Fingernail Problems
fingernail problemsTake a look at your hands, specifically your fingernails. What do you think they say about your health?
A lot, actually. To someone with a practiced eye, fingernails are like little signposts that reveal whether you’re deficient in vitamins and minerals and whether you’re digesting your food well. Some experts say that fingernails can even reveal whether you have a condition like heart disease or diabetes.
"Usually, fingernail symptoms are a sign of something else happening in the body," says Leon Hecht, N.D., a naturopathic doctor at North Coast Family Health in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Soft nails that look scooped out—called spooned nails—may indicate anemia or an iron deficiency. Nails with white spots may be a result of a zinc deficiency. If your nails are brittle and break easily, you may need more vitamin B12. Discolored nails could mean trouble with your blood sugar. Nails that separate from the nail bed may caused by a fungal infection or a thyroid problem.
"When you have nail problems, it’s always important to have your thyroid checked first," says Michael Gazsi, N.D., a naturopathic doctor in Ridgefield, Connecticut. "If your thyroid is okay, you could try some self-treatment with supplements."
Dose Up
If a doctor has determined that you don’t have a thyroid problem or some other serious condition that requires immediate treatment, there are some supplements that will help you have generally healthier nails.
Your first action should be to take a high-potency multivitamin/mineral supplement, says Dr. Gazsi. "I often recommend vitamins that exceed the daily allowances."
If white flecks on your nails concern you and the multivitamin doesn’t help, you might consider a daily supplement of zinc, somewhere between 30 and 50 milligrams, in addition to your multi, says Dr. Gazsi. Your total daily intake of zinc should be between 30 and 50 milligrams.
Pack In More Protein
Nails and hair are made of protein. "When the body isn’t doing a good job of assimilating protein, it may show up in the nails," says Dr. Hecht. The signs could be weak, peeling, or brittle nails.
This can happen with alcoholics who have damaged stomach cells, or it may be caused by some autoimmune diseases. Often, however, it is simply the result of aging. As we grow older, our bodies produce less hydrochloric acid and pepsin, an important digestive enzyme secreted in the stomach.
"Hydrochloric acid and pepsin are really important for breaking down proteins and absorbing minerals," says Dr. Hecht. "If you have a hydrochloric acid deficiency, you don’t extract all the nutrients from your food. You can aid your digestion and absorption of vitamins and minerals by taking two to six 500-milligram capsules of a hydrochloric acid supplement (betaine hydrochloride) with each full-size meal." Take the capsules after the first few bites of food.
Some people experience digestive side effects such as heartburn, gastric reflux, and a burning feeling in the chest or stomach from hydrochloric acid. Check with your doctor before taking this supplement, and be sure to follow the recommendations given on page 498. "I recommend taking hydrochloric acid for a couple of months and watching what effect it has on your nails," says Dr. Hecht. "It will take time to work."
Eventually, you may be able to stop the treatment, he says, but that’s not always the case. "For some people, it’s necessary to take low doses of hydrochloric acid (typically, two 500-milligram capsules with each meal) for the rest of their lives," says Dr. Hecht.
Fatty Acids Are Essential
To have healthy nails and skin, you also need essential fatty acids, Dr. Gazsi points out. Some people who have poor, unbalanced diets often don’t get enough of these.
Essential fatty acids are easily obtained from eggs, nuts, vegetables, butter, and whole milk. You can also get them from a supplement like flaxseed oil or evening primrose oil.
Flaxseed oil can be used in place of olive oil on a salad, or you can take it straight by the spoonful, says Dr. Gazsi. He recommends two tablespoons daily. For evening primrose oil, he recommends a 500-milligram capsule a day. "Don’t expect anything to happen overnight, though," he says. "It might take several months."
Go for the Bs
In a few cases, fingernail problems may be related to a B-vitamin deficiency. Dr. Gazsi recommends taking a B-complex or B-50 supplement—one in the morning and one in the evening. If you have a supplement that provides 100-milligram strengths of the B vitamins, take just one capsule daily, preferably with a meal. "There are a lot of good B formulas out there in the health food stores," he says.
If you’re feeling run-down and fatigued, you can take a supplement of B12, which has been shown in some studies to boost low energy. Dr. Gazsi suggests 1,000 micrograms twice a day for up to four months.
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