Hair analysis (alternative medicine)
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Hair analysis is the chemical analysis of a hair sample. It is used in some branches of alternative medicine as a method of investigation to assist diagnosis. Its use is controversial.
Background
The hair is analyzed, looking at the levels of minerals and metals in the hair sample. Using the results, some advocates of hair analysis claim that they can diagnose mineral deficiencies, heavy metal poisoning and even conditions such as autism.Lathe, Richard, and Michael Le Page. "Toxic metal clue to autism: a study has revealed startling differences in mercury levels in the hair of autistic and normal children. (This Week)." New Scientist 178.2400 (June 21, 2003): 4(2). That hair mineral analysis can be used to diagnose some heavy metal toxicities is undisputed by toxicologists and routinely recognized in courts of law.Court TV: Criminal Mind: Forensics and Investigation. Heavy Metals in Forensics Accessed January 29, 2007As of 1998, "the 9 commercial 'nutritional hair analysis' laboratories currently operating in the United States, 3 indicate that they primarily use ICP-MS, 4 primarily use ICP-AES, and 1 reports use of directly coupled plasma (DCP)-AES. DCP-AES is an older technique that is potentially less stable than ICP-AES. On average, these laboratories measure 26 elements per hair sample. Nutritional hair analysis laboratories require between 0.3 and 1 gram for the AES methods, and 0.25-1 gram for ICP-MS."Eastern Research Group. Appendix C. SUMMARY REPORT, HAIR ANALYSIS PANEL DISCUSSION: EXPLORING THE STATE OF THE SCIENCE. ATDSR. June 12—13, 2001 The amount selected depends on the analytical method used, but sample sizes in the 50 milligram range are reported.Eastern Research Group. ''SECTION 3
3.4 Other Methodological Considerations.'' SUMMARY REPORT, HAIR ANALYSIS PANEL DISCUSSION: EXPLORING THE STATE OF THE SCIENCE. ATDSR. June 12—13, 2001 Unreliable and inconsistent results
In a 1985 investigation of 13 commercial laboratories published in the Journal of the American Medical Association noted inconsistencies and questionable content in their reports and recommendations:: "Hair samples from two healthy teenagers were sent under assumed names to 13 commercial laboratories performing multimineral hair analysis. The reported levels of most minerals varied considerably between identical samples sent to the same laboratory and from laboratory to laboratory. The laboratories also disagreed about what was "normal" or "usual" for many of the minerals. Most reports contained computerized interpretations that were voluminous, bizarre, and potentially frightening to patients. Six laboratories recommended food supplements, but the types and amounts varied widely from report to report and from laboratory to laboratory. Literature from most of the laboratories suggested that their reports were useful in managing a wide variety of diseases and supposed nutrient imbalances. However, commercial use of hair analysis in this manner is unscientific, economically wasteful, and probably illegal."Barrett S. Commercial hair analysis: Science or scam? JAMA 254:1041-1045, 1985. 4021042Barrett did not explicitly rule out that further diagnostic uses for hair mineral analyses could be discovered in the future, but rather described the three sets of issues that prevent that hair mineral tests provided by the sampled labs from being accepted as scientifically sound and clinically viable: a lack of standardization and general agreement on the techniques by which hair mineral content was to be determined, a lack of general consensus on the meaning of hair mineral content analyses, and a lack of agreement on treatments for putative imbalances.Barrett S. Commercial hair analysis: Science or scam? JAMA 254:1041-1045, 1985. 4021042 In 2001 a follow up investigation was conducted to see if things had improved since the 1985 investigation. The authors concluded:: "Hair mineral analysis from these laboratories was unreliable, and we recommend that health care practitioners refrain from using such analyses to assess individual nutritional status or suspected environmental exposures. Problems with the regulation and certification of these laboratories also should be addressed."Seidel S, Kreutzer R, Smith D, McNeel S, Gilliss D. Assessment of commercial laboratories performing hair mineral analysis. Journal of the American Medical Association, 2001 Jan 3;285(1):67-72.Its viability for use in forensics has also been questioned.Wennig, R. "Potential problems with the interpretation of hair analysis results.(Selected Papers from the 2d International Meeting of the Society of Hair Testing)." Forensic Science International 107.1-3 (Jan 10, 2000): 5-12.Tests have shown that levels of heavy metal in the body may not be reflected by the levels in the hair.Teresa M, Vasconcelos SD, Tavares HM. Trace element concentrations in blood and hair of young apprentices of a technical-professional school. Sci Total Environ. 1997 Oct 20;205(2-3):189-99. Peer-reviewed studies that suggest further uses for hair mineral analysis in medicine
Despite this lack of consensus, there is some evidence to suggest that hair analyses can be a useful tool in both medical research and in clinical diagnostics. Studies have found statistically significant differences between healthy people and people with autism, multiple sclerosis, children with learning disabilities, dementia, protein deficient diets, and histories of violent criminal behavior.Next Page
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