Ever wonder why some people run on high energy while others feel stuck in slow motion? Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) reveals your oxidation rate — how efficiently your body converts food into energy.
There are four main patterns: fast oxidation (your engine’s revving), slow oxidation (the body hitting the brakes), mixed oxidation (caught between the two), and Four Lows (deep exhaustion or rebuilding).
Each type tells a story about your adrenal and thyroid health, stress response, and mineral balance — and it can all be measured through your hair.
⚡ Energy: Your Body’s Electricity
Have you ever noticed how some people seem to run on rocket fuel while others hit a wall by mid-afternoon?
That difference isn’t just about sleep or caffeine — it’s about how efficiently your body turns food into energy.
As Dr. Paul Eck explained, “It is the balance of the minerals within the body that controls the rate at which energy is produced and used.”
In other words, your energy isn’t random — it’s chemical. Your mineral balance acts like a control panel, regulating how quickly your metabolism burns fuel, how your nervous system responds to stress, and even how clearly you think.
This relationship between minerals and metabolism is what Eck called your oxidation rate — the pace at which your body’s internal engine runs.
And when that pace is out of sync? You feel it — in your energy, mood, and motivation.
That’s where Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) comes in — it’s the window into your body’s oxidation rate, showing how your minerals are working together (or against you) to produce energy.
🧠 What Is Oxidation Rate, Really?
In simple terms, oxidation rate describes how efficiently your body converts food into usable energy.
It’s the metabolic speed that powers every cell — and it depends on your thyroid, adrenals, and the balance of key minerals like calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium.
Dr. Eck discovered that your hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA) can reveal this internal pace by measuring mineral ratios that act like your body’s dashboard:
- Calcium-to-phosphorus (Ca/P) — reflects thyroid activity and metabolic tempo
- Sodium-to-potassium (Na/K) — reflects adrenal strength and stress handling
Dr. Lawrence Wilson later refined Eck’s model to include additional insights:
- Fast oxidation: Ca/K < 4 and Na/Mg > 4.17
- Slow oxidation: Ca/K > 4 and Na/Mg < 4.17
- Mixed oxidation: when one ratio is fast and the other slow
⚙️ The Science Behind These Ratios
Your oxidation rate isn’t random — it mirrors your glandular hormone output.
Here’s how it works:
Sodium (Na) and potassium (K) are controlled mainly by your adrenal glands. When your adrenals are active or overstimulated, they produce more aldosterone and cortisol.
Aldosterone causes the kidneys to retain sodium and excrete potassium, while cortisol increases cell permeability and overall metabolism. The result? Tissue sodium and potassium rise, reflecting an accelerated metabolic rate.
Meanwhile, your thyroid gland governs calcium and magnesium metabolism.
Thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) enhance calcium mobilization and magnesium utilization inside cells. When the thyroid and adrenals are both in high gear, calcium and magnesium are burned rapidly — leading to low Ca and Mg levels on an HTMA.
In contrast, when the adrenals and thyroid slow down, hormone output decreases.
Less aldosterone means less sodium retention, and lower cortisol means reduced cell permeability — so Na and K levels fall. At the same time, reduced thyroid stimulation leads to calcium accumulation in tissues (because calcium is not being properly utilized). This creates the classic slow oxidizer pattern: high Ca and Mg, low Na and K.
🔬 In a Nutshell
| Gland Activity | Na & K | Ca & Mg | Oxidation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adrenals + Thyroid overactive | ↑ High | ↓ Low | Fast oxidation |
| Adrenals + Thyroid underactive | ↓ Low | ↑ High | Slow oxidation |
This interplay of minerals and hormones is why HTMA is so revealing — it doesn’t just show nutrient levels, it shows how your glands are functioning.
Dr. Eck described it as reading “the electrical system of the human body,” where minerals act as conductors that translate glandular signals into energy output.
🕯️ Slow Oxidizers: When the Body Hits the Brakes
Slow oxidation represents a low-energy metabolic state, often reflecting exhaustion of the adrenal and thyroid glands.
In Dr. Paul Eck’s model, it shows up when the thyroid ratio (Ca/K) is above 4 and the adrenal ratio (Na/Mg) is below 4.17 — a combination that points to reduced glandular activity and slower cellular energy productionEnergy-txt.
Dr. Eck called slow oxidation “identical to the exhaustion stage of stress.”
The sympathetic nervous system — which normally drives alertness and energy — slows down, leaving the parasympathetic system dominant.
While that sounds restful, it’s actually an unhealthy parasympathetic state marked by low energy output and poor cellular regeneration.
As Dr. Wilson notes, “Without sufficient energy, the body is unable to repair and regenerate itself fast enough.”
🧪 The Mineral and Hormone Connection
On an HTMA chart, slow oxidation typically looks like this:
- High calcium and magnesium
- Low sodium and potassium
- Ca/P ratio above 2.6
- Na/K ratio below 2.5
Biochemically, this reflects sluggish adrenal and thyroid function.
When adrenal output drops, aldosterone and cortisol production decline — leading to sodium loss and poor potassium regulation.
At the same time, low thyroid activity slows calcium metabolism, causing calcium to accumulate in tissues.
Dr. Eck explained this as the body “armoring” itself with calcium — a protective but energy-draining response.
The result? A body that’s chemically braked — conserving rather than producing energy.
As Eck described in Energy, when sodium and potassium are too low, the body “loses its solvents,” and minerals begin to precipitate out — depositing in arteries, joints, and tissues.
He compared it to a woodstove not getting enough air: the fire cools, combustion is incomplete, and residues build up until the flame nearly goes out.
💡 The Experience of a Slow Oxidizer
People with this pattern often feel:
- Fatigue and apathy
- Low blood pressure and blood sugar
- Cold hands and feet
- Dry skin or hair
- Brain fog or slower thinking
- Poor digestion or constipation
They rarely sweat, feel easily chilled, and may struggle with motivation or low mood.
Dr. Wilson observes that long-term slow oxidation increases susceptibility to infections, osteoporosis, skin problems, and even cancer — conditions linked to poor tissue repair and sluggish detoxification.
🌿 What Causes Slow Oxidation
Several factors push the body into this low-energy state:
- Chronic stress and overwork (adrenal burnout)
- Diets low in animal protein or cooked vegetables
- Excess fruit and sugar intake, which exhaust the glands
- Toxic metals such as copper or mercury
- Emotional suppression and structural tension
These stressors reduce glandular output, slow oxidation, and cause minerals to shift out of balance.
🔥 How to Support a Slow Oxidizer
The solution isn’t stimulation — it’s rebuilding energy production at the cellular level.
Focus on:
- High-quality animal protein (1–2 palm-sized servings per meal)
- Cooked vegetables for alkaline minerals
- Sea salt and potassium-rich foods to restore electrolyte balance
- Rest and gentle movement to reduce sympathetic strain
- Nutritional balancing supplements (as per HTMA guidance)
As Eck wrote, “A slow oxidizer must rebuild his fire — not with caffeine, but with minerals.”
When the adrenal and thyroid glands recover, sodium and potassium rise, calcium normalizes, and energy returns naturally.
🔥 Fast Oxidizers: The Body in Overdrive
Fast oxidation is the alarm stage of stress — the body’s fight-or-flight mode turned up too high. Dr. Eck described it as a state of sympathetic nervous-system dominance, when the adrenals and thyroid glands are pushing energy production beyond what’s sustainableEnergy-txt.
🧪 The Mineral Ratios
- Ca/K ratio < 4 → thyroid overactivity
- Na/Mg ratio > 4.17 → adrenal hyperactivity
On an HTMA, this looks like low calcium and magnesium (the body’s brakes) with high sodium and potassium (the accelerator). These patterns reveal that the adrenal cortex is secreting large amounts of aldosterone and cortisol, while the thyroid is producing more T3 and T4. The result is a faster rate of oxidation — the body burns fuel rapidly, often inefficiently, and tires easily once reserves run low.
Dr. Eck noted that sodium reflects adrenal output, while calcium reflects thyroid control. When sodium and potassium are high, the adrenals are pouring out stimulating hormones. When calcium and magnesium are low, the cell membranes become too permeable, letting metabolism “run hot.” It’s like revving an engine in neutral — lots of movement, little traction.
⚙️ The Physiology of a Fast Oxidizer
In this alarm phase, adrenaline floods the system to mobilize glucose and fatty acids for quick energy. The heightened sympathetic tone raises blood pressure, increases heart rate, and accelerates metabolism. Yet, as Dr. Eck cautioned, “fast adrenal glands can be just as inefficient as slow adrenal glands” when overstressedEnergy-txt.
Initially, this creates higher energy levels — but the energy is temporary and dissipates quickly. Prolonged fast oxidation eventually depletes magnesium, zinc, and other stabilizing minerals, setting the stage for anxiety, inflammation, and cardiovascular strain.
💡 The Experience of a Fast Oxidizer
Fast oxidizers often feel:
- Anxious, restless, or impatient
- Hot or easily overheated
- Hungry often, craving fats and salts
- Alert but unable to relax
- Tense muscles or headaches
As Dr. Wilson explains, “Fast oxidizers tend to be anxious, irritable, in a hurry, and aggressive… They are in a fight-or-flight mode too much of the time.” This constant sympathetic charge burns through nutrients and leads to issues like high blood pressure, heart strain, arthritis, and panic attacks.
🌿 Causes of Fast Oxidation
- Stress and adrenaline dominance
- High sugar intake or low fat intake
- Personality traits — driven, high-achieving, easily frustrated
- Toxic metals that irritate adrenal function (e.g., copper, cadmium)
Dr. Wilson adds that diets too low in fats and too high in sugars can push the body into fast oxidation, forcing glands to work harder for quick energy bursts that soon crash.
🥑 How to Support a Fast Oxidizer
The goal isn’t to fuel the fire — it’s to cool and stabilize it.
Recommended by Dr. Wilson and Eck:
- Add quality fats and oils (butter, olive oil, avocado, coconut oil) to every meal.
- Reduce sugars and refined carbs to calm adrenal stimulation.
- Include daily animal protein to provide steady amino acids.
- Emphasize cooked vegetables for alkaline minerals and fiber.
- Slow down and rest — meditation, gentle breathing, and consistent routines help restore parasympathetic balance.
As Eck put it, “The efficiency of your glands determines your speed of metabolism.” When both the adrenals and thyroid are firing together, the system can overheat — and learning to balance those minerals is the key to sustainable energyEnergy-txt.
⚖️ Mixed Oxidizers: The Body in Transition
A mixed oxidation rate means your body is sending signals from both ends of the metabolic spectrum — part fast, part slow.
In HTMA terms, this happens when:
- Thyroid ratio (Ca/K) > 4 → slow oxidation tendency, and
- Adrenal ratio (Na/Mg) > 4.17 → fast oxidation tendency.
So one system is on the brakes, while the other’s pressing the gas.
It’s a little like driving with one foot on the accelerator and one on the brake — you’re moving, but it’s jerky and inefficient.
🔬 The Biochemistry Behind It
A fast adrenal ratio (Na/Mg > 4.17) reflects elevated adrenal activity and sympathetic stress response — the “alarm stage” Dr. Eck described, when the body mobilizes energy quickly through increased aldosterone and cortisol output.
At the same time, a high thyroid ratio (Ca/K > 4) points to sluggish thyroid performance, meaning calcium is accumulating in tissues and metabolism can’t fully keep up.
This mismatch creates biochemical “cross-talk”:
- The adrenals shout go faster!
- The thyroid whispers slow down… we can’t keep up.
Mixed oxidation often appears when the body is shifting — either recovering from stress (fast → slow) or beginning to restore vitality after exhaustion (slow → fast).
🌡️ Fast-Mixed vs. Slow-Mixed Patterns
If your adrenal ratio is more out of balance than your thyroid ratio, you’re showing a fast-mixed oxidation rate — leaning toward sympathetic dominance.
This version of mixed oxidation feels like classic fast oxidizer symptoms:
- Anxiety, irritability, restlessness
- Racing thoughts or heart palpitations
- Warm body temperature, quick to sweat
- Blood-pressure spikes or sleep trouble
It’s the body in a fight-or-flight mode that flickers, unable to sustain the drive for long.
Conversely, if your thyroid ratio is higher and dominates, you’re in a slow-mixed oxidation rate, leaning closer to exhaustion.
That feels more like slow oxidizer traits:
- Fatigue, apathy, or depression
- Feeling cold, sluggish digestion
- Low motivation, dry skin, or constipation
In both cases, energy production is uneven — surges followed by crashes, alertness followed by burnout.
🧭 Why It Matters
Mixed oxidation patterns are less stable than pure fast or slow types.
Because the glands are firing inconsistently, your metabolism can swing back and forth depending on stress, diet, or rest.
That’s why retesting your HTMA every three months is ideal — it helps track whether your body is stabilizing toward fast or slow oxidation.
Most people resolve a mixed pattern within a few months on a consistent nutritional-balancing program.
🌿 Supporting a Mixed Oxidizer
The goal is to help your body find rhythm and consistency.
Mixed oxidizers need balance — not more push, not more rest.
If you’re leaning fast-mixed:
- Prioritize healthy fats (avocado, olive oil, butter, coconut oil).
- Avoid excess sugars and caffeine.
- Incorporate calming habits — slow meals, deep breathing, early nights.
If you’re leaning slow-mixed:
- Include high-quality animal protein and cooked vegetables with every meal.
- Add sea salt to support sodium and adrenal recovery.
- Keep warm and eat regularly to stabilize blood sugar and thyroid output.
Above all, consistency matters more than intensity.
As Dr. Eck taught, “Balancing the oxidation rate increases the efficiency of the body’s energy production.” Once your thyroid and adrenals start moving in sync, your body stops sending mixed signals — and energy becomes steady again.
🪫 Four Lows Pattern: When the System Shuts Down to Rebuild
The Four Lows pattern is one of the most challenging — and misunderstood — findings on a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA).
It occurs when all four major electrolytes — calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium — fall below their ideal levels.
| Mineral | Ideal Range (mg%) | Four Lows Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Calcium | 40+ | ↓ Below 40 |
| Magnesium | 6+ | ↓ Below 6 |
| Sodium | 25+ | ↓ Below 25 |
| Potassium | 10+ | ↓ Below 10 |
This pattern reflects adrenal insufficiency, burnout, and deep exhaustion.
Dr. Paul Eck called it a “dead battery” state — when the body has slowed its metabolism to the lowest possible setting in order to conserve the little energy it has left.
But there’s another side to it: in some people, Four Lows can also appear temporarily during healing, when the body is releasing toxins and recalibrating energy systems.
So while it can look like collapse, it can also be part of deep repair — a pause before renewal.
🔬 What’s Happening Biochemically
When all four of these electrolytes are low, it usually means:
- Adrenal and thyroid glands are depleted and producing very low hormone output.
- Cell membranes are less permeable, making it harder for nutrients to enter cells.
- Energy production is minimal, so detoxification and digestion slow down.
- The body is malnourished and often toxic, due to both poor absorption and chronic stress.
This pattern can also stem from gut and microbiome imbalances, which reduce the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food.
Dr. Wilson noted that individuals in Four Lows are “usually quite toxic,” with stored metals like copper and lead blocking energy pathways.
Because the body is exhausted, it often craves stimulants — caffeine, tobacco, or high-dose B vitamins — as quick ways to boost energy.
But those quick fixes only drain reserves further, pushing the body deeper into burnout.
As Dr. Eck warned, “You can’t push a Four Lows pattern. It must be lifted slowly, with nourishment and rest.”
💡 How It Feels
People with Four Lows often describe feeling:
- Chronically tired — even after sleep
- Anxious or wired but without real energy
- Muscle cramps or tightness
- Food sensitivities or allergies
- Digestive issues and malabsorption
- Brain fog and mood swings
Over time, if uncorrected, this can lead to degenerative conditions, as the body simply lacks the mineral reserves to repair itself.
🌱 The Emotional Layer
Dr. Wilson observed that many Four Lows patterns arise from prolonged emotional strain — especially from inner tension, guilt, anger, or fear.
Common lifestyle patterns include:
- Working too hard or living under constant pressure
- Being overly self-critical or perfectionistic
- Feeling trapped, oppressed, or unable to rest
These mindsets mirror the biochemical picture: the body is trying to protect itself from further depletion by shutting down nonessential systems until it’s safe to rebuild.
If this pattern appears on a first test, it signals that the body needs profound rest, nutrition, and emotional release.
But if it appears on a retest during a nutritional balancing program, it can actually be a celebration pattern — showing that the body is finally slowing down enough to heal deeply.
🌿 Supporting the Four Lows Pattern
Because energy production is so low, progress is slow and subtle at first — but steady.
The key is not to push harder, but to create the conditions for recovery.
Focus on:
- Adequate rest — more than you think you need
- Gentle nourishment: cooked vegetables, animal proteins, and sea salt
- Avoiding stimulants like caffeine, sugar, or nicotine
- Emotional decompression: journaling, therapy, breathwork, prayer, quiet time
- Mineral balancing support: carefully dosed supplements to restore electrolyte ratios
Patience is everything. Dr. Eck explained that Four Lows is like a battery that needs trickle-charging, not a jumpstart.
When the body senses safety, nourishment, and rest, sodium and potassium slowly rise — followed by calcium and magnesium — and energy begins to return.
🌞 In Short
The Four Lows pattern may look like failure, but it’s often a protective recalibration.
It’s the body’s way of saying:
“I’ve been running on empty. I’m stopping now so I can start again — stronger.”
With time, support, and the right program, this “shutdown” phase can become a doorway to deeper healing and a sustainable return of true vitality.
🌟 The Takeaway: From Awareness to Action
Whether your body’s moving too fast, too slow, caught between gears, or running on empty — your oxidation rate tells the story of how your energy system is performing.
Each pattern reflects a unique relationship between your thyroid, adrenals, and mineral balance.
- Fast oxidation shows your body in overdrive — high output, quick burnout.
- Slow oxidation reveals exhaustion and the need for rebuilding.
- Mixed oxidation signals a transition — your glands finding their rhythm again.
- Four Lows means the system is conserving energy for deep repair.
None of these states are permanent — they’re stages in a longer process of regulation and recovery.
As Dr. Paul Eck said, “Balancing the oxidation rate increases the efficiency of the body’s energy production.”
And once your body starts producing energy more efficiently, healing accelerates naturally.
🔍 Ready to Learn Your Oxidation Type?
Your hair holds the clues to how your body creates energy.
An HTMA test reveals whether you’re running fast, slow, mixed, or in Four Lows — and shows exactly what your body needs to restore balance.
With the right nutritional balancing program, you’ll stop guessing what your body needs — and finally start supporting it with clarity, confidence, and real results.