Nails may become brittle and thin due to persistent application of nail color or acetone-based products. But this can be avoided with a number of ways to keep your nails healthy and strong. One of the best measures to prevent and improve thin and brittle nails is biotin, a component of the water-soluble vitamin B complex.

Biotin is needed for proper cellular growth especially for nails and hair. Just like the skin, the hair and nails are composed of fast-growing cells. Your hair and nails grow faster than your muscles and bones. This type of cell also dies sooner than the other but regenerates faster with proper nutrition. Thus, if biotin in the body is insufficient, the growth of these fast-growing cells will not be as strong and healthy as those of a well-biotin-supplemented body. For individuals who are suffering partial or complete hair loss like most adults and post-chemotherapy patients, biotin has also been recommended by healthcare providers. As a matter of fact, there is little evidence that biotin supplementation is effective for skin disorders like eczema, acne and rashes. So, if you want to have a healthy and beautiful skin, hair and nails, you must have a well-balanced diet and take into account biotin in your supplements.

Aside from the fact that it helps your nails become healthy and strong, this vitamin is primarily necessary for the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. It acts as a coenzyme in converting these macronutrients to its respective simplified forms for the many cellular energy utilization. Biotin is also needed in the Citric Acid Cycle, a process by which energy is produced during aerobic bodily actvities.

Biotin deficiency may be manifested through lack of hair growth or progressive hair loss and, in worse cases, loss of eye brows and eye lashes. Thus, information on what does biotin do to your body is not enough. It is also important that people will be informed about the sources of this beneficial nutrient. Biotin is naturally synthesized in the lower gastrointestinal tract by its normal flora of bacterial microorganisms. However, though biotin is produced in the body, it is still an essential nutrient that needs to be complemented from the daily diet or supplements. This is because the human body does not produce biotin, but rather the bacteria that are naturally present in the gut. These biotin-producing bacteria are reduced with antibiotic therapy and certain medical conditions. Biotin is commonly found in the food we eat daily.

Dietary sources of biotin are yeast, liver, legumes, mushrooms, bananas, carrots, cauliflower and egg yolks. However, eating excess amounts of egg white or consumed raw may lead to biotin deficiency because egg white contains the protein, avidin, which will bind to biotin from dietary sources and prevent it from being absorbed. Biotin is also available in supplements. It is included in most multivitamin supplements.

In conclusion, to have healthy nails, take care of your nails by minimizing use of acetone-based products since these can dehydrate nails, moisturizing hands and toes at least three times a day, and of course, taking adequate amount of biotin daily in the form of fruits, vegetables, or dietary supplement form.