Are Hidden Mineral Imbalances Causing Your Brain Fog, Fatigue, and Mood Swings?
If you are dealing with brain fog, fatigue, mood swings, irritability, low energy, or a metabolism that feels like it has changed overnight, you might assume hormones are the whole story. And yes, hormones matter. But in this conversation, we look at another foundational piece of midlife health that almost no one is talking about enough: mineral imbalances.
Jessica sits down with Dori Martin, a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner and certified Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis practitioner, to talk about how hidden mineral imbalances may be contributing to common midlife symptoms. They break down what HTMA testing is, how it works, what it can reveal about your energy, stress response, mood, and metabolism, and what you can actually do if your minerals are off.
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Why Mineral Imbalances Matter in Midlife
We hear nonstop about hormones in perimenopause and menopause, which is a good thing. But what often gets overlooked is whether your body actually has the raw materials it needs to produce energy, handle stress, absorb nutrients, and respond to hormones in the first place.
In this conversation, Dori explains that minerals are involved in the behind-the-scenes work of the body. They help regulate cellular energy, stress resilience, metabolism, and nervous system function. So if you are eating well, taking supplements, maybe even looking into hormone therapy, and still feeling exhausted or foggy, mineral imbalances may be worth exploring.
This is especially relevant for midlife women who have spent years running on stress, juggling caregiving, parenting, careers, and everyone else’s needs. By the time perimenopause or menopause hits, the body may be showing signs of long-term depletion.
What Is HTMA?
HTMA stands for Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis. It is a test that uses a small hair sample cut close to the scalp to look at mineral patterns in the body over roughly the last three months.
Unlike blood work, which reflects what is happening in the moment, HTMA gives a broader snapshot of what has been going on over time. According to Dori, this can help reveal patterns related to mineral depletion, chronic stress, metabolism, and even toxic metal exposure.
In this episode, Dori explains that the test looks at 22 minerals as well as toxic metals, but the main macro minerals she focuses on first are:
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Sodium
• Potassium
These minerals work together, and when they are imbalanced, other systems can be affected too.
Symptoms That May Be Linked to Mineral Imbalances
One of the most interesting parts of this conversation is the reminder that symptoms many women assume are “just hormones” may also be connected to mineral status.
Dori shares that mineral imbalances may play a role in symptoms like:
• Brain fog
• Fatigue
• Mood swings
• Irritability
• Low energy
• Stress intolerance
• Slow metabolism
• Trouble absorbing nutrients
• Feeling like your body is not responding to healthy habits the way it used to
If you feel like you used to be able to handle a lot more, but now even small things feel like a lot, this episode may help explain why.
How HTMA Testing Works
Dori walks through the basics of the test in the episode:
• A small hair sample is cut close to the scalp
• The hair sample reflects about three months of growth
• The sample is sent to a lab for analysis
• The results are interpreted for mineral patterns, stress patterns, and toxic metal exposure
One helpful clarification Jessica shares at the end of the episode: the hair does not need to be plucked. It is simply cut near the scalp.
And if you color your hair, Dori recommends waiting at least three weeks, but ideally four to eight weeks, before taking the sample so the results are more accurate.
What HTMA Can Reveal
This episode is not about diagnosing yourself from a list online. It is about understanding that your body may be giving you clues that deserve a closer look.
Dori explains that HTMA may help reveal:
• Whether your body is in a chronic stress pattern
• Whether you may be depleted in key minerals
• Whether your metabolism appears fast or slow
• Whether your body may be struggling with nutrient absorption
• Whether toxic metals like mercury may be part of the picture
• Whether long-term burnout may be showing up physiologically
She also explains that she looks at patterns, not just what is high or low on paper. That bigger-picture interpretation is part of what makes the test useful.
What To Do If Your Minerals Are Off
If the test suggests mineral imbalances, Dori says the answer is not just throwing a bunch of supplements at the problem.
Instead, she talks about supporting the body through foundational, practical changes like:
• Nervous system regulation
• Nutrition
• Mineral-rich foods
• Better hydration
• Circadian rhythm support
• Morning sunlight
• Strategic mineral supplementation when needed
One of her main points is that if the body is too depleted or too stressed, even good supplements may not be well absorbed or used effectively. That is why she emphasizes starting with foundations and working with the body, not forcing it.
Why We Aren’t Hearing More About This
Jessica asks an important question in this episode: if this is so foundational, why isn’t HTMA talked about more in the mainstream midlife health world?
Dori’s answer is basically that it is nuanced, less flashy, and often tied to lifestyle and stress patterns rather than quick-fix solutions. In other words, it is not the sexiest topic in wellness marketing, but it may be a very important one.
That is exactly why this conversation is so compelling. It shines a light on a missing piece that many midlife women may not even realize is worth investigating.
Key Takeaways From This Episode
• Hormones are not the only possible root cause of midlife symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, and mood swings
• Mineral imbalances may affect energy, metabolism, stress tolerance, and nutrient absorption
• HTMA is a hair-based test that looks at mineral patterns over about three months
• The hair sample is cut close to the scalp, not plucked
• If you color your hair, wait at least three weeks, ideally four to eight weeks, before testing
• Supporting minerals often starts with lifestyle, nutrition, hydration, and nervous system regulation
FAQs
What is HTMA?
HTMA stands for Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis. It is a test that uses a small hair sample to assess mineral patterns and toxic metals over a longer time period than standard blood work.
What symptoms can mineral imbalances cause in midlife?
According to this episode, possible symptoms include brain fog, fatigue, mood swings, irritability, low energy, stress intolerance, and metabolism issues.
Does the HTMA hair sample have to be plucked?
No. Jessica clarified after the interview that the hair sample is cut close to the scalp, not plucked.
Can you do HTMA if you color your hair?
Yes, but Dori recommends waiting a minimum of three weeks, and ideally four to eight weeks, after coloring your hair before taking the sample.
Is HTMA a replacement for blood work or medical care?
No. This episode presents HTMA as another tool to consider, especially for women who feel like they are doing all the right things and still not getting answers.
Meet Dori Martin:
Dori Martin knows firsthand what true burnout and midlife mayhem feels like. At the busiest time of her life, she was a single mom, caregiving a parent through end-of-life, and then navigating a terminal diagnosis with her husband — and that’s when her body began to shut down.
She discovered that what many women are told is “just stress, aging, or hormones” is often something deeper — midlife women navigating perimenopause and menopause while carrying the emotional and physical load of everyone else.
She’s a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, certified Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis practitioner, Midlife Hormone Mastery certified coach, accredited EFT practitioner, and yoga teacher. She has guided over 5,000 women through workshops, group programs, and one-on-one coaching to restore energy, stabilize blood sugar, boost metabolism, and break free from burnout and weight-loss resistance.
Her message is simple and powerful: there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Every body has a unique blueprint — and when you understand the cellular, mineral, and nervous system patterns driving your symptoms, everything finally starts to make sense.
Connect with Dori:
DoriMartin.com | @midlifeenergy.dori
🎧 Other Episodes You’ll Love:
Do Peptides Help with Sleep, Energy, and Weight Gain in Perimenopause?
Why You Don’t Feel Like Yourself In Perimenopause (and How to Get Your Groove Back)
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Disclaimer:
Belong Wellness and its members, managers, employees, contractors, and other agents or representatives are not licensed medical care providers and do not provide medical services or advice, including without limitation diagnosing, examining, preventing, treating, or curing any medical conditions. The information shared in this podcast is meant to be educational, not prescriptive. Please consult your medical doctor before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle. Further, the opinions of guests on this show do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Jessica or anyone affiliated with Belong Wellness.
