Calcium Supplements and Nail Quality

Abstract

There is a widespread belief among the general public that dietary calcium intake improves the quality of fingernails and toenails. Persons taking calcium supplements sometimes comment that their nails are less brittle or smoother, or that they grow faster. Presumably, the idea that dietary calcium improves nails has arisen because nails contain calcium, albeit at a much lower concentration (0.03 percent) than the skeleton (20 to 25 percent). Physicians are often asked questions on this subject by their patients, but information on which to base an informed reply is lacking. For example, in search of Medline, my colleagues and I found no data on nail composition in relation to dietary calcium intake.