OXIDATION TYPES
Metabolic typing is a central concept in hair analysis interpretation and the science of nutritional balancing. The term 'oxidation types' originated with Dr. George Watson, PhD, a researcher at UCLA. He wrote a fascinating book entitled, Nutrition and Your Mind, and a second book entitled, Personality Strength and Psychochemical Energy. Dr. Watson discovered two metabolic types, first by using odor tests and later by using blood tests. He found that the blood pH of fast oxidizers was slightly more acidic than that of slow oxidizers.
He discovered that certain foods and nutrients benefited each metabolic type. He was able to correct the oxidation rate using diet and supplementary nutrients. This caused dramatic improvements in both his client's physical and emotional symptoms.
Dr. Paul C. Eck refined Dr. Watson's oxidation concepts. An important advance was to relate it to homeostatic states as defined by the stress theory of disease. Fast oxidation correlates with an alarm stage of stress. Slow oxidation correlates with a resistance or exhaustion stage of stress. Essentially, fast and slow oxidation are ways that the body responds to stress. The stress may be from within, such as nutrient deficiencies or fatigue. Stress may also arise from a multitude of external sources. Dr. Eck also began to use hair mineral analysis for assessing oxidation types. After considerable experimentation, he settled on two mineral ratios for this determination.
DEFINITION OF THE OXIDATION TYPE AND THE OXIDATION RATE
Fast oxidation is defined as a hair calcium/potassium ratio less than 4 and a hair sodium/magnesium ratio greater than 4.17. The lower the calcium/potassium ratio or the higher the sodium/magnesium ratio, the faster the oxidation rate.
Slow oxidation is defined on a hair mineral analysis as a calcium/potassium ratio greater than 4 and a sodium/magnesium ratio less than 4.17. The higher the calcium/potassium ratio or the lower the sodium/magnesium ratio, the slower the oxidation rate.
It is important to note that many factors can influence the hair mineral levels and ratios. These include the presence of excessive toxic metals, nutritional deficiencies, infections, illnesses or stress from any source. For this reason, the first few hair analyses may give only a superficial picture of the condition of body chemistry. After several months to more than a year of nutritional balancing, the hair mineral patterns often change dramatically.
FAST OXIDATION
Fast oxidation is characterized by excessive activity of the thyroid and adrenal glands. More adrenal activity and thus a higher level of aldosterone raises the hair or soft tissue sodium and potassium levels. This also results in lower tissue levels of calcium and magnesium due to increased solubility of calcium and magnesium. Blood mineral levels do not usually correspond to the levels of these minerals in the hair.
On a hair mineral analysis, the pattern of fast oxidation is one of lowered calcium and magnesium levels, along with elevated levels of sodium and potassium. Fast oxidizers also have significant sympathetic nervous system tone. This in part accounts for their increased adrenal and thyroid glandular activity, as sympathetic nervous activity stimulates the activity of these glands.
SLOW OXIDATION
In slow oxidation, the activity of the adrenal and thyroid glands decreases. The glands themselves and at times the sympathetic nervous system are both basically depleted of nutrients and do not function well. In part for this reason, slow oxidation is related to a parasympathetic state of body chemistry with less fight-or-flight activity. In almost all cases, the sympathetic nervous system is exhausted and the person moves into a parasympathetic state by default.
Slow oxidation, especially when the rate is very slow, is an exhaustion stage of stress, according to Dr. Selye's stress theory of disease.
Tissue sodium, you will recall, correlates well with the activity of aldosterone, an adrenal hormone. Thus, on a hair mineral analysis, slow oxidizers have low levels of sodium and potassium. Calcium and magnesium rise in the hair as the tissue sodium level decreases. This occurs, in part, due to reduced solubility of calcium that results when the tissue sodium level is low.
MIXED OXIDATION
Mixed oxidation is said to be present when the calcium/potassium ratio is greater than 4 and the sodium/magnesium ratio is greater than 4.17. Alternatively, the calcium/potassium ratio may be less than 4 and the sodium/magnesium ratio less than 4.17.
We use the terms fast-mixed oxidation when the key ratios tend more toward fast oxidation. When they tend more toward slow oxidation, we call it slow-mixed oxidation. Mixed oxidation is a temporary state that will change to fast or slow oxidation when one follows a nutritional balancing program.
SYMPTOMS OF FAST OXIDATION
True fast oxidizers tend to be anxious, irritable and aggressive if their oxidation rate is very fast. Their blood sugar and blood pressure tend to be on the high side of normal. They are often warm and sweat easily. They usually have oily skin, and a tendency for frequent or loose bowel movements. They may gain weight in the area of the abdomen due to high levels of cortisol and cortisone.
Most people whose hair analysis indicates fast oxidation, however, are not true fast oxidizers. Instead, they are what we call tired or temporary fast oxidizers, or slow oxidizers under stress. Hair analysis indicators for this condition are:
Slow oxidizers often suffer from fatigue, sweet cravings and low blood sugar. As their oxidation rate slows further, they often become apathetic and depressed. Their blood pressure and blood sugar may be low unless arteriosclerosis or diabetes have set in. Their skin and hair are often dry and their hair may become brittle or thin. Many experience constipation and other symptoms associated with reduced adrenal and thyroid glandular activity. Slow oxidizers may gain weight on the hips and the legs due to their metabolic imbalances.
Mixed oxidizers often display a mixture of symptoms of both fast and slow oxidation. One may need to wait until the mixed oxidation pattern resolves into slow or fast oxidation to gain a clear picture of underlying metabolic patterns.
Sources: Analytical Research Labs Inc.
He discovered that certain foods and nutrients benefited each metabolic type. He was able to correct the oxidation rate using diet and supplementary nutrients. This caused dramatic improvements in both his client's physical and emotional symptoms.
Dr. Paul C. Eck refined Dr. Watson's oxidation concepts. An important advance was to relate it to homeostatic states as defined by the stress theory of disease. Fast oxidation correlates with an alarm stage of stress. Slow oxidation correlates with a resistance or exhaustion stage of stress. Essentially, fast and slow oxidation are ways that the body responds to stress. The stress may be from within, such as nutrient deficiencies or fatigue. Stress may also arise from a multitude of external sources. Dr. Eck also began to use hair mineral analysis for assessing oxidation types. After considerable experimentation, he settled on two mineral ratios for this determination.
DEFINITION OF THE OXIDATION TYPE AND THE OXIDATION RATE
Fast oxidation is defined as a hair calcium/potassium ratio less than 4 and a hair sodium/magnesium ratio greater than 4.17. The lower the calcium/potassium ratio or the higher the sodium/magnesium ratio, the faster the oxidation rate.
Slow oxidation is defined on a hair mineral analysis as a calcium/potassium ratio greater than 4 and a sodium/magnesium ratio less than 4.17. The higher the calcium/potassium ratio or the lower the sodium/magnesium ratio, the slower the oxidation rate.
It is important to note that many factors can influence the hair mineral levels and ratios. These include the presence of excessive toxic metals, nutritional deficiencies, infections, illnesses or stress from any source. For this reason, the first few hair analyses may give only a superficial picture of the condition of body chemistry. After several months to more than a year of nutritional balancing, the hair mineral patterns often change dramatically.
FAST OXIDATION
Fast oxidation is characterized by excessive activity of the thyroid and adrenal glands. More adrenal activity and thus a higher level of aldosterone raises the hair or soft tissue sodium and potassium levels. This also results in lower tissue levels of calcium and magnesium due to increased solubility of calcium and magnesium. Blood mineral levels do not usually correspond to the levels of these minerals in the hair.
On a hair mineral analysis, the pattern of fast oxidation is one of lowered calcium and magnesium levels, along with elevated levels of sodium and potassium. Fast oxidizers also have significant sympathetic nervous system tone. This in part accounts for their increased adrenal and thyroid glandular activity, as sympathetic nervous activity stimulates the activity of these glands.
SLOW OXIDATION
In slow oxidation, the activity of the adrenal and thyroid glands decreases. The glands themselves and at times the sympathetic nervous system are both basically depleted of nutrients and do not function well. In part for this reason, slow oxidation is related to a parasympathetic state of body chemistry with less fight-or-flight activity. In almost all cases, the sympathetic nervous system is exhausted and the person moves into a parasympathetic state by default.
Slow oxidation, especially when the rate is very slow, is an exhaustion stage of stress, according to Dr. Selye's stress theory of disease.
Tissue sodium, you will recall, correlates well with the activity of aldosterone, an adrenal hormone. Thus, on a hair mineral analysis, slow oxidizers have low levels of sodium and potassium. Calcium and magnesium rise in the hair as the tissue sodium level decreases. This occurs, in part, due to reduced solubility of calcium that results when the tissue sodium level is low.
MIXED OXIDATION
Mixed oxidation is said to be present when the calcium/potassium ratio is greater than 4 and the sodium/magnesium ratio is greater than 4.17. Alternatively, the calcium/potassium ratio may be less than 4 and the sodium/magnesium ratio less than 4.17.
We use the terms fast-mixed oxidation when the key ratios tend more toward fast oxidation. When they tend more toward slow oxidation, we call it slow-mixed oxidation. Mixed oxidation is a temporary state that will change to fast or slow oxidation when one follows a nutritional balancing program.
SYMPTOMS OF FAST OXIDATION
True fast oxidizers tend to be anxious, irritable and aggressive if their oxidation rate is very fast. Their blood sugar and blood pressure tend to be on the high side of normal. They are often warm and sweat easily. They usually have oily skin, and a tendency for frequent or loose bowel movements. They may gain weight in the area of the abdomen due to high levels of cortisol and cortisone.
Most people whose hair analysis indicates fast oxidation, however, are not true fast oxidizers. Instead, they are what we call tired or temporary fast oxidizers, or slow oxidizers under stress. Hair analysis indicators for this condition are:
- A sodium/potassium ratio less than about 2, OR at times when the ratio is greater than about 10.
- A hair calcium level greater than about 40 mg%, OR a magnesium level greater than about 6 mg%.
- A four-low-electrolyte pattern with calcium less than about 40 mg%, magnesium less than about 6 mg%, sodium less than about 25 mg% and potassium less than about 10 mg%.
Slow oxidizers often suffer from fatigue, sweet cravings and low blood sugar. As their oxidation rate slows further, they often become apathetic and depressed. Their blood pressure and blood sugar may be low unless arteriosclerosis or diabetes have set in. Their skin and hair are often dry and their hair may become brittle or thin. Many experience constipation and other symptoms associated with reduced adrenal and thyroid glandular activity. Slow oxidizers may gain weight on the hips and the legs due to their metabolic imbalances.
Mixed oxidizers often display a mixture of symptoms of both fast and slow oxidation. One may need to wait until the mixed oxidation pattern resolves into slow or fast oxidation to gain a clear picture of underlying metabolic patterns.
Sources: Analytical Research Labs Inc.