The look of your nails can say a lot about your inner health and your age. Healthy nails grow continuously, slowing as you get older. Dry, brittle nails are common complaints, characterized by vertical splitting or separating of the nail, due to aging. But this doesn't mean you have to have short, dry, brittle nails as you age. Good nutrition that includes vitamins and minerals, protein and dairy will help lead to healthy nails no matter your age.
Identification
Nails are made of the protein keratin, much like hair. They are also composed of calcium, sulfur, fats and water, according to the Life Extension website. The visible part of the nail is called the nail plate. The half moon area under the cuticle is called the matrix. The American Academy of Dermatology reports that living cells begin in the matrix and as new skin cells grow, the older cells are pushed forward. They harden and become the visible nail. The average growth rate for a nail is 2 to 3 mm per month.
Effects
According to "Human Nail Growth Pattern and Medicolegal Aspect," nails resist decomposition and disintegration more than any other body tissue; but the Life Extension website states that as you age, the moisture and natural oils going to the nail bed decline. This can account for the dry, brittle nature of an aging nail --- typically nail growth is slower in older people. Nails grow the fastest in young adults. The American Academy of Dermatology states that as a person ages, nails thicken and become more susceptible to nail conditions such as fungal infections.
Studies
A 2005 study published in the Journal of Indian Academy of Forensic Medicine showed that nail growth is not the same on all fingers. The middle fingers grow the fastest, .94 mm per 10 days and the little, "pinky," fingers grow the slowest, .79 mm per 10 days. This follows with previous claims of nails growing between 2 and 3 mm per month. The study found that the average growth rate of nails is not consistent across all age groups and that the growth of nails is faster in the young than in the old.
Nutrition
According to the Skin and Aging website, biotin is a B vitamin involved in metabolic processes and has shown to be effective in treating dry, brittle nails. A 1989 study by Floersheim, according to the Life Extension website, showed a 25 percent increase in nail thickness with individuals who had brittle nails and took 2.5 mg of biotin daily for 5.5 months. The same website reports a 1993 study by Hochma, Scher, et al, had results of significant decrease in brittle, splitting nails in patients who took a biotin supplement for 3 to 6 months.
Considerations
The growth of nails is slower in winter than in summer, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Cutting nails speeds up the growth rate, as does nail biting, according to the Journal of Indian Academy of Forensic Medicine. Nail growth needs considerable protein synthesis so a diet with adequate protein benefits the health of the nail. Vitamin E, silicon, iron and zinc have been shown to help nails become stronger and thicker, according to the Life Extension website.
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