Tag: Nail clubbing

According to the National Institutes of Health, iron deficiency is the most common nutritional cause of koilonychia, a condition where your nails become thin, brittle, and shaped like a spoon. This specific type of nail curling is often a direct result of inadequate iron stores in the body, which can affect the protein structure of the nail plate. However, iron deficiency is not the only cause, as other nutrient shortfalls and systemic diseases can also lead to changes in nail curvature.

Contrary to a common misconception, fingernails that curl down at the tips are not caused by a vitamin deficiency but are instead often a sign of underlying systemic health conditions. This downward curvature is medically known as "clubbing," a phenomenon distinct from other nutrient-related nail issues, such as spoon-shaped nails, which can result from iron deficiency.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, clubbed nails, which curve down over rounded fingertips, are often a sign of a serious underlying health condition that causes chronically low levels of oxygen in the blood. It is a common misconception that a simple vitamin deficiency causes nails to curve down.