Silicon is an essential trace mineral that is vital to the health of bone and skin. It helps facilitate the formation of collagen, which is necessary for the strength and healthy development of epithelial and skeletal connective tissue. In a recent study, silicon was examined for its ability to improve skin and nail health in women who had sun-damaged skin. Chronic exposure to sunlight has been shown to damage connective tissue, which causes loss of elasticity in skin. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, women were given 10 mg daily of either a bioavailable silicon or placebo. Measurements of skin and nail health were taken throughout the study. At the end of 20 weeks, the women taking silicon had decreased skin roughness and less-brittle nails and hair, showing that silicon had a significantly positive effect on nails, skin, and hair. This study used a stabilized orthosilicic acid, which is the form of silicon with the greatest bioavailability.
The results of several studies show that
vitamin E can be effective in the treatment of the nail changes in yellow nail syndrome, which also has profound effects on heart and lung function that must be treated separately. A few studies found that doses 800 to 1200 IU daily for several months were effective in some patients and another study focused on topical
vitamin E used twice daily for 12 months, which also provided noticeable results.
In one study, supplementation with the B-complex vitamin
biotin increased nail thickness by 25 percent in the majority of participants (63 percent) who had brittle nails. Nearly all patients had improved hardness and firmness after taking 2.5 mg
biotin daily for an average of 5.5 months. In another study, researchers reported that patients who took
biotin daily for three to six months experienced a significant decrease in brittleness and splitting. Increased nail thickness was evident after biotin supplementation in yet another study, in which progress was identified using scanning electron microscopy.
A
zinc deficiency has been associated with poor nail health, manifesting as deformed nails, hangnails, inflamed cuticles, and white spots in the nail plate. A few small studies show that oral supplements of
zinc can be helpful in resolving nail abnormalities in yellow nail syndrome.