Brittle Nails

Brittle nails can be weak, thin, nails that peel or break easily, and/or grow slowly.

The common condition of brittle nails is often not definitively linked with any known cause. Nonetheless, natural medicine may be able to help strengthen brittle nails.

Most conditions that affect nails are unrelated to nutrition; they are caused by a lack of oxygen associated with lung conditions, hemorrhage due to infection, or inflammation around the nail due to infection. If there is any question about what the problem is, it is important to get a diagnosis from a healthcare practitioner.

People with brittle nails may have frequent or easy breaking, cracking, splitting, or tearing of their nails.

Eat more cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel and herring, advises Julian Whitaker, M.D., founder and president of the Whitaker Wellness Center in Newport Beach, California. “It’s rich in omega-6 fatty acids, which can strengthen nails.” Dr. Whitaker also recommends cauliflower, soybeans, peanuts, wal nuts and lentils, which are all rich in biotin, a B vitamin that he says can prevent the splitting and cracking that are associated with brittle nails.

Get the essential fatty acids that strengthen nails by taking flaxseed oil, says Julian Whitaker, M.D., founder and president of the Whitaker Wellness Center in Newport Beach, California. It comes in capsule or liquid form, and Dr. Whitaker says to follow the dosage recommendations on the label. Flaxseed oil is available in most health food stores.