Brittle or ridged nails may be a sign of vitamin deficiency anemia, or a lack of healthy red blood cells. Deficiencies in B vitamins such as folate, B-12 and B-6 can cause anemia. The body needs these B vitamins to produce red blood cells and hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen to organs and tissues throughout the body.
Other Symptoms
In addition to brittle nails, vitamin deficiency anemia may cause weakness, fatigue, light-headedness, headaches, irritability, pale skin, sore tongue, constipation, loss of appetite and weight loss. Vitamin B-6 deficiency may cause skin inflammation and convulsions, and folate deficiency may cause heart palpitations and behavioral problems. Long-term vitamin B-12 deficiency can cause permanent damage to neurological functions and the nervous system, causing numbness and tingling, confusion, memory loss and dementia, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.
Risk Factors
Deficiencies in vitamin B-6 and folate occur only rarely in the United States, but alcoholics and older adults may be more vulnerable to these conditions. Individuals at high risk for vitamin B-12 deficiency include vegetarians and vegans, individuals who have had gastrointestinal surgery and individuals with atrophic gastritis, celiac disease, Crohn's disease or pernicious anemia.
Prevention and Treatment
Maintaining a healthy, varied diet rich in vitamins and minerals can help prevent anemia. Animal-based foods such as beef liver, clams, fish, chicken and eggs provide good sources of vitamin B-12, and leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits and legumes provide good sources of folate. Vitamin B-6 exists in a wide variety of foods, including meat, poultry, fish, beans, and some fruits and vegetables. Many fortified cereals contain added vitamin B-12, B-6 and folic acid, a synthetic form of folate. The University of Maryland Medical Center suggests that supplementation with the B vitamin biotin can help strengthen nails. More research is needed to determine biotin's effectiveness in the area, however, according to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University.
Other Causes of Brittle Nails
Iron deficiency can cause anemia with symptoms similar to those associated with vitamin deficiency anemia. Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism may also cause brittle nails. Arsenic poisoning can cause horizontal ridges on the nails. Other conditions that can damage nails include kidney disease; liver disease; psoriasis; systemic amyloidosos, which can cause skin lesions anywhere on the body as well as nail dystrophy; malnutrition; and lichen planus, an inflammatory condition that affects your skin and mucous membranes.
References
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements: Folate
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin B-12
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin B-6
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Nail Abnormalities
- NYU Langone Medical Center: Anemia
- Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University: Biotin
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