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Fingernails that split, flake and peel
Can you suggest anything for fingernails that split, flake and peel and are mottled with white spots? I understand the latter is caused by a lack of calcium. Is that right?
To natural healers, the nails act as a mirror to what is going on inside the body. In perfect health, they should be pink with a mild sheen and a nice, rounded shape. Brittle nails that break easily and white spots are both signs of an underlying nutritional deficiency, but even the shape of the nails can signal a lack of certain nutrients.
Concave nails, for instance, can be a sign of a deficiency in iron while horizontal grooves across the nail bed suggest a need for more zinc in the diet. Calcium is important, of course, but so are zinc and silica. In fact, white flecks across the nail are more often a sign of a zinc deficiency than a shortage of calcium.
As well as these nutrients, Solgar's new Hair, Skin and Nails supplement also includes MSM - short for methylsulphonylmethane - which was originally formulated to relieve arthritis and aching joints, but also produced a number of unexpected but very welcome side-effects. These include thicker, glossier hair, smoother, clearer skin, and longer, stronger fingernails.
MSM is a naturally occurring form of organic sulphur that the body needs to make keratin, the tough substance in nails, skin, and hair. Sadly, levels drop off as you age so you have less now than when you were a teenager.
* Solgar's Hair, Skin and Nails costs £7.95 for 60 tablets. For local stockists, call 01442-890355