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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.
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 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.
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 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.
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:
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A sodium/potassium ratio less than about 2, OR at times when the ratio is greater than about 10. |
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A hair calcium level greater than about 40 mg%, OR a magnesium level greater than about 6 mg%. |
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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.
Dr. Watson found that fast oxidizers require more fats and oils in their diet in order to feel
their best. They burn their food quickly and their caloric needs are greater. Fats provide more
calories and longer-lasting energy. In contrast, sugars burn too fast, provide fewer calories and
often further enhance the oxidation rate. For this reason, fast oxidizers should avoid all sugars,
including most fruit and all juices. Even complex carbohydrates are recommended only in small
amounts.
True fast oxidizers require heavier, fattier foods such as steak and a potato with sour cream.
To lose weight, they may do well on an Atkins diet, at least for a limited period of time. We
suggest, however, that one eat only the highest quality animal fats, olive oil and coconut oil.
Slow oxidizers require more protein and less fat in their diets. Protein with every meal is
most important to maintain their blood sugar level and support adequate adrenal and thyroid
gland activity. Animal protein is important to eat every day, as the bodies are depleted of many
nutrients found in meats. These include zinc, alpha lipoic acid, sulfur-containing amino acids and
L-carnitine. Meats also provide other less-known nutrients the slow oxidizer requires.
Protein digestion is weak in slow oxidizers. As a result, many tend toward vegetarian diets.
However, this may sometimes slow or prevent their complete healing. Instead, they require
digestive enzymes to obtain all the nutrition from their food.
Dr. Watson and Dr. Eck found that fast oxidizers need more of nutrients such as copper,
zinc, choline, inositol, calcium and magnesium. They also do well on more of vitamins A and D.
Vitamins B-complex and C are less beneficial and tend make fast oxidation worse in some cases.
Slow oxidizers generally need more of the B-complex and vitamins C and E. They usually do not
need much copper. They do, however, need zinc and most often calcium and magnesium.
Both types benefit from a digestive aid. We find that they both also need extra chromium,
selenium and perhaps even a general mineral supplement.
When one combines the extensive research of Dr. Hans Selye, Dr. George Watson and Dr.
Paul C. Eck, one begins to develop a very clear picture of the physiology and biochemistry of
fast and slow oxidation.
By identifying these states quickly with a hair mineral analysis, one knows at a glance how a
person is responding to stress biochemically. Then one can recommend the correct foods,
nutrients, lifestyle changes and detoxification protocol to bring the body to balance and harmony.
Balancing body chemistry in this manner results in a significant increase in cellular energy
production. This allows healing to occur at a greatly increased rate.
We always seek to move a person from a lower energy and less optimum homeostatic state
to a healthier state with higher energy. Slow oxidation, for example, is a lower energy state than
fast oxidation. A balanced state, neither too fast nor too slow, is considered optimum. It is a
condition in which the metabolism can speed up when needed, and yet at other times remain
peacefully at rest.
The specific chemistry of the oxidation types is discussed in more detail on cassette tapes
and in articles by Dr. Paul C. Eck. Another source of information is Nutritional Balancing And
Hair Mineral Analysis by Lawrence Wilson, MD. All these materials are available from
Analytical Research Laboratories, Inc.
The preceding statements have not been evaluated by the
Food and Drug Administration
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
