Possible role of supplements in the natural treatment of fibromyalgia

After analyzing samples of hair from 44 women with fibromyalgia and 122 healthy controls, a team of doctors determined that fibromyalgia sufferers had significantly lower levels of five essential minerals.

Mineral Hair Analysis?

Though we’re more familiar with using blood samples to test health, hair samples are actually more meaningful in assessing mineral levels.

That’s because the body keeps the blood minerals in balance at all costs – even if it means pulling minerals out of storage in other body tissues.  Because of this balancing act, you could be quite deficient in calcium, for instance, and have seriously thinning bones, while your blood levels of calcium would still be normal.

But if your hair was tested, the calcium deficiency would show up.

That’s the method the researchers used.  The work was published in the Journal of Korean Medical Science.

And they found deficiencies not only in calcium, but in magnesium, copper, iron, and manganese.

The researchers could only speculate about the relationship between these reduced mineral levels and the underlying fibromyalgia.

But one theory is that individuals who are deficient in minerals can’t neutralize all the harmful free radicals in their body.  Instead, these chemically-reactive molecules damage the body’s tissues, thus setting the stage for a variety of degenerative conditions, including fibromyalgia.

Fight Back from Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain

They’re not a substitute for eating a varied diet of wholesome foods, but supplements are an essential ingredient in maintaining health.

__________________________________________________