Fingernails and Nutrition...help!

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MissGeorgiaPeachy
MissGeorgiaPeachy Posts: 313 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone,

I'm not sure if I'm posting this topic in the right forum, but here it goes anyway.

Since I've been dieting for the past three weeks, I've noticed my fingernails are becoming increasingly brittle to the point where they're just peeling off. I've always had thin, flat fingernails, but the peeling and cracking has never been this bad so I'm assuming it has something to do with the change in my diet.

Does anyone have any tips on what I should be eating that's good for my fingernails? I haven't been logging my water, but I'm drinking close to 64 ounces a day, sometimes more. It's just so frustrating! Just as I'm typing this, my pinky nail hit a key on the keyboard just right and the tip is white now and looks like it's ready to peel too. Ugh!

Any advice is welcome, even if there's some kind of nail treatment I can get at a salon that would help. Thanks!!

Replies

  • TKHappy
    TKHappy Posts: 659 Member
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    Awhile back I had some issues, one of them being my nails were breaking! Once I got it straightened out my doctor recommeneded I take a vitamin called Biotin! Its part of the B vitamins and helps in the hair and nail department, I suppose with doc approval it wouldn't hurt to add to your daily vitamins! :)
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    I would try eating some food. Your 900 calories a day isn't supplying you with adequate nutrition.
  • messyinthekitchen
    messyinthekitchen Posts: 662 Member
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    You can take biotin like the above poster noted. It does cause acne in some people though. And increased hair growth everywhere which could be considered good or bad to each individual. Bad for me lol. I stopped taking biotin. I take a prenatal, a b12 and omega daily and this has helped tremendously. I used to have dry, brittle, soft and peeling nails. In the meantime you could use a gel nail strengthener.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    You're not giving your body enough nutrition. That's why your nails are peeling. Mine did that - then my hair started falling out. This happened when I was eating 1400 calories a day - not enough for me.

    There's a lot of info on this site about eating above your BMR. I suggest you read this link:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    There are a lot of arguments that you don't need to worry about BMR (I believe otherwise, having experienced the side effects), but almost everyone agrees that you need at least 1200 calories a day.
  • MissGeorgiaPeachy
    MissGeorgiaPeachy Posts: 313 Member
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    You can take biotin like the above poster noted. It does cause acne in some people though. And increased hair growth everywhere which could be considered good or bad to each individual. Bad for me lol. I stopped taking biotin. I take a prenatal, a b12 and omega daily and this has helped tremendously. I used to have dry, brittle, soft and peeling nails. In the meantime you could use a gel nail strengthener.

    Eeee I don't want extra hair growth! :( I'm already taking B12 daily and I go in weekly for a B6/B12/Lipo injection shot, but I'll definitely check out the Omega. What does the prenatal do?

    I'll have to check out the gel nail strengthener too. Gel seems to be all the rage these days. I see it everywhere at Ulta. Thanks for your help!
  • MissGeorgiaPeachy
    MissGeorgiaPeachy Posts: 313 Member
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    Awhile back I had some issues, one of them being my nails were breaking! Once I got it straightened out my doctor recommeneded I take a vitamin called Biotin! Its part of the B vitamins and helps in the hair and nail department, I suppose with doc approval it wouldn't hurt to add to your daily vitamins! :)

    I was totally on board with this until a couple of posts down when I got scared I would have extra hair growth! haha I may just have to try this anyway if nothing else works. It irritates me beyond belief. Thanks for your help!
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    Eat more food. Some days you are way under 1,200 calories.
  • MissGeorgiaPeachy
    MissGeorgiaPeachy Posts: 313 Member
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    I would try eating some food. Your 900 calories a day isn't supplying you with adequate nutrition.

    lol You are absolutely right. That's one of the big problems I was having last week. I knew I wasn't eating enough so I've tried to eat more this week after other advice I got from another thread I posted. It seems like every week there's something new.

    Week 1- I lost too much weight because I wasn't eating and lost 9lbs due to water weight.

    Week 2- I wasn't eating enough and wasn't losing weight anymore.

    Week 3- Tried upping my calories and weaned myself off Phentermine and am having nail problems.

    Week 4- Bring it!
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
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    Definitely need some extra nutrition in your diet. Up the protein significantly and also see about a daily multivitamin to cover deficiencies from diet variation.
  • beachlover317
    beachlover317 Posts: 2,848 Member
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    You're not giving your body enough nutrition. That's why your nails are peeling. Mine did that - then my hair started falling out. This happened when I was eating 1400 calories a day - not enough for me.

    There's a lot of info on this site about eating above your BMR. I suggest you read this link:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    There are a lot of arguments that you don't need to worry about BMR (I believe otherwise, having experienced the side effects), but almost everyone agrees that you need at least 1200 calories a day.

    This.
  • MissGeorgiaPeachy
    MissGeorgiaPeachy Posts: 313 Member
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    You're not giving your body enough nutrition. That's why your nails are peeling. Mine did that - then my hair started falling out. This happened when I was eating 1400 calories a day - not enough for me.

    There's a lot of info on this site about eating above your BMR. I suggest you read this link:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    There are a lot of arguments that you don't need to worry about BMR (I believe otherwise, having experienced the side effects), but almost everyone agrees that you need at least 1200 calories a day.

    The whole BMR/TDEE thing confuses me still. My BMR and TDEE are within 300 points of each other and I'm reading that you need at least a 500 calorie deficit, which I guess I'd have to make up the extra 200 points with exercise daily, but since this is the first week I haven't felt tired and sluggish due to not eating enough, I haven't even begun to get there yet and even if I did, I have no idea how I'd eat 1800 calories without eating all day long. When I eat 1200 I feel full all day, any more than that and I think I'd make myself sick unless I was eating the types of fatty foods I was eating before and I definitely don't want to go back to that.

    My main issue with eating healthy is that the healthy food I like isn't high in calories at all. I can't think of what else to do. I'm still trying to work that out. Every week I am having a new issue, lol. Then again, every week I learn something new on here and try to move past the mistakes I've been making. I'm going to sort this out eventually, I swear!!
  • Cocochickdeleted
    Cocochickdeleted Posts: 343 Member
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    I have heard that gelatin capsules help. I don't take them because I'm a vegetarian, but my grandma swore by them, and she had AWESOME nails!
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
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    I ate under my BMR for YEARS. Every day, I needed my 1 hour nap. I just felt so exhausted without it.

    When I started eating closer to my BMR (honestly, I usually fall a tad short still, am trying though), almost instantly I didn't need to nap anymore. I haven't napped in almost 2 weeks, haven't felt the need to at all. It is the strangest feeling not napping.

    So, instead of that hour long nap, I walk an hour. My BMR is about 1550 and my TDEE is 1850. So, I also have a 300 calorie deficit max there. So, I gotta do some exercise to get it up to 500. And that hour long walk is PERFECT. I feel more energized after it and really enjoy the mental break I can take out in nature with my head phones.

    Hopefully it goes the same for you!
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    I would try eating some food. Your 900 calories a day isn't supplying you with adequate nutrition.

    lol You are absolutely right. That's one of the big problems I was having last week. I knew I wasn't eating enough so I've tried to eat more this week after other advice I got from another thread I posted. It seems like every week there's something new.

    Week 1- I lost too much weight because I wasn't eating and lost 9lbs due to water weight.

    Week 2- I wasn't eating enough and wasn't losing weight anymore.

    Week 3- Tried upping my calories and weaned myself off Phentermine and am having nail problems.

    Week 4- Bring it!
    Keep eating right and give it a little time. Your nails won't clear up immediately; they have a somewhat delayed reaction. If you continue having problems you may want to revisit this, but I'd bet that if you eat your BMR, (healthy food with vitamins) and maybe take a multivitamin, you'll be ok.
  • MissGeorgiaPeachy
    MissGeorgiaPeachy Posts: 313 Member
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    Definitely need some extra nutrition in your diet. Up the protein significantly and also see about a daily multivitamin to cover deficiencies from diet variation.

    More food and vitamins seem to be the consensus. I keep peanut butter on hand at work for a quick protein boost, but it looks like I'm going to have to start eating eggs and bringing chicken to work, which is totally my fault for being lazy and that's one of the bad habits I need to kick in the butt asap! Each week is a new learning experience, but I keep falling back on old habits. Am definitely going to look into the vitamins though and adding more protein.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    Did you get your BMR number from this website? That is not true BMR, it calculates your BMR and then asks your normal activity level and adds more. So that is not your true BMR and you may not have only a 300 cal gap between BMR and TDEE.
  • Skyyy12
    Skyyy12 Posts: 24
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    Awhile back I had some issues, one of them being my nails were breaking! Once I got it straightened out my doctor recommeneded I take a vitamin called Biotin! Its part of the B vitamins and helps in the hair and nail department, I suppose with doc approval it wouldn't hurt to add to your daily vitamins! :)


    This is the best way to go!. Biotin helps with your hair & nails! Good luck & stick to it!
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
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    Vitamin C and D as well as Iron and Selenium and most B vitamins also help with nails.
  • MissGeorgiaPeachy
    MissGeorgiaPeachy Posts: 313 Member
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    I have heard that gelatin capsules help. I don't take them because I'm a vegetarian, but my grandma swore by them, and she had AWESOME nails!

    Interesting... another thing I'll look into. Thanks!
  • MissGeorgiaPeachy
    MissGeorgiaPeachy Posts: 313 Member
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    Vitamin C and D as well as Iron and Selenium and most B vitamins also help with nails.

    Thanks so much for all your help! I will get the hang of all this eventually!

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