Weak or Brittle Nails: What Your Body Is Trying to Tell You

1. Nutritional Deficiencies That Affect Nail Health

Your nails are made primarily of keratin, a structural protein that depends on a steady supply of vitamins and minerals. When your diet falls short, your nails are often among the first to show it.

Biotin (Vitamin B7) Deficiency

Biotin plays a key role in maintaining healthy nails, hair, and skin. A lack of biotin can cause nails to become thin, brittle, and prone to splitting.

Foods rich in biotin include:

• Eggs
• Almonds
• Cauliflower
• Cheese
• Mushrooms
• Sweet potatoes
• Spinach

Consistently including these foods in your diet may help strengthen nails over time.

Iron Deficiency

Iron is essential for producing hemoglobin, which delivers oxygen to cells throughout the body—including those responsible for nail growth. Low iron levels can lead to brittle, fragile, or unusually shaped nails.

Iron-rich foods to consider: