Effects of Nutrient Deficiency on the Nails: what Do They Indicate About Your Health?

What Causes It?

Iron deficiency (or anemia) is the most common cause of Koilonychia. Lack of iron in your body makes the nails brittle (1). If this condition is caused due to anemia, you may also notice other symptoms, such as:

Fatigue
Weakness
Pale skin
Shortness of breath

However, this condition can also be caused by:

Your bodys inability to absorb nutrients
External trauma to the nail
Excessive exposure to detergents and petroleum solvents
Radiation therapy or chemotherapy

It can also be hereditary or caused by environmental factors. A study found that people living in higher altitudes often experience this condition (2).

With Food

If anemia or iron deficiency causes your condition, consuming food items rich in iron is a way to combat it.

Foods that can help you overcome Koilonychia include:

Poultry
Beans
Red meat
Dark green leafy veggies
Dry fruits such as apricots and raisins

Medicines And Other Treatment Options

Compared to vegetables and other sources, your body can easily absorb iron from poultry and meat. However, if you are a vegan, the doctor may prescribe iron supplements, along with vitamin B12 supplements.

What Causes It?

Zinc deficiency often causes Beaus lines (1). However, other associated causes of this condition include:

Injury to the nail
Inflammatory conditions, such as psoriasis
Nail plate infection
Excessive picking at cuticles or nails (manicure may also cause Beaus lines)
Certain drugs (mostly chemotherapy agents)
An illness that comes with high fever (such as scarlet fever, pneumonia, measles, and mumps)

How To Fix It

Beaus lines usually go away as your nails grow (unless your nails receive further injury).

With Food

If your condition is caused due to zinc deficiency, consume foods high in zinc, such as:

Red meat
Oyster and shellfish
Legumes (such as beans and chickpeas)
Seeds (such as flaxseeds, hemp, and pumpkin seeds)
Cashew nuts
Dairy products

Medicine And Other Treatment Options

In case Beaus lines are caused by any other underlying health issue, the doctor will diagnose and treat it accordingly. Often, treating the underlying medical condition helps in making the lines disappear. Consult your doctor immediately if you see these lines on your nails.

What Causes It?

This condition is commonly seen in people with anorexia nervosa, malnutrition, and irregular eating habits and is attributed to poor food, water, and nutrient intake. Deficiency of iron, calcium, and zinc causes Onychorrhexis (1).

Other causes of brittle nails include:

Psoriasis
Eczema
Excessive use of nail polish remover or cuticle solvents
Injury to the nail
Prolonged exposure to detergent, soap, and alcohol

With Food

Have food items that are rich in vital nutrients, especially iron, calcium, and zinc. These include:

Dairy products
Seeds (chia, sesame, and poppy seeds)
Cheese
Fish such as salmon and sardines
Lentils and beans
Whey protein
Almond
Dark green leafy vegetables

Medicine And Other Treatment Options

Doctors may prescribe retinoid drugs (for oral intake) to treat brittle nails, depending on the underlying cause of your condition. Mostly, self-care measures can help improve the condition of your nails.

What Causes It?

Deficiencies of calcium, zinc, and B vitamins are the main causes of this condition (1). Treatment with these vitamins has reportedly helped in treating this condition.

However, other factors may also cause Leukonychia. They include:

Excessive nail biting
Nail injuries
Manicures
A side effect of drugs (chemotherapy drugs and sulphonamides)
Illness (anemia, liver scarring, diabetes, and eczema)
Hereditary causes

With Food

If the condition is caused due to nutrient deficiency, including these nutrients in your diet can help cure it. Consume these foods:

Dairy products
Dark green leafy vegetables
Whole grains
Legumes
Seeds

Medicine And Other Treatment Options

If nutrient deficiencies cause the condition, it will be gone when your body gets an adequate supply of those nutrients. Usually, the white spots go away as your nails keep growing. If the condition is caused by any other underlying condition (an injury or illness), it needs to be treated separately.

What Causes It?

These are mostly caused by trauma (injury to the small blood vessels underneath the nail bed). However, splinter hemorrhage is also caused by vitamin C deficiency (in some cases).

With Food

If vitamin C deficiency is the reason behind the condition, include these foods in your diet:

Brussels sprouts
Broccoli
Green leafy veggies
Spinach
Tomatoes
Sweet and white potatoes
Citrus fruits

Medicine And Other Treatment Options

Since in most of the cases, splinter hemorrhages are caused by injuries or infections, healing the injury or infection will heal your nail automatically. However, your doctor may conduct laboratory tests, such as blood culture (to detect any bacterial or fungal infection). Sometimes, such hemorrhage under the nails may indicate a type of melanoma. If your doctor suspects melanoma, they may also conduct a biopsy.

With Food

A balanced diet rich in all essential vitamins and nutrients is key to eliminate vertical ridging. This is a fairly common issue and can be easily treated. Have a balanced diet that includes:

Vegetables
Whole grains
Dairy products
Fish and seafood
Meat and poultry products

Medicine And Other Treatment Options

The doctor may give you nutrient supplements to make up for the nutrient deficiency. Apart from that, self-care is also important to avoid any unnecessary injury to the nails.

What Causes It?

Hapalonychia, also known as eggshell nails, is caused due to malnutrition, especially the deficiency of vitamins A, B6, C, and D. Low calcium level is also one of the causes of this condition (3).

With Food

The best remedy for this condition is by getting proper nutrients through food. Consume lots of:

Fresh vegetables
Cereals
Dairy products
Fish liver oil
Fruits
Saltwater fish (these are a rich source of micronutrients)

Medicine And Other Treatment Options

The doctor may prescribe vitamin and biotin supplements. Also, avoid any nail cosmetics and nail procedures (manicures) if you see that you have soft nails.

What Causes It?

Iodine deficiency may cause clubbing of nails sometimes. However, clubbing is also associated with:

Low oxygen levels in the blood
Lung disease
Inflammatory bowel syndrome
Cardiovascular or liver disease

With Food

Include food sources rich in iodine and other nutrients in your diet, such as:

Iodized salt
Shrimp
Seaweed
Prunes
Dairy
Lima beans

Medicine And Other Treatment Options

Nail clubbing may indicate other serious health ailments, such as lung and heart issues. So, if you notice these symptoms, consult a doctor immediately. Treating these health conditions will help in reducing the nail deformity.

What Causes It?

Anemia is the most common cause of pallor of the nail bed. This condition is associated with low levels of iron in your body.

With Food

A diet change is the best way to deal with anemia that causes pallor of nail beds. Design a diet plan to combat anemia and consume these foods:

Green leafy veggies (kale, spinach, Swiss chard)
Meat and poultry
Seafood (fresh salmon, halibut, tuna, and sardines)
Calcium-rich foods, such as broccoli, tofu, cheese, kefir, and yogurt
Beans
Nuts and seeds

Medicine And Other Treatment Options

The doctor may conduct a Complete Blood Count (CBC) test and prescribe iron supplements.

What Causes It?

Often, melanonychia is caused due to malnutrition and lack of essential proteins and energy in your body. The melanocytes deposit melanin on the nail bed, and that is why you see those longitudinal strips on your nails. Apart from malnutrition, several other factors may activate the melanocytes. They include:

Trauma and injury
Infection
Psoriasis
Hyperthyroidism
Photosensitivity
Tobacco
Henna
Exposure to X-ray
Excess iron in the body

With Food

If your condition is caused due to malnutrition, eating healthy is the only way to reduce the pigmentation on your nails. Consume:

Red meat (but in limited quantities)
Cheese and milk
Fresh vegetables (especially leafy greens)
Seasonal fruits
Nuts and seeds
Seafood
Whole grains

Medicine And Other Treatment Options

Treatment options for melanonychia depend on its cause. If the cause is an infection, the doctor may give you antifungal medicines and antibiotics.

Taking good care of your nails is equally important. Heres a list of a few dos and donts to keep your nails in good condition.

Do Not

Vitamin deficiency may result in weak and brittle nails. Lack of essential vitamins, minerals, and proteins may cause melanonychia, leukonychia, splinter hemorrhages, beaus lines, onychorrhexis, and koilonychia. These conditions may cause symptoms like nail plate infection, nail injury, white spots and patches on your nails, and longitudinal furrows. Consuming a healthy diet with pork, beans, red meat, dark green veggies, almond, whey protein, dairy products, eggs, legumes, seeds, and fruits may help heal vitamin deficiency nails. You may also fix this condition with medicines and other treatment options.

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