Brittle Nails
Brittle and spoon-shaped fingernails are a considerably less frequent sign of iron deficiency anemia. This disorder is known as koilonychia. Typically, the first indicator of koilonychia is brittle nails that readily chip or split. In the final stages of iron deficiency, nails may develop in a delicate spoon-like form, in which the center of the nail is depressed, and the borders are raised. Typically, the depression is big enough to accommodate a single drop of liquid.
Spoon nails could also be a common symptom of hemochromatosis, a liver ailment wherein excess iron is absorbed from foods. Hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid, is another possible source of this nail condition, which often coincides with iron deficiency anemia. This may interfere with the body’s ability to absorb minerals. Nails may become loose from their nail beds as a consequence. However, this is an uncommon side effect in less than 5% of iron-deficient individuals. For anemia, the most common cause of spoon nails, physicians will recommend iron supplements and dietary modifications to increase the iron and protein intake from meals. Patients can also use gloves and other moisturizing agents to help alleviate the brittle nails associated with iron deficiency.
