Do Soft and Brittle Nails Indicate Osteoporosis? How to Treat Nail Ridges & Brittle Finger Nails

There is a belief that soft and brittle nails are an early indicator of osteoporosis, many people ask me if there is any truth to this belief.

Although I am not aware of research that confirms the link between brittle nails and osteoporosis, one may exist. Many people who come to my office with this symptom often see improvements when they add a balanced bone mineral formula to their osteoporosis program. This means that nails are likely a better indicator of certain vitamin or mineral deficiencies which, when left uncorrected, could ultimately lead to osteoporosis. With limited research, we cannot assume that brittle nails are an indicator of osteoporosis because it is possible to have brittle nails without necessarily having weak bones. Over time, it is possible that the very same deficiencies that cause brittle nails may also lead to osteoporosis. This is an important distinction because when the nutrient deficiencies have been corrected and the nails improve, this does not necessarily mean that you are “out of the woods” as far as osteoporosis is concerned.

A recent study evaluated the published literature to see if there was any scientific proof that nutritional deficiencies could lead to what is called “Brittle Nail Syndrome”. After evaluating the literature, the researchers had three main findings:

1. Proper nail care plays an important role in nail health
2. There is no scientific evidence that supplementing with vitamin A, C, E, zinc, iron, copper or vitamin B12 will correct the problem
3. Brittle Nail Syndrome can be corrected with 2.5 mg of biotin or 10 mg of silicon daily (The silicon should be in the stable form called choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid)

(J Drugs Dermatol 2007;6:782-787)

These findings are interesting but not unexpected. Biotin is well known for its benefits in improving nail ridges and eliminating weakness. However, most people who supplement with biotin often take a tiny dose that will not be sufficient to impact the nails. I have found that people respond to 3 mg daily (3000 mcg) or more but may not respond to lower amounts. I have also used the stabilized silica quite successfully. Incidentally, silicon is quite beneficial for the bones and an important component of any osteoporosis nutrition program. A side benefit of this form of silicon is a decrease in age-related fine lines of the skin by 19%.