September 2025 cohort
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) has proven to be one of the best methods of assessing tissue mineral levels and toxic burdens and this course is an in-depth study on how to read and interpret HTMA and receive the resources to help in clinic. Learn about the toxic elements and the nutrient elements, learn to understand the ratios and alongside the theory is a unique opportunity to review real cases with skilled practitioners.
For over 25 years Mineral Check has worked with Trace Elements Laboratories in the USA to provide HTMA testing in the UK and Mineral Check’s technical lead Karen Watkins has created this unique course.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn evidence-based assessment and interpretation skills for improved clinical outcomes with one of the most experienced practitioners in the UK. The only course that has CPD accreditation from professional bodies including BANT (British Association of Nutritional and Lifestyle Medicine) and NNA (Naturopathic Nutrition Association.
INTRODUCING
Hair Mineral Analysis Testing
Practitioner Training
The only course that has CPD accreditation from professional bodies including BANT (British Association of Nutritional and Lifestyle Medicine) and NNA (Naturopathic Nutrition Association)
The course curriculum
The course will be delivered live every week on Wednesdays at 11am for 1 hour starting on Wednesday 17th September 2025 for 10 weeks.
Each session live but to be recorded and the recordings added to a course portal where you will also be able to access other resources.
Module 1
Introduction: Understanding HTMA overview
Module 2
HTMA Ratios: Why the ratios of elements are important
Module 3
Metabolic Typing and HTMA
Module 4
The First Six: An in depth look at calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, copper and zinc
Module 5
Everything You Should Have Learned About Minerals in College But Probably Didn’t
Module 6
More about minerals: following on from module 5 looking at minerals that are may be essential and yet also may be toxic
Module 7
Toxic Elements: Mercury, Cadmium, Lead and Aluminium are explored alongside lesser talked about elements including Arsenic, Antimony and Uranium
Module 8
Nutrition-Endocrine Relationships and Iodine: Iodine is not tested on a HTMA panel but this module looks at the relationship between iodine and other minerals
Module 9
Two Cs and a D! Children, viral infections including Covid and Vitamin D are all explored in this module
Module 10
Retests and Case Studies leading to a live learning zone
Live Learning Zone:
The course concludes with live case studies presented by practitioners with the opportunity for everyone to learn from other practitioners. All practitioners have experience to share, whether they have been qualified for one month, one year or ten or more years, the depth of knowledge that Karen hears on a daily basis from practitioners continues to impress us here at Mineral Check and the live learning zone is an opportunity to come together and look at how each of us would work with a test and a real client.
Testimonials
Julia Bouhey
Nutritherapist
The content was really interesting and I really deepened my knowledge.
Haseena Mulia
Health and Nutrition Coach
Karen has been instrumental in reinforcing the importance of balancing minerals and not basing nutritional plans on guesswork. I am so grateful to have got on to this course.
Cathy Young
Naturopathic Nutritional Therapist
Karen is the HTMA queen! Such a super star in her delivery and nothing is ever too much trouble! Each week and module was delivered in ways we can understand easily and implement in our clinics ASAP. Highly recommend. Thanks again Karen
Hayley Davies
Naturopathic Nutritional Therapist
Really in depth, in fact i feel the need to go over it all again from the beginning. Really great that we have lifetime access! Thank you.
About your course leader
Karen Watkins
Karen has worked in the fascinating field of Hair Mineral Analysis, having 20 years’ experience. She started working alongside Dr David L Watts from Trace Elements after graduating from the Institute for Optimum Nutrition as a Nutritional Therapist. Karen provides the technical support at Mineral Check, Trace Elements only distributor in the UK and so continues to work closely with the laboratory team.
If you have a question on any testing aspect, Karen will know the answer, or will know how to find the answer with you!
Karen has lectured on the science and use of hair mineral test analysis at undergraduate and postgraduate university courses and at many of the nutritional therapy training courses in the UK and Ireland as well as speaking at many CPD events in nutrition and related fields. She is a lively presenter mixing the science with case histories and making the detail accessible to all.
In addition, Karen has a wealth of education experience. Karen led the team at The Institute for Optimum Nutrition to achieve the first Foundation Degree in Nutritional Therapy with the University of Bedford and went on to work at the University as a lecturer on their degree programme. Karen was involved in the setting of the Nutritional Occupational Standards for nutritional therapy profession, the Nutritional Therapy Core Curriculum and partnered with Dr Jane Richardson for the revision of that Core Curriculum. Karen was made a Fellow of BANT (British Association of Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine) in recognition of her knowledge, enthusiasm and commitment to the profession.
Karen has undertaken published research in peer reviewed journals both on the Nutritional Therapy profession and on the use of hair mineral analysis and magnesium supplementation and ortho-silicic acid and hair mineral analysis.
Karen’s knowledge, personality and enthusiasm together with her strong scientific approach helps her stimulate lively debates, simplifying complex issues and helping the public and professionals expand their understanding of hair mineral analysis, both the testing and using minerals to improve clinical outcomes.
Testimonials
I highly recommend the HTMA practitioner's course by Karen Watkins. She is the best and learning from the best makes it all the difference. This course is a crown in your practice if you want to dig deeper and not base your nutritional plan on guesswork. This course makes sure how to use minerals to feel your best.
Haseena Mulia
Health and Nutrition Coach
This training course is designed for people who already know something about the HTMA test, and offers a clear opportunity to deepen your knowledge of HTMA test interpretation through in-depth information. I'm delighted to have taken part in this session, and to have been able to incorporate Karen's invaluable advice. I really recommend this training!
Julia Bouhey
Nutritherapist
Thank you Karen The course was organised into appropriate and sensical topics, with easy to follow information and open to questions if we needed further clarification. As always, Karen brings her beautiful personality and humour to the course, which brings HTMA to life! Thanks again for sharing your wisdom and knowledge with us xx
Cathy Young
Naturopathic Nutritional Therapist
As a fairly new nutritional practitioner myself and therefore very new to HTMA, i found this course offered extensive teachings into the depths of minerals. It was a deeper layer to my knowledge and I now see the very importance of functional testing to be able to offer optimal treatment to clients. I was not able to attend the live sessions but Karen is a real scholar on this topic and along with her great humour, this made for a really enjoyable course! Thanks so much!
Hayley Davies
Naturopathic Nutritional Therapist
This is a brilliant course that will totally change how you look at HTMA testing. What Karen doesn’t know about hair mineral testing isn’t worth knowing and she shares her knowledge generously. All the info is practical and relevant and by the end of the course you are pretty confident in analysing these tests. The Facebook group support is a wonderful bonus as it gives a space to ask questions and learn from others questions. I highly recommend this course.
Michaela Newsom
Nutritional Therapist
Michaela Newsom
Nutritional Therapist
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the course running?
This course will run on Wednesdays at 11am for 1 hour starting on Wednesday 17 September for 10 weeks.
Who is this course suitable for?
This course is suitable for nutritional therapists, homeopaths, herbalists, osteopaths and chiropractors and other professionals with an in depth knowledge of nutrition. (Nutritional Therapy students will also find it relevant to their studies and future clinical practice)
I have only done one test, is the course still for me?
Absolutely! This course will not only help you understand when and why to use the tests in clinical practice but also how to use the results to create protocols for your clients that not only motivate your clients but also achieve positive clinical outcomes.
What makes Karen qualified to teach this course?
Karen has over 20 years’ experience in working with hair tissue mineral testing on a weekly basis. She has worked closely with Dr David Watts the clinical director at Trace Elements in Dallas and has lectured in the field in the UK, been quoted in the national press and been on TV. There is no-more qualified than Karen to help YOU understand how to use this test in clinic.
Do I get CPD Accreditation for this course?
This is the ONLY course in the World to have been recognised by professional bodies. You will get CPD hours approved by the NNA (Naturopathic Nutrition Association) and BANT (British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine).
Is this course for me?
Maybe you have found HTMA useful in clinic, or maybe you have given up trying to understand the results, reading in Facebook forums, looking at research on PubMed, using google often only complicates matters. This course in the answer! It will provide you with an in-depth understanding of the complexities of HTMA.
Do I need the course when I have had lots of technical support calls?
Absolutely. The technical support calls are helpful but this course covers so much more that there is never time to discuss in the support calls. Come along and find out about toxic elements, iodine, understand the ratios, learn more about elements like lithium and boron that you might not have really thought about before.
Do I really want to invest in another course?
Well only you can decide that – but – this is an opportunity to learn from the woman who has been called “the Queen of Minerals” The course is taught live and there will be lots of time for YOUR questions.
What is the Live Learning Zone?
The very best way to learn is to apply theory to lots of tests in a short space of time and that is what we do in the Live Learning Zone. In small supportive groups everyone shares a case study and how they understand it in the light of the theory we cover on the course. Now, you might be thinking you are to shy to speak out but this will be a fun informal way of supporting each other by sharing. Every therapist we speak to at Mineral Check will approach a case study differently so this is a great opportunity to develop confidence in using the test with real people in a clinical setting.
Is HTMA a valid test?
What a great question! Join the course, find out the science behind the test, find out why the test might have been dismissed in the past, learn the answers to the critics. Don’t just believe what you might have overheard, come along and learn the real science and how this test can change your clinical outcomes for the better.
Testing is expensive! My clients will not pay for testing so why do I want a course?
Testing improves clinical outcomes and provides motivation and answers. Very often we as practitioners think that our clients will resist paying for testing but when we really understand the test and know what we can learn we find our clients are only to willing to pay for testing. This course will equip you with the knowledge to make this test an integral part of your clinic.
I can’t make the live sessions. Is it still worth signing up?
Every session will be recorded and recordings are available so you can catch up if you miss a live session.
What is included?
There are nine live sessions of between 30 minutes and an hour on specific topics and then a live learning session where we discuss real cases. Plus there is an E-book on HTMA for Practitioners, a handout that will be your crib sheet to understanding the ratios and a Synergists and Antagonists E-book so you really understand the interactions between the different minerals.
