If you do a Google search of “what should I take to help my nails?” the first thing that will pop up is biotin.
When it comes to supporting your nails through nutrition, biotin is always the first go-to, and this is no secret. In fact, one of the top signs of a biotin deficiency is brittle nails.
But that may have you wondering how biotin helps you grow strong, healthy nails.
Before we get into that, I want to talk more about nail care. It’s true that talking about nail health without biotin is like talking about how to stay hydrated without mentioning drinking water. But there are other variables that may decrease the health of your nails, and there are other things you can do for your nails, even if you are taking in high levels of biotin.
Let’s start with things that can cause brittle nails that don’t have to do with biotin…
If you’re lacking in biotin, your nails are most certainly going to pay the price. But there are some other factors that can make your nails brittle as well.
These include:
Age – Unfortunately, as we age, our nails are prone to change. Our toenails commonly get thicker and harder, while our fingernails become thinner and more brittle. However, maintaining proper nutrition can help mitigate this occurrence.
Iron deficiency – While low biotin levels cause your nails to become brittle, low levels of iron can as well. This is because iron deficiency leads to low red blood cell levels, which makes it harder for oxygen to reach your nails.
Hypothyroidism – Low thyroid levels can cause brittle nails, along with other conditions like hair loss, fatigue, weight gain, and depression. Thankfully, my biotin supplement – Complete Biotin Plus – also contains selenium, a mineral that has been found to significantly increase thyroid levels, naturally. [1]
Outside of ensuring you have enough biotin, what can you be doing on the outside to ensure your nails are as healthy and beautiful as possible?
Well, there are several ways for you to care for your nails, including:
✔️ Using a moisturizer, especially after washing your hands, and making a point to get the lotion on and around your nails.
✔️ Wearing gloves while cleaning with chemicals, especially harsh cleaners.
✔️ Putting on gloves outside when the weather is cold and dry.
✔️ Keeping your nails short so that there’s less surface area to absorb harmful substances.
✔️ Using a fine emery board to file your nails to help eliminate irregularities and avoid breakage and splitting.
✔️ Not picking or biting at your nails or cuticles.
✔️ Use nail polish removers that don’t include acetone.
Now that you know some other causes of brittle nails, plus how to better care for your nails (imagine how amazing your nails can look if you do all the above and have healthy biotin levels), how exactly does biotin do so much for the nails?
It comes down to one word: keratin.
Your body cannot produce keratin if it doesn’t have biotin. And if your body only has a little bit of biotin, it will have to pick and choose what to use it for, possibly deciding not to make keratin at all.
Why would this be bad news for your nails?
Because your nails are made almost entirely of keratin.
It’s the main structure of your nails. So, if you were to be without it, all of the nail care in the world wouldn’t make a difference.
On top of this, biotin can help produce skin-nourishing fatty acids that bolster the health of your skin around the nail plate.
If you’re worried that your nails may be suffering, and it seems that no matter what you do, they’re thin and brittle, I’ve got you covered.
Complete Biotin Plus is designed to be FULLY absorbed into your bloodstream so that your body can make all of the keratin it needs to build you strong and healthy nails.
Plus, Complete Biotin Plus contains FOUR other health-boosting ingredients (including selenium, as mentioned above) so you can have healthy nails, hair, and skin!