Hair Analysis in Health Assessment

February 2013 in “ Clinica chimica acta ”

Paulina Wołowiec, Izabela Michalak, Katarzyna Chojnacka, Marcin Mikulewicz

hair analysis mineral imbalances hair mineral profiles standardized sample preparation washing methods mineralization methods

Studysummary This review presents evidence that correlations exist between hair mineral imbalances and various diseases, though inconsistencies in results highlight the need for standardized preparation methods. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

The systematic review on hair analysis for health assessment, covering 66 studies from 1997 to early 2012, found correlations between mineral imbalances in hair and various diseases, including autism, cancer, hypertension, myocardial infarction, kidney disease, and diabetes mellitus. Despite these findings, inconsistencies were noted, and most authors suggested that hair mineral profiles could be useful for early disease diagnosis. However, they emphasized the need for standardized sample preparation procedures, especially in washing and mineralization methods.

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