What am I lacking that my nail break, split and chip so easily? One doc said calcuim – nothing. Another said zinc – still nothing. The last said iron – don’t want to talk about that except it did not help my nails. Is there an answer?
What am I lacking that my nail break, split and chip so easily? One doc said calcuim – nothing. Another said zinc – still nothing. The last said iron – don’t want to talk about that except it did not help my nails. Is there an answer?
0 Answers
Joyce McLaughlin wrote on :
All the vitamins and minerals are wonderful suggestions, but my hunch is your lacking the proper enzymes to process all your nutrition. As we age our natural supply dwinddles and of course the western world lacks a more organic twist to our diets. I would get a multi-enzyme supplement at health food store which includes hydrochloric acid to help breakdown necessary nutrients and grab as much benefit from what you take in. Some of these enzmes act as natural anti-inflammatories so you might benefit from this as well.
Pat Franco wrote on :
Changes can happen as we grow older, if you never had a problem, maybe it is menopausal or other health issue related, you can check that with your doctor. You can try to adjust your diet adding more Vitamin C, calcium, folic acid, protein, iron and fat all these help to build strong healthy nails. Try also to wear nail polish with Keratin (Sally Hanson makes many) to strength nails as well.
Jackie Strasser wrote on :
Hi
I am not a medical professional, but I have had a similar nail and hair problem. Clearly, Dixie needed protein as she was not consuming any. But my hair and nails actually got worse as my diet got healthier. I tried everything listed – had my thyroid checked, improved my diet, soaked in and ate the gelatin, took good vitamins and only one thing worked. I stumbled upon the Biotin supplements, as I was taking a combo vitamin for skin, hair and nails and they were out of it. Since I knew it was mostly Biotin, I bought just that and it worked wonders. Virtually no hair loss and my nails became stronger and longer. I have found that the same dosage of the synthetic version works better for me, which I know is odd. The only explanation I have gotten is that it may be more concentrated and therefore works faster. I have also found that certain antibacterial soaps seem to have really dried out my nails, so I have stopped with those. Also, I have spent most of my adult life wearing nail polish and my nails now seem to need it to remain strong and grow. Sad, but true. Good luck, hope this helps!
jane cavalli wrote on :
geletan?
Caroline Cederquist M.D. wrote on :
Dear Dixie.Deloach,
The exact same recommendation for for splitting nails goes for thinning hair. These parts of your body are assembled from protein.
With significant calorie restriction (especially if protein is not adequate) the parts of our body that are less critical for our survival stop. This includes nail and hair growth. So the key for both of these is ensure adequate lean protein intake each and every day. I recommend you eat some protein with each meal. This can be sourced from eggs, fish, shrimp, roasted turkey and chicken, lowfat dairy like cheese, cottage cheese, and yogurt, soybeans, and tofu.
The recommended intake of protein to avoid deficiency is 63g per day. This is equivalent to two 4oz chicken breasts each day.
However, for weight loss and for people who are exercising regularly, I recommend much more, between 100-120g daily. This would be the equivalent of adding 1 cup of cottage cheese and 1 cup of Greek yogurt to the two daily chicken breasts.
This protein intake ensures that you are not losing lean muscle tissue, that you are getting the nutrition from protein that you need to produce healthy nails and hair.
Also important is to determine exactly what vitamin deficiencies you may have. You may benefit from Spectracell testing (http://www.spectracell.com/) to look at micronutrient deficiency to determine specifically what nutrients you are low in, like biotin, zinc, etc..
With over 12 years of experience in the weight loss field, I have confirmed that avoiding a deficiency of protein and ensuring proper vitamin levels are both very important in order to lose weight and keep it off long term.
You do not need to starve in order to lose weight. Feed your body what it needs and the it will release the weight. To avoid protein deficiency, I have created meals that are ready to heat and eat. These gourmet foods are nutritionally balanced and delicious, as I worked with a chef to create them. Please see my website http://www.bistromd.com to find out what a properly balanced weight loss diet looks like.
All my best to you Dixie,
Caroline Cederquist, M.D.
dixie.deloach@yahoo.com wrote on :
Your response floored me! I’ve been on a very strict diet since last October, and have practically cut out all meat – especially red. I’m down to 128, but I’ve now added some (small portions) of meat maybe 2-3 times a week. The weight loss s s slooooooowed down but I AM GROWING FINGERNAILS!! Have Mercy!! They are not strong, are still very flexible, but OMG they are growing! And I have you folks to thank for it. You did so good I have another one for you: My hair is thinning. Do you have any advice on that embarrassing problem? Thanks Fab 50’s Dr. Caroline,
Dixie DeKoach
dixie.deloach@yahoo.com
Shirley Farley wrote on :
Hi again, Dixie,
I just hate it when hair falls out. Did this become more noticeable after you began the weight loss diet? If so all the things you are doing to strengthen nails will also help the hair loss. But there are other things that can cause hair loss in women. One is heredity. Another may be your shampoo, other hair products, frequent perms, etc. But an often overlooked cause is Candida albicans overgrowth (aka yeast infection). There’s been so much written about Yeast syndromes that I won’t elaborate, I’ll just tell you what happened to me. As a nutritionist I’ve pretty much fine-tuned my diet and supplementation to my individual biochemistry. But my hair started going down the drain–literally. My scalp showed in far too many places. It’s soooooooo demoralizing to look in the mirror and see scalp. I wrote it off to heredity until I started to work on a yeast problem after I’d taken antibiotics. As soon as I had the yeast under control my hair grew back! If your nose itches overtime go ahead and Google Candida albicans symptoms and see what pops up. Most sites have a scored checklist so you can figure out for yourself whether or not this might be contributing to your hair loss. If so let me know and I’ll tell you what is working for me–yeast is notoriously hard to beat. Shirley
Nancy Ortiz wrote on :
There is no recommended dietary allowance (RDA) established for biotin. It is also rare to get a deficiency unless you are eating raw eggs (egg white – once cooked not a problem) on a regular basis. It is found in small amounts but in multiple foods. True deficiency would also cause thinning of the hair and red scaly rash around the eyes, nose and mouth, depression, lethargy etc. Certain drugs can deplete biotin too. 30 ug/day is considered an adequate intake per day so that is a safe amount to take as a supplement per day.. “Preliminary evidence shows that biotin might increase the thickness of fingernails and toenails in people with brittle nails”.
Ann Rosenstein wrote on :
I am not a doctor or your care provider so with the little information I have about you, I think you are lacking protein in your diet. Protein is what the body uses to repair our bodyâs infrastructure such as our bones, immune system and our organs. This also includes our nails and hair. Great sources of protein are eggs, meats, poultry and fish. Vegetable sources would be tofu, various beans and other legumes and soy products. Try adding protein to each of your meals for a couple of weeks and see if you notice a difference. This question and many more like it are answered in my book âDiet Myths Busted, Food Facts Not Nutrition Fiction.â I know you will enjoy reading it and it will clear up a lot of your confusion about what to eat and why. You can find my book at my website http://www.dietfitnessdiva.com my publisherâs site at http://www.idyllarbor.com , http://www.amazon.com, http://www.barnesandnoble.com, and many other websites.
deborahthedancer wrote on :
My nail salon suggests everyone include biotin in their daily vitamins. It is also great for your hair.
Nancy Ortiz wrote on :
I am a little dismayed that a nail salon is giving nutrition advice…
Longhornmom wrote on :
Hi Dixie,
Nails vitamin deficiency often leads to brittle nail syndrome that show signs of soft, dry, weak and easily breakable nails. Biotin is known to effectively treat this syndrome. Apart from biotin; vitamin C, vitamin A, alpha-tocopherol, retinoids, silicon, zinc, retinol, retinal, iron, copper, and selenium are considered to be the key nutrients for healthy nails. Lack of any of these essential nutrients may cause fingernail vitamin deficiency.
Deficiency of Vitamin A can severely affect nail health because this vitamin helps the body process protein. Protein is an important constituent present in the nails.
Low intake may create problem in processing proteins, resulting in hangnails and brittle nails. Retinoid is a derivative of Vitamin A whose deficiency can cause nail fragility, softening and nail shedding.
Vitamin B is an essential vitamin that is required for strengthening of nails. Low intake of this vitamin can cause brittle and fragile nails. Deficiency of Vitamin C can cause hangnails.
Calcium is required for healthy and strong nails. Low intake of calcium or Vitamin D will lead to brittle and dry nails. Deficiency of Vitamin D tends to decrease the absorption of calcium in the body and eventually affects nail health.
Fingernails vitamin deficiency causing dry and brittle nails may further lead to various health disorder including infectious diseases, thyroid, impaired kidney function and hindered blood circulation.
To fight the problem of weak and splitting nails, try to incorporate lots of fruits and raw vegetables in your diet. Consume enriched food sources like broccoli, fish, onions, milk, dairy products and whole grains. Good water intake can also help improve nail disorders.
Most people have nails that are slightly brittle, which is why their nails crack, break and peel off. However, brittle nails are more common and severe in some people and could actually turn into an embarrassment. Brittle fingernails are seen in around 20% of the overall population and studies indicate that women are more prone to them, than men are.
Hope this helps,
Tina RN
Longhornmom wrote on :
Nails vitamin deficiency often leads to brittle nail syndrome that show signs of soft, dry, weak and easily breakable nails. Biotin is known to effectively treat this syndrome. Apart from biotin; vitamin C, vitamin A, alpha-tocopherol, retinoids, silicon, zinc, retinol, retinal, iron, copper, and selenium are considered to be the key nutrients for healthy nails. Lack of any of these essential nutrients may cause fingernail vitamin deficiency.
Deficiency of Vitamin A can severely affect nail health because this vitamin helps the body process protein. Protein is an important constituent present in the nails.
Low intake may create problem in processing proteins, resulting in hangnails and brittle nails. Retinoid is a derivative of Vitamin A whose deficiency can cause nail fragility, softening and nail shedding.
Vitamin B is an essential vitamin that is required for strengthening of nails. Low intake of this vitamin can cause brittle and fragile nails. Deficiency of Vitamin C can cause hangnails.
Calcium is required for healthy and strong nails. Low intake of calcium or Vitamin D will lead to brittle and dry nails. Deficiency of Vitamin D tends to decrease the absorption of calcium in the body and eventually affects nail health.
Fingernails vitamin deficiency causing dry and brittle nails may further lead to various health disorder including infectious diseases, thyroid, impaired kidney function and hindered blood circulation.
To fight the problem of weak and splitting nails, try to incorporate lots of fruits and raw vegetables in your diet. Consume enriched food sources like broccoli, fish, onions, milk, dairy products and whole grains. Good water intake can also help improve nail disorders.
Most people have nails that are slightly brittle, which is why their nails crack, break and peel off. However, brittle nails are more common and severe in some people and could actually turn into an embarrassment. Brittle fingernails are seen in around 20% of the overall population and studies indicate that women are more prone to them, than men are.
Nancy Ortiz wrote on :
It doesn’t always have to do with nutrition. Just the fact of aging (gulp) can make our nails more brittle.
Have they ruled these out:
1) hypothyroidism – have you had a blood TSH done
2) Had your Vitamin D blood levels checked?
3) Adequate Vitamin C intake (not megadoses – just regular consumption)
Shirley Farley wrote on :
Hi Dixie, Almost all of us should be on a good multivitamin because even with an excellent diet it is difficult to get daily requirements for optimum health. There are several reasons for this. Plants require only 19 nutrients to grow well and that’s all the modern agribusiness provides. Humans need approximately 40 nutrients to maintain health. Organically grown plants absorb many of these extra nutrients from rich soil–but unless you are eating organic veggies and fruit your diet is sadly lacking. Meat proteins (unless organic) come with built in toxins including hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides. These toxins up your nutrient requirements. Multivitamins help fill in the gaps. Jarrow Laboratories has an excellent formula and is one I recommend. It comes with or without iron (sounds like you had a problem there). Back to splitting nails–the simple answer is protein. The time honored solution is gelatin (at least one small packet daily) and I’d look for it at a good healthfood store.
Nancy Ortiz wrote on :
I do NOT agree that we all should be on a regular Vitamin supplement. One case in point many are already getting too much folic acid which MAY increase colon polyps—–>colon cancer.
dixie.deloach@yahoo.com wrote on :
Thank you Shirley. I’ll be going to the drug store right after church tomorrow and there is a healthfood store two blocks down. I’ll let you know if/when I see improvements.
Caroline Cederquist M.D. wrote on :
Hello Dixie Deloach,
Though fragile and splitting nails can be cause by a number of things, the one I find to be most common is protein deficiency. Make sure you are taking lean proteins like fish, chicken, turkey, shrimp, low fat dairy products, eggs, or vegetarian protein sources like soy or vegan protein powder blends. Make an effort to eat protein at every meal.
Very often, women who are having sub-optimal thyroid levels will have a number of symptoms, including weak nails, constipation, fatigue, and foggy thinking. You may want to discuss this with your doctor if you are having any of these other symptoms as well.
If you would like to continue the supplement route, investigate Vitamin C, Copper, and Biotin. Ensure you balance copper supplements by taking zinc as well.
Wishing You the Best of Health,
Dr. Caroline Cederquist
dixie.deloach@yahoo.com wrote on :
Wow! I running a copy of this for my doc. Thanks for such a quick response!
Caroline Cederquist M.D. wrote on :
My pleasure Dixie. Good Luck!
dixie.deloach@yahoo.com wrote on :
I’be been on a strict diet since last October, and have basically eliminated all meats. The doctor I’m seeing for the weight loss, does not allow beans, breads, carbs and water is the only liquid I have (OK – most of the time). I can not stand “protein” shakes. They make me ill. On my modified diet I’ve lost between 35-40 lbs. I’m 57 years old, 5’5″, and weigh around 130 lbs. now. I am trying to loose 5-10 more before I stop. I’ve been feeling fine, but my chipping, splitting, breaking, bending nails looked just awful. You, Dr, Cederquist, are AMAZING! I added small portions of meat (mostly chicken and fish) 2-3 times a week back into my diet. My weight loss ssslooooded down, but I can wear my rings again with out embarrassment at least. Now I have another question: Why is my hair thinning and what, if anything can I do to 1) stop the loss?; 2) grow it back?
I love this website. Are we blogging? I’ve never done blogging before.
Dixie.DeLoach@Yahoo.com
JustD wrote on :
Curious, I thought I was suffering from hypothyroidism, had all the symptoms, took the test, but my results came back within range… But I still have the weak nails, constipation, fatigue, and foggy thinking you wrote about. Is there some other reason(s) that I should investigate. I’m without medical so it’s hard for me to just go see a physician without a down payment in advance. Thanks for any response you may give.