Nail health is what element of the body

Nails are like miniature health noticeboards attached to the fingertips. Their condition can indeed reflect the body's nutritional reserves, but it does not correspond to a single element. Insufficient intake of common nutrients such as calcium, iron, zinc, protein, B vitamins, and biotin may leave traces on the nails.

I have been a public nutritionist for almost six years, and most of the offline consultations I received were about nail problems. Last month, I received a little girl who was a sophomore in high school. Her ten nails were covered with white spots. Her mother gave her calcium and zinc oral liquid for more than three months, but it was not good at all. I only found out after careful questioning. Dao's child was recently preparing for the college entrance examination. She ate takeout every day, rarely touched eggs, milk and vegetables, and couldn't help biting her nails. Later, she adjusted her diet and replaced her usual puffed snacks in the afternoon with plain nuts and warm milk. Within a month, the white spots on her nails gradually disappeared.

But don’t just blame all abnormalities in nails on “lack of elements”. Many of the theories posted on the Internet are actually untenable. For example, it has been said for more than ten years that "less lunula means a weak body and lack of nutrition." I have met many people who buy a lot of supplements because they only have lunula on their thumbs. In fact, lunula are essentially new nails that are not completely keratinized by the synthesis of methyl groups. Some people are born with methyl groups at the back, and the nails that grow out are completely keratinized. Naturally, there are not many lunulae, and it has nothing to do with the lack of any element.

Some people’s nails become inexplicably thick and yellow, with bumps on the surface, and they wonder if they should take vitamin supplements. In fact, it is most likely onychomycosis caused by fungal infection. Taking supplements is a waste of effort. Obediently ask a dermatologist to prescribe antifungal drugs. If you frequently do manicures and always use irritating nail polish remover, your nails may become thin, easily broken, and peel off. This kind of nail damage caused by external stimulation is useless no matter how much nutrition you take. Give your nails two or three months of leave and they will recover naturally.

Of course, if you don’t have these external stimulation factors, and your nails suddenly and continuously appear abnormal, such as small sunken horizontal lines appearing inexplicably, and nail beds that are white and bloodless, you can first check whether your diet is too single. For example, people who are vegetarians for a long time are prone to iron and protein deficiencies, and people who always eat highly processed foods are prone to deficiencies in B vitamins. If you are not sure, go to the hospital to draw blood to check the nutrient levels, which is much more reliable than blindly judging the symptoms based on online posts.