Sometimes, the look of the nails after removing the polish can be very disheartening. This is because of the spots, discolouration and brittleness which become visible on the bare nails. These are mostly signs of some health issues, especially nutritional deficiency. So instead of avoiding the problem, nail issues should be addressed by attacking the deficiency at its source. Adequate intake of essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals is important for healthy nails and body. They ensure proper growth, rejuvenation and maintenance of healthy nails. A diet biotin rich diet which includes foods like almonds, salmon, swiss chard, peanuts, and eggs, greatly boosts the nail health. However, most people do not get enough supply of these nutrients through their diet. This is where nutrient supplements come in. It is the easiest way of getting the optimal amount of nutrition and making up for the nutritional deficiencies. Read on to know how can supplements help strengthen your nails.
The Role of Supplements in Enhancing Nail Heath
The key supplements for strong and healthy nails are:
Biotin Supplements: Not only does biotin make your hair luscious, but biotin also gives the nail health a major boost. This B-complex vitamin promotes nail growth and gets absorbed where both nail and skin cells are generated. According to experts, one should take biotin supplements for at least 4 months to see the benefits in the nails.
About 2000 to 3000 micrograms of biotin should be taken daily for strengthening your nails. In a small, controlled, study conducted on women with brittle nails, it was seen that a daily dose of 2500 mcg of biotin for 6 to 9 months increased the nail thickness by 25% and decreased the tendency of nails to split considerably.
Zinc Supplements: Zinc plays a vital role in healthy cell division. Nails splitting easily and appearance of spots of discoloration on bare nails are symptoms of a zinc deficiency. Regular intake of zinc supplements can help balance this deficiency, improve nail growth and enhance the overall nail health.
Vitamin C Supplements: Vitamin C is not only useful for enhancing skin health, boosting immunity, and keeping diseases at bay, but is equally helpful in improving the nail growth and strength. So, taking vitamin C supplement helps in strengthening your nails.
Folic Acid Supplements: Folic acid supports nail growth by producing new cells and tissues in the body. One can grow long tresses, fight depression and boost the overall nail health, simply by adding folic acid to their supplement regime.
Iron Supplements: Appearance of abnormal indentions on the nails can indicate deficiency of iron in the diet. Lack of iron in the body causes thin, curved, or ridged nails. Iron plays an important role in keratin production, a building block of healthy nails. So, by having iron supplements regularly, one can help to balance the deficiency and get strong and beautiful nails in no time.
Cysteine Supplements: Cysteine is an amino acid found naturally in the nails and is a revitalizing agent in nail growth. Cysteine works as an antioxidant and boosts collagen production. Thus, having cysteine supplements is very important when looking to enhance the strength and growth rate of the nails.
Conclusion
To answer the question; YES supplements do help strengthen your nails. Just like what one eats reflects on their skin, their diet also majorly influences the look of their nails. So, a cute nail art or trendy shade is not required to make a manicure look fabulous. A proper diet and the above mentioned nutritional supplements can do the job naturally and strengthening your nails. So instead of making a salon appointment on chipping a nail, it is always better to reach for one of these supplements for healthy nails.
Also Read:
- Nail Diseases: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment- Antifungal Medications, Antibiotics, Laser
- Ingrown Toenail or Onychocryptosis: Causes, Signs, Symptoms, Investigations, Treatment, Home Remedies, Prevention
- Fungal Nail Infection: Causes, Treatment, Home Remedies, Symptoms, Prevention
- Onychogryphosis or Ram’s Horn Nails: Causes, Signs, Symptoms, Treatment, Prevention
- Nail-Patella Syndrome: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment
- Rubbing Nails Is An Effective Treatment For Hair Loss
- Toenail Fungus: Causes, Symptoms, Risk Factors, Treatment, Home Remedies, Complications
- Beau’s Lines or Horizontal Ridges on Nails
- Ridges on Nails: What do the Vertical Lines on Nails Suggest?
