HTMA and Zinc Deficiency
- Gary Moller
- a few seconds ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 45 minutes ago
(published 29th September, updated 30th September, 2025)
What the Hair Tells Us About Growth, Hormones, and Resilience
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) is one of the best tools we have for spotting nutrient imbalances that quietly undermine health. Among the most important minerals to measure is zinc (Zn). Zinc isn’t just about physical growth. It underpins brain development, hormone balance, connective tissue strength, and mental resilience. If you want sharp thinking, steady moods, strong bones and muscles, and healthy hormone function, zinc must be in balance.
Why Zinc Matters
Zinc for growth and repair: Zinc is essential for cell division and protein synthesis. Without it, children fail to reach their full growth potential, wounds heal poorly, and tissues lack proper strength.
Zinc for the brain: The brain is a zinc-hungry organ. Low zinc contributes to poor memory, learning difficulties, anxiety, and depression. During childhood and adolescence, when the brain is developing at high speed, zinc is indispensable.
Zinc for hormones and strength: Zinc drives testosterone production, giving men energy, resilience, and physical strength. In women, zinc helps balance oestrogen and progesterone. Without it, hormone swings are worse, energy dips, and moods crash.
Zinc is "masculine". Therefore, in a universe where forces are balanced by opposites, the opposite for this mineral is copper. Copper is "feminine" in its properties. For a man to be a man and a woman a woman - physically and emotionally - there must be balance between these competing forces for the genetics of male and female to be be healthily expressed.
Please read this article to learn more about these ideas:
Absolute vs Relative Zinc Deficiency
From decades of HTMA work, my observation is this: very few New Zealanders show outright zinc deficiency, but most show relative zinc imbalances when compared with other minerals, especially copper (Cu).
Absolute deficiency: zinc is genuinely too low. This often shows as deep purple stretch marks, especially during growth spurts and puberty.
Relative imbalance: zinc is present, but in the wrong ratio to copper. This shows as silver stretch marks – the skin weakens under hormonal and growth stress.
The zinc–copper (Zn–Cu) balance is key not just for skin, but for hormone stability, brain health, and connective tissue.
The Zinc–Copper Relationship
When you read my articles about copper, please understand that it is not a bad actor. It’s vital. But when zinc and copper are out of balance, the effects can be dramatic. Please take some time to read about copper and health here:
Males and females are equally affected if there are imbalances, excesses or deficiencies. In brief summary:
High copper (oestrogen dominant): linked to fatigue, anxiety, depression, hormone-related acne, yeast and viral infections, and weaker connective tissue.
Low copper (relative zinc dominance, testosterone influence): may lead to nervous fatigue, irritability, over-aggression, or, in women, dry skin and irregular cycles.
It’s not the absolute numbers that matter so much as the balance between the two.
The chart below is of a very tired, achey, and anxious woman, oestrogen (copper) dominant and losing calcium from bone and going into her soft tissues. She has patterns consistent with poor adrenal and thyroid function. Her copper to zinc ratio is extremely imbalanced.
Puberty, Hormones and Modern Health Issues
Puberty is where this balance is stress-tested. Hormones surge, tissues grow rapidly, and any underlying imbalance shows up: stretch marks, acne, mood swings, anxiety, depression. These signs often reflect the zinc–copper story.
An increasingly common symptom among adolescent boys today is the development of “man-boobs” (gynecomastia) – something unheard of when I was a young man. This can be traced mostly to zinc deficiency (reducing testosterone and androgen influence), compounded by the heavy burden of oestrogenic compounds in modern life. Plastics, pesticides, household chemicals, and even certain foods such as soy are loaded with compounds that mimic oestrogen, including the female contraceptives. The result? Young men are less masculine, less robust, and less resilient than they should be.
Equally concerning is that zinc deficiency or imbalance may also contribute to the underdevelopment of male sexual organs during puberty. Testosterone, sperm production, and normal genital development all rely on adequate zinc. Without it, growth falters in ways that carry long-term consequences for confidence, fertility, and overall health.
The Female Cycle and Zinc
Another fascinating observation is how zinc and copper fluctuate across the female cycle:
Menstruation phase: copper surges and zinc falls. This often corresponds with fatigue, headaches, hormone-related acne, thrush, or viral/fungal flare-ups.
Post-menstruation phase: zinc rises, copper falls. This is when women feel resilient, sharper mentally, and stronger physically – often setting personal bests in training or work.
This natural rhythm explains much about monthly changes in mood, energy, and infection resistance.
By the way, high copper triggers menstruation, and tricks the body into thinking it is pregnant. This is why the coper IUD is such an effective contraceptive, but with tendencies to cause excessive menstrual discomfort, including bleeding.
Pigmentation and the Zinc–Copper Link
Another modern observation is the rise in children with lighter-than-expected hair and skin pigmentation – blondish hair, pale skin, lacking depth of colour. This is more than just genetics.
The pigmentation of skin and hair depends on melanin, which requires both copper and zinc, along with key vitamin cofactors (such as vitamin C and the fat-soluble vitamins). When the zinc–copper balance is off, the enzymes that produce melanin do not function properly. This leaves hair and skin under-pigmented.
In essence, pale hair and skin in children who come from darker-haired and darker-skinned parents can be an outward sign of mineral imbalance. HTMA often confirms this.
Tell-Tale Signs of Zinc Deficiency
The body gives clear hints:
White spots on fingernails: classic for zinc deficiency.
Ridges across the nail: often zinc-related, though lengthwise ridges usually point more to thyroid and adrenal issues.
Stretch marks: silver with imbalance, purple with outright deficiency.
Loss of pigmentation: hair and skin that appear lighter than family background would suggest.
These, together with HTMA results, build a very clear clinical picture.
A New Zealand Story: Gladys Reid and Facial Eczema
One of the most remarkable zinc stories comes from Te Aroha. Gladys Reid, a farmer and former dental nurse, discovered that supplementing sheep with zinc prevented facial eczema – a devastating fungal disease in livestock. At the time, she was dismissed and ridiculed by the animal science establishment. But she was right. Years later, she was awarded an honorary doctorate for her discovery, and zinc supplementation is now standard practice in New Zealand farming. Gladys is a hero!
Gladys’s story a wonderful reminder that practical observation and lived experience can outpace formal science. Nature gives us the answers if we pay attention.
And here’s the thing: zinc deficiency, yeast, viral, and fungal infections are rife these days, especially among young women in the oestrogen–copper pattern. Gladys found zinc to be the answer for her sheep. Well – what’s good for her sheep might well be good for us! Just saying.
Here's another remarkable story:https://www.garymoller.com/post/how-to-accelerate-growth-in-children
Conclusion
Zinc is a quiet powerhouse of health. Without it, children fail to thrive, teenagers struggle, and adults lose their edge. With it – and balanced properly with copper – people grow, heal, and perform at their best.
HTMA gives us a simple, non-invasive way to check where we stand. Once we know, we can act with nutrient-dense food, targeted supplementation, and lifestyle changes that allow the body to heal itself.
Medical disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for personalised medical advice. If you have concerns about your health, consult a qualified practitioner.