When “Normal” Thyroid Labs Don’t Explain Your Hair Loss
What a Hair Mineral Test Found That Her Regular Labs Missed
A Moment with Dr. Stillman
Her hair started coming out in handfuls in the shower, but her thyroid labs were “perfect.”
We see this a lot.
Low thyroid hormone might be the single most common cause of hair loss in our practice.
But it’s far from the only cause.
In this case, we didn’t touch her thyroid dose and changed her mineral protocol instead.
Here’s what happened.
Where She Started
She’s a woman in middle life with a history of autoimmunity, including Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. She’s been on this journey for over a year and she’s been feeling better and better.
Recently, she noticed:
Worsening hair loss that was sudden and extreme
Her thyroid numbers looked great.
What We Did Differently
Instead of changing her thyroid dose or reaching for a new supplement, we looked at her minerals.
Her last hair tissue mineral analysis showed us what was really going on:
Her calcium to magnesium ratio of 35 showed a “lifestyle imbalance” (something in her life is unsustainable)
She was eliminating large quantities of manganese (this has been going on for over a year now)
She was now eliminating aluminum and lead, both of which are toxic to hair follicles
Here’s her most recent heavy metal panel:
Her first aluminum level (over a year ago) was around 2. Then it dropped below one. Now, she’s eliminating aluminum her body has been hanging onto for years. Don’t be fooled by these lead levels - they are significant as well and often accompany hair loss. We often see hair loss accompanying metal eliminations like these.
We did not adjust her thyroid hormone. We did adjust her mineral protocol to compensate for changing results.
People miss this if they only test blood and urine.
The hair tells a story I can’t stand to miss.
Why does she have a history of autoimmunity? Like most of our patients with severe autoimmune issues, she has a toxic burden of heavy metals that now her body is eliminating thanks to being on the right mineral protocol.
Where She Is Now
Here’s what happened on the right mineral protocol:
Her calcium magnesium ratio improved to 12 and she feels more balanced in her life
Lead dropped for the first time on testing, and aluminum began to clear
Copper and iron came into a healthier balance
Her hair stopped “dumping out” and began filling back in, all while on the same dose of thyroid medication
Around February, she noticed steady, “consistent good energy” from day to day
In her words: “There’s glimmers and moments in which I feel more myself, and I definitely feel the breakthrough even in my own life.”
Things to Think About
Her calcium to magnesium ratio was an important finding that often masks other mineral deficiencies and heavy metal toxicity. As minerals are balanced, heavy metals are eliminated and patients see this ratio improve.
The higher the calcium to magnesium ratio, the more patients are likely to endorse that something in their life is unsustainable. It can be a habit, relationship, lifestyle choice, or belief system. In extreme cases, we call it, “living a lie.” Classic examples would be pastors living in sin, an unfaithful spouse, or a member of Alcoholics Anonymous continuing to secretly drink. In this case, she felt like she wasn’t living her purpose. She needed what I call a therapeutic career change.
Hair mineral levels give us a unique window into our inner world.
Hidden heavy metal toxicity, which often doesn’t show up at first (and didn’t in this case), looks like this:
Hair falling out faster than it should
Energy that never fully recovers
Symptoms that don’t match “normal” lab results
Hair loss and fatigue are often mineral problems. The thyroid is just a convenient scapegoat.
If you’re wondering if your hair loss, fatigue, brain fog, and inflammation are due to heavy metal toxicity, book an evaluation with a member of my team.
In that visit, we map out:
What your symptoms are really saying
Which tests (including hair) make sense in your case
Whether we’re the right practice for you (and if we’re not, we’ll do our best to help you find the best practice for you)
Book your evaluation here.
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As always, discuss any changes with your own licensed clinician. Read our full disclaimers, disclosures, and our position on health freedom here.
Until next time, be well,
Dr. Stillman
Educational content only. Not medical advice. See full disclaimers.