Don’t take minerals for granite.
Sodium, calcium, potassium and magnesium regulate hydration, manage nervous system function, support metabolism and contribute to energy production, among other essential tasks.
Deficiency in one or more of these minerals means an electrolyte imbalance that can cause everything from muscle weakness and cramps to fatigue, irregular heartbeats and even seizures.
It’s best to identify these imbalances before symptoms take hold. That’s where mineral nutritional balancing comes in. Decades ago, biochemist Paul Eck developed a MAHA-friendly method for assessing the complex interplay between minerals in the body and supplementing appropriately.
“Mineral balancing looks at how minerals interact with one another in the body rather than focusing on a single nutrient in isolation,” Dr. Kristina Telhami, a functional medicine specialist based in Southern California, told The Post.
Here’s a look at the testing process for mineral balancing — and specific ways to iron out imbalances.
Which minerals are the most important?
Scientists have detected about 60 minerals in the human body — several are considered essential for life.
These include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulfur, potassium, sodium and chloride.
Mineral balancing prioritizes the ratios between minerals over individual levels. Telhami said no ratio is the most crucial for body function, but sodium-to-potassium, calcium-to-magnesium and calcium-to-potassium are key relationships.
“These different ratios can reflect patterns related to stress physiology, metabolism and nervous system balance,” Telhami said.
What causes mineral deficiencies?
“Mineral deficiencies can develop from various things such as poor dietary intake, chronic stress, gut dysbiosis, medications, restrictive dieting, blood sugar imbalances and environmental exposures,” Telhami said.
“In my practice, I see deficiencies in mostly people with gut issues because even if they’re eating healthy, they may not be absorbing nutrients.”
What are common signs of deficiencies?
Symptoms correlate to the deficient minerals. They can include brain fog, fatigue, anxiety, hair loss, brittle nails, muscle cramps, poor sleep, constipation, headaches, sugar cravings and hormonal imbalances.
Telhami said it’s important to test, not guess what the issue might be.
What is hair tissue mineral analysis?
Eck pioneered hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA), a test that often costs $100 to $400 and measures levels of minerals and certain toxic heavy metals in the hair over the past few months.
“This differs from blood testing, which shows what’s going on in the bloodstream at a specific moment,” Telhami explained. “HTMA looks into longer-term mineral patterns, stress responses and mineral imbalances at the tissue level versus in the bloodstream.”
She pointed out that it’s not a rock-solid screening tool — especially because mineral levels can be influenced by water, hair treatments, environmental exposure and laboratory variability.
The test also doesn’t directly diagnose disease and shouldn’t replace traditional medical diagnostics.
Is it better to get minerals from diet or supplements?
If your minerals are out of whack, don’t get salty. Improving your nutrition is an easy way to up your intake.
Dairy products contain calcium and phosphorus, magnesium and calcium are in leafy greens, magnesium is a staple in nuts and seeds, meats and fish are significant sources of phosphorus, sulfur and potassium and table salt boasts sodium and chloride.
“I always say that food should be the foundation of mineral intake because whole foods provide these minerals in balanced forms alongside cofactors that help absorption and utilization,” Telhami said.
“In certain cases, supplements can be beneficial, especially when someone has poor nutrient absorption, restrictive diets and extreme deficiencies.”
Peptides, the building blocks of essential proteins, have become big business, especially in MAHA circles. Some are known to enhance the uptake of essential minerals.
Before you source them, Telhami warns that improper supplementation can worsen imbalances.
How mineral balancing can help …
“In my practice, I’ve seen clients improve symptoms like fatigue, chronic stress, poor sleep, muscle cramps, constipation, headaches and low energy,” Telhami said, noting that diet and lifestyle changes were instrumental.
“I have personally also noticed improvements in stress resilience, sleep and energy when prioritizing foundational mineral support, hydration and nervous system regulation.”
… and where it falls short
Patients should take their HTMA results with a grain of salt.
“I think the biggest overhyped claims are when practitioners imply they can diagnose everything solely from a hair test or that mineral balancing is going to be the one thing that cures you,” Telhami said.
“I also see a lot of fear-based messaging around adrenal fatigue, detoxification or heavy metal toxicity when it comes to HTMA testing.”
She noted that minerals are not a cure-all — they’re just one piece of a puzzle that includes sleep, stress, diet, hormones, gut health, movement and lifestyle factors.
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