Brittle nails can be frustrating. No matter how much you polish, buff, and moisturize, you still don't have beautiful nails. Why are perfect nails so hard for some woman to have? Breaking nails are often a sign of something else going wrong in the body. In this article, we'll explore the common causes of brittle nails and explore some nutritional cures.

Common Causes of Brittle Nails

• Low Thyroid (Hypothyroidism) - Brittle nails are sometimes a sign of a more serious illness. One of the most common causes of brittle and breaking nails is low thyroid, also called hypothyroidism. In hypothyroidism, your body does not produce enough of the thyroid hormone, leading to symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, dry skin, brittle nails, depression, constipation, memory trouble, and irregular periods. People with under-active thyroid often notice soft nail beds, nail ridges, and a lightening or disappearance of the white, crescent-shaped area of the nail base.

• Gluten Intolerance - Gluten intolerance is estimated to affect 1 in every 100 people. Gluten intolerance happens when the body's autoimmune system reacts to the protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and some oats. A person with this disorder cannot digest this protein, resulting in chronic gastrointestinal distress, brain fog, muscle pain, weakness and nutritional deficiencies resulting in brittle nails and dry hair. Though the symptoms of gluten intolerance vary from person to person, eliminating gluten from your diet for a period of one-month should be enough to tell if your breaking nails are a result of this condition.