Although brittle nails do come with the natural aging process, you may experience them due to a rare case of malnutrition. Even though vitamins can help to strengthen nails, brittle nails are more likely caused by other things than a lack of certain vitamins. Before deciding on how to treat your nail condition, talk with your health care provider about what may be the cause, and see if it must be treated with medication or dietary supplements.
Symptoms of Brittle Nails
If your nails often split, crack, tear, or break easily, you likely have brittle nails. There's no exact known cause for brittle nails, as it could readily be the result of normal aging. You may want to consider when you began noticing your nails breaking, thinning, or peeling, and try to remember if you made any dietary changes. If not, the condition may not be nutrition-related. Even long-term use of nail polish can cause brittle nails, says the Drexel University College of Medicine.
Biotin for Healthier Nails
Biotin is a recommended vitamin to take to increase your nails' strength. You may want to take about 2.5 milligrams of biotin for several months to possibly improve nail thickening and strengthening, says the Drexel College of Medicine. If you prefer non-supplemental sources, biotin is naturally found in romaine lettuce, carrots, chard and tomatoes. If you also notice slight loss of hair, biotin promotes healthy hair growth as well, which is why the vitamin is put into hair and skin products.
More on Biotin
It's difficult to even say that brittle nails are caused by a biotin deficiency because that condition is rare. The varied kinds of natural sources of the vitamin make a deficiency rare. Remember, taking more biotin is for strengthening your nails, not curing brittleness.
Considerations
If you are experiencing stress that causes you to bite your nails, then you may have to switch to chewing gum. You could be causing an infection where your nails grow, which may lead them to become brittle. Examine to see which nails are unhealthy and determine if there is something you have done, perhaps repeatedly, with those particular fingernails. That may provide clues to the cause. If other nails appear normal, the problem may only be temporary if treated properly. Also, if you believe that nail polish is the culprit, try quitting use of the product, then try clear nail polish with protein, an ingredient that can help give you stronger nails.
Warning
Do not wait until you have fingernails that appear to require immediate treatment before seeking medical attention. If the brittle nails persist, don't hesitate to talk to a doctor. Brittleness has also been associated with lung conditions, which may become critical after a long enough time period. The best way of staying healthy is to stay informed about the state of your health.
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