The Dynamic Balance of Nutrients
In Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis, a person’s unique mineral profile is interpreted, and a nutritional balancing plan is developed, within the context of DYNAMIC synergistic and antagonistic relationships that minerals have to minerals and minerals have to vitamins.
These relationships are complex, but critical to keep in mind because when this is ignored, further deficiencies or imbalances can be created from supplements. It is never wise to look at just the absolute levels of a mineral to create a mineral balancing plan. Instead, the very art of HTMA interpretation and balancing of a person’s minerals is founded upon looking at and understanding these dynamics.
David L. Watts, founder of Trace Elements lab (the lab I use for all my HTMA client’s hair) explains it this way:
“Mineral relationships can be compared to a series of intermeshing gears which are all connected, some directly and some indirectly. Any movement of one gear (mineral) will result in the movement of all the other gears (minerals). The extent or effect upon each gear (mineral) will depend upon the gear size (mineral quantity), and the number of cogs in the gear (number of enzymes or biochemical reactions the mineral is involved in). This meshwork of gears goes beyond just the mineral relationships, extending to and affecting the vitamins, hormones and neurological functions.” (Source)
These mineral dynamics have been established over the years not only in human physiology, but also in veterinary science and in soil health. While the effect of minerals is different on humans, animals, and plants, each according to their unique metabolism, the dynamics of minerals to each other is consistent.
Hair is a tissue of excretion, which is distinctly different than blood, which is a tissue of transport. Therefore hair lab results shouldn’t be interpreted as though they are blood results. Blood results and hair results often do not match up, not only because they represent vastly different timeframes (1 hour compared to 3 months) but also because the two tissues serve different purposes in the body.
Regardless, minerals do show up following consistent and coherent patterns in the hair, test after test. The values are highly exact, and not arbitrary. With a good understanding of mineral dynamics, much can be revealed about a person’s metabolism from an HTMA lab beyond the absolute numbers.
Many of the rumours about HTMA not being accurate come from the problem that physicians ordering HTMA labs are not always trained to interpret lab results in terms of mineral dynamics.
So today I want to share some of the basic antagonistic and synergistic relationships between minerals and vitamins. Clients have been asking me for this info, and I hope this serves as a simple reference and starting point for understanding these relationships.
If you’re curious to learn more about some of the most common mineral imbalances and patterns in migraine, read this article.
How Mineral Dynamics Affect Absorption and Metabolism
Mineral synergism and antagonism occurs on two levels: the level of absorption, and the level of the metabolism within the cell. For example, an excess of one mineral may affect the absorption of the other in the intestinal tract, OR it may affect cellular metabolism by way of depleting another mineral within the cell, or both.
In HTMA, we often see a “dump” occurring when there is a loss from the cell. A dump is a deficiency on a cellular level, which is different than a deficiency caused by an inability to absorb the mineral.
There is much leverage that can be gained in healing when we consider the balance of nutrients to each other and how they affect absorption and metabolism. By knowing these factors, we can take mineral antagonists at different times of day for better absorption, and we can be sure not to take too much of any vitamin or mineral at the expense of another.
Some Minerals Are Both Synergistic and Antagonistic
To make things more complicated, many minerals act in synergy together at optimal ratios, but when there is an excess of one mineral, it may antagonize a mineral it normally works in concert with. Zinc and copper are the classical example of this. Although they compete for absorption, and while in excess either copper or zinc will deplete the other, they also work together in many enzyme processes. For example, both zinc and copper are needed to make the estrogens and the antioxidant enzyme SOD (Superoxide Dismutase).
Mineral Antagonists
In HTMA, we use mineral wheels as a quick visual aid for referencing mineral antagonism. Below is a mineral wheel.
Here you can see the antagonistic relationship of minerals to each other.
As you can see, some minerals have arrows going in one direction, meaning the mineral that the arrow is pointing towards is lowered by the mineral that the arrow is pointing from. For example, phosphorous lowers sodium, but sodium doesn’t lower phosphorous. Other mineral pairs have two arrows showing that both minerals are antagonistic to each other – ie, calcium lowers phosphorous, and phosphorous lower calcium.
When we see low levels of a mineral in an HTMA lab, we then try to determine if a person’s deficiency is being cause by excesses of other antagonistic minerals in the chart, or whether the deficiency is being caused by poor assimilation of all minerals from low stomach acid, or mineral wasting from adrenal insufficiency. The other minerals in the chart, along with pysiological symptoms from a thorough intake, give important clues to where and why the loss is occurring. These clues can only be interpreted correctly through an understanding of mineral dynamics.
As an example, a person with low levels of most of the nutritional elements is more likely to have an issue with absorbing minerals. Someone with an elevated level of one mineral like manganese, with a simultaneously very low level of copper, is more likely to have a copper deficiency induced by the manganese toxicity (since manganese is a powerful copper antagonist). We know in this case that the manganese is unlikely to be expressing a cellular loss (or excretion or “dump”), because the other minerals that manganese antagonizes (magnesium, calcium, and iron) are also low. On the other hand, the sodium in this client’s lab is much higher than that of most migraineurs, but is consistent with the way that manganese raises sodium. If this manganese were expressing a cellular loss, there would likely be a signal in the lab indicating what was causing its loss, and the other minerals that are antagonistic to manganese would not be as low.
The wheel from John Bumpus over at MineralBalancing.org is also very insightful for some of the more obscure element interactions.
The following information on minerals is being shared for reference. These wheels and descriptions and relationships were worked out by David L. Watts of Trace Elements Lab and have been excerpted from this reference: Nutritional Interrelationships.
Calcium
Here you can see Calcium’s antagonistic relationships to both minerals and vitamins.
Over ninety percent of the calcium in the body is stored in the bones and teeth, which act as reservoirs in which the calcium can be withdrawn as required for extra-skeletal functions. Calcium is found in virtually every cell throughout the body and is considered a biological messenger responsible for carrying signals to target activities with cells through specific calcium channels. Calcium is regulated in tissues and serum at the expense of skeletal structures. It is regulated by the parathyroid, and kidneys and is affected by insulin, adrenal, as well as male and female hormones. An imbalance of calcium relative to its synergistic and antagonistic nutrients can be a major contributor to osteoporosis even with adequate dietary calcium intake.
Magnesium
Here you can see Magnesium’s antagonistic relationships to both minerals and vitamins.
Magnesium is the fourth most abundant cation in the body and is a key element in cellular metabolic functions. Magnesium is responsible for activating over 200 critical enzymes. Due to the extensive role of magnesium in biological processes recognizing its synergistic and antagonistic role with other nutrients is extremely important and can greatly enhance its therapeutic effectiveness in many health conditions.
Chromium
Here you can see Chromium’s antagonistic relationships to both minerals and vitamins.
Chromium is an essential trace mineral, important in processing carbohydrates and fats, and helping cells respond properly to insulin. It is known that chromium is a constituent of the glucose tolerance factor (GTF) and is synergistic with insulin in promoting cellular glucose uptake. Chromium is important for the structure and metabolism of nucleic acids. A number of physiological and disease conditions are related to chromium status.
Copper
Here you can see Copper’s antagonistic relationships to both minerals and vitamins.
Copper is a constituent of many enzymes including cytochrome c oxidase, superoxide dismutase, ceruloplasmin, dopamine B-hydroxylase, lysyl oxidase and monoamine oxidase. An imbalance of copper relative to other nutrients can disrupt the activity of these important enzyme functions. It should be noted that excess copper is just as serious as copper deficiency. The antagonistic nutrients shown in the following chart can aid in reducing excessive tissue copper burdens.
Zinc
Here you can see Zinc’s antagonistic relationships to both minerals and vitamins.
Zinc is another important element that is essential for the activity of over one-hundred enzymes. Zinc is involved in immune regulation, anti-viral activities, growth and development, and perhaps its most important role is the requirement of zinc in the synthesis of RNA. The balance of zinc with other nutrients within the body is therefore critical for normal health but assessment of this balance is critical when providing nutritional therapy.
Iron
Here you can see Iron’s antagonistic relationships to both minerals and vitamins.
Iron is involved in many metabolic processes, particularly enzymes, and as a result, many clinical manifestations, including anemia, can develop as a result of iron deficiency. While anemia is of course the most recognized condition related to iron deficiency, other conditions, such as; sideropenia can contribute to disturbances in immuno-modulation, endocrine, physical and even emotional disorders. Iron excess or toxicity can be found at the opposite end of the iron status spectrum, and can be specifically addressed by providing nutrients that are antagonistic to iron.
Manganese
Here you can see Manganese’ antagonistic relationships to both minerals and vitamins.
Manganese is located largely in the mitochondria of the cells. Therefore, the structure and function of mitochondria are particularly affected by manganese status. Manganese is not only responsible for activation of mitochondrial superoxide dismutase, but it also activates enzymes associated with fatty acid metabolism and protein synthesis, which are highly important for normal cellular function.
Selenium
Here you can see Selenium’s antagonistic relationships to both minerals and vitamins.
A direct biochemical role for selenium was found in its’ relationship to glutathione peroxidase activity. Selenium’s synergistic relationship to vitamin E found it to be an inhibitor of chemical carcinogens by accelerating their detoxification. Selenium protects against chromosomal damage, stimulates DNA repair and modulates the rate of cell division. Selenium has since been found to play a role in normal thyroid expression and aids in the peripheral conversion of T4 to T3 in the liver and kidneys.
Synergists
Mineral/Mineral Synergists
Vitamin/Mineral Synergists
Vitamin/Vitamin Synergists
Want to find out what your own personalized mineral profile is?
I hope this reference for mineral & vitamin antagonists and synergists has been helpful for you!
A general understanding of mineral and vitamin dynamics becomes even more valuable when applied to an understanding of your personalized mineral profile. That’s where HTMA comes in!
