Hidden hunger is a condition in which a person consumes a normal amount of calories but does not get enough nutrients. This condition can be detected by analyzing hair, nails, urine and blood, I.M. told "Gazeta.Ru". Director of the Institute of Professional Education of the First Moscow State Medical University named after Sechenov, head of the Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Propedeutics of Internal Diseases, Professor Evgenia Shikh.
As the professor noted, this condition is difficult to detect at home. Doctors use a variety of methods to make a diagnosis, from scales and questionnaires to biochemical tests. Whole blood is most commonly used for testing, while urine, fingernails, or hair are less common.
"Nail testing allows you to determine the concentration of microelements in the nail plates and the deficiency or excess of these substances in the body. Nails, unlike blood or urine, are resistant to environmental influences and metabolic changes, providing information on the accumulation of microelements over a long period of time," explained the doctor.
Hair analysis provides information on chronic changes in micronutrient levels. This analysis can be useful for screening for metal exposure and assessing micronutrient status.
“Hair accumulates toxic metals at levels at least 10 times higher than those found in blood. Hair trace and macroelement analysis allows us to determine the concentration of these substances in the hair, which reflects information about the mineral metabolism of the body during the last 3-6 months. Hair is often preferred for detecting changes over the last few months because it grows quickly and reflects shorter-term changes. Fingernails, on the other hand, provide information over a longer period of time, reflecting the accumulation of trace elements over six months or more," Shikh concluded.
