory work, and welding


Antimony: Antimony is a metal that is found in the Earth’s crust. In the environment, antimony is found combined with other substances to form antimony compounds that can be found within rocks. Antimony is used in many industries in making flame-proofing materials and as an ingredient in some paints, glass, and batteries. It is often coupled with materials such as lead to improve the durability of products. Antimony ores are often mined and mixed with other metals to form antimony alloys. Frequent exposure can lead to adverse effects. Sources of antimony exposure include:

  • Lead storage batteries

  • Sheet & pipe metal

  • Bearings

  • Castings

  • Pewter

  • Paints & ceramics

  • Fireworks

  • Enamels for plastics, metal, and glass

  • Tap water & single-use water bottles

  • Inside of fire/shooting range facilities

  • Higher levels of antimony may be found near waste sites or industries that process or release it, such as smelters, coal-fired plants, and garbage incinerators.

Arsenic: Arsenic is a natural element of the Earth’s crust & is widely distributed throughout the environment in the air, water and land. It is highly toxic in its inorganic form. People are primarily exposed to elevated levels of inorganic arsenic through drinking or utilizing contaminated water, industrial processes, eating contaminated food, and smoking tobacco. Arsenic is a popular contaminant in tap water and levels tend to be higher in drinking water that comes from ground sources, such as wells, as opposed to water from surface sources, such as lakes or reservoirs.

  • Food

    • Seafood

    • Rice & rise-based cereals: To reduce the arsenic in your rice, first give it a good rinse. Place the rice in a fine mesh strainer and pour water over it until it runs clear, then cook.

    • Mushrooms

    • Inorganic Poultry

  • Cosmetics

  • Tap Water

  • Pesticides and herbicides

  • Job Sites:

    • Copper or lead smelting sites

    • Wood treating sites

    • Farm, fields, or orchards where arsenic-containing pesticides were previously used.

  • Tobacco

Beryllium: Beryllium is a metal naturally-occurring in nature. It is a conductor of electricity and heat, and is non-magnetic. Because of these properties, it is used in high-technology products, including aerospace components, transistors, nuclear reactors, and golf clubs. Most exposures to beryllium that cause symptoms are related to beryllium processing. The primary route of exposure is through airborne particles of beryllium metal, alloys, oxides, and ceramics. Another major exposure is through the combustion of fossil fuels (primarily coal), which releases beryllium-containing particulates into the atmosphere. Sources of beryllium exposure include:

  • Industries and jobs:

    • Aerospace workers

    • Construction workers

    • Laboratory workers

    • Smelting/foundry workers

    • Machine operators

    • Beryl ore miners

    • Tool and die manufacturers

    • Dental technicians

    • Furnace Tenders

  • Electronics

  • X- rays

  • Dental supplies

    • Dental labs (alloys in crowns, bridges, and dental plates)

  • Computer parts

  • Automotive parts

  • Industrial ceramics

  • Nuclear weapons

  • Sporting goods

    • Golf clubs

    • Bicycles

  • Welding

  • Tobacco smoke

Cadmium: Cadmium is a heavy metal that is produced during the smelting of other metals, such as zinc, lead, and copper. It is also used in metal plating, some paints, plastics and fertilizers, and is found within cigarette smoke. Exposure to cadmium occurs primarily in the workplace where cadmium products are produced. The general population can be exposed to cadmium from cigarette smoke or by eating cadmium-contaminated foods and water. Sources of cadmium exposure include:

  • Tobacco smoke

  • Mining, smelting, and the refining of metals

  • Fossil fuel combustion

  • Incineration of municipal waste (cadmium containing batteries and plastics)

  • Exposure to phosphate fertilizers

  • Eating cadmium-containing foods

    • Rice

    • Grains

    • Bread

  • Tap water

  • Jewelry, toys, and plastics

Lead: Lead is a metal found naturally in the Earth’s crust and has been historically used in a variety of ways including in paints, gasoline, batteries, bullets, keys, and some vinyl products. It is one of the most prominently-known metals that pose health risks and a variety of symptoms. Today, there are restrictions on lead usage; however, lead residue and trace amounts of lead are still the cause of symptoms. Sources of lead exposure include:

  • Homes built before 1978 (when lead-based paints were banned) may contain lead-based paint. When the paint peels/cracks, it makes lead dust.

  • Water pipes and tap water

  • Toys and jewelry

  • Mining Sites

  • Battery recycling or manufacturing

  • Auto repair/mechanic or machinery type work

  • Shooting ranges or hunting

  • Making, handling, or storing fishing weights made of lead

  • Demolition of buildings and structures

  • Cosmetics (specifically lipstick)

  • Metal keys may contain lead. Do not let children play with/chew on them.

  • Eating fruits and vegetables grown in or near lead-contaminated soil.

  • Inorganic spices

  • Imported candy

  • Old mini-blinds

  • Plumbing (using/repairing lead solder)

  • Making pottery or other ceramics using glazes that contain lead

  • Making stained glass using lead solder

  • Repair, renovation, or remodeling of residential/commercial buildings

Mercury: Mercury is a heavy metal that naturally occurs on Earth, but it is also used in various industrial and medical uses. It is highly toxic and is known to cause harmful symptoms in humans. Preventing or minimizing exposure to mercury in your environment is the best way to reduce the risk of mercury poisoning. Sources of mercury exposure include:

  • Dental amalgams

    • Small amounts of mercury vapor are released from dental fillings that contain mercury.

  • Thermometers and thermostats

  • Fluorescent light bulbs

  • Batteries

  • Coal-burning power plants

  • Fish and shellfish

    • King mackerel

    • Shark

    • Swordfish

    • Tuna

  • Vaccines containing thimerosal

  • Skin-lightening creams/products

  • Imported jewelry

Uranium: Uranium is a naturally-occurring radioactive heavy metal and it enters the body via inhalation, ingestion, and/or skin contact. Both acute and chronic exposures can produce adverse effects and harmful symptoms. Its primary damage is due to its radiological properties. For most people, food and drinking water are the main sources of uranium exposure. Sources for uranium exposure include:

  • People who work with materials/ products that contain uranium may be exposed at work. This includes workers who mine, mill, or process uranium or make items that contain uranium.

  • People who work with phosphate fertilizers may also be exposed to higher levels of uranium.

  • Root crops such as potatoes, parsnips, turnips, and sweet potatoes contribute the highest amounts of uranium to the diet. The amount of uranium in these foods is directly related to the amount of uranium in the soil in which they are grown.

  • Gulf War veterans have been shown to have increased uranium levels in their bodies.

  • People who live near uranium mining, processing, or manufacturing facilities could be exposed to more uranium than the general population.

  • Military supplies

  • Old dental supplies

  • Tap water and reverse osmosis water

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Mycotox

What to do and what not to do before collecting your sample

PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS:

There is no need to stop taking your prescription medications for the MycoTOX

Supplements:

There is no need to stop taking your supplements for the MycoTOX sample. Fasting for 12 hours may increase the excretion of mycotoxins from the adipose tissue. (Not required) Avoid binders such as charcoal or bentonite clay for 72 hours.

Sample collection:

You will collect your sample from first-morning urine before eating any food or drinking

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Organic Acids Test

What to do and what not to do before collecting your sample

PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS:

There is no need to stop taking your prescription medications for the O.A.T.

Supplements:

We ask patients to stop taking all of their supplements for 3 full days prior to collecting their O.A.T. sample

Foods:

For 48 hours prior to collecting your O.A.T. sample, avoid these foods: apples, grapes (including raisins), pears, cranberries and their juices, and alcoholic beverages

Ingredients:

For 48 hours prior to collecting your O.A.T. sample, avoid these ingredients: arabinogalactan, echinacea, reishi mushrooms, and ribose

Sample collection:

You will collect your sample from first-morning urine before eating any food or drinking