Do you suffer from nail fungus, a common but embarrassing condition that affects millions of people worldwide? If so, you might be looking for a natural and effective way to get rid of it for good. While there are many over-the-counter and prescription treatments available, they can be expensive, have side effects, or not work at all. But did you know that there are some simple vitamins and minerals that can help you fight nail fungus from within? In this article, we will show you how to boost your immune system, strengthen your nails, and prevent fungal infections with the best vitamins for toenail fungus.
Discover the best vitamins for toenail fungus and take a step towards vibrant, fungus-free toes.
Your immune System can help you fight Nail Fungus
In searching for a nail fungus cure, many people forget the most important one already in their possession: their immune system. Nail fungus lives under the nail plate, which can make it challenging for topical toenail fungus medication to reach it. However, one fighting force the fungus can’t run away from is the body’s internal fungal killers the white blood cells. There are a number of vitamins and minerals you can consume that will boost weekend immune system function and strengthen nails which, in turn, will assist in eradicating the fungal infection.
For healthy clear nails, you will need to do a few things simultaneously will treating them to stimulate fungus free growth. Firstly, vitamins and minerals in your diet or as a supplement will promote nail growth. Specifically, keep a check for vitamin A, Niacin (vitamin B3), Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5)vitamin C and vitamin E and biotin that nourish your nails and strengthen nails from the inside. Secondly, exfoliating your fungi infested nails will also remove dead cells.
Best Vitamins & Minerals to Kick Nail Fungus Out
Here are just a few vitamins to take that may provide assistance in your quest to eliminate your toenail fungus infection by boosting your immune system:
- Vitamin A: Vitamin A helps maintain healthy skin and nails by supporting the production of keratin, a protein that forms the structure of your nails. It also helps fight infections by enhancing your immune system and reducing inflammation.
- Some good sources of vitamin A are liver, eggs, dairy products, yeast, salmon, carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, and apricots.
- The recommended daily intake of vitamin A for adults is 900 mcg for men and 700 mcg for women. However, you should not exceed 3000 mcg per day, as too much vitamin A can be toxic and cause liver damage, bone loss, or birth defects.
- Folic Acid: Also called vitamin B9 or folate, this vitamin is necessary for a number of bodily processes including synthesizing and repairing DNA, cell growth and division, and the production of healthy red blood cells. Leafy green vegetables, legumes, egg yolks, sunflower seeds, orange juice, and cantaloupe are good dietary sources of this vitamin.
- Biotin: Known in the nutrition community as vitamin B7, biotin is necessary for the production of healthy strong nails. In fact, it is frequently recommended by doctors to treat brittle nails and also nail infections. Eating Swiss chard, liver, peanuts, and leafy green vegetables is a good way to add this vitamin to your diet.
- According to a study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, biotin supplementation improved nail strength and reduced splitting in 63% of patients with brittle nails.
- Niacin: This is another vitamin needed in the production of healthy nails. Called vitamin B3, niacin is an essential human nutrient that can also improve mood and alleviate anxiety. This vitamin is found in chicken, peanuts, legumes, liver, fish, and fortified cereals.
- Pantothenic Acid: Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) promotes healthy hair, skin, and nails. It also assists the body in fighting off infections and fungi. A major source of this vitamin is in meat. However, whole grains, broccoli, avocados, and most other fruits and vegetables have sufficient amounts of B5. Studies conducted on test-tube, animal, and human subjects indicate that specific B vitamins, may possess antifungal properties.
- Vitamin C: Not much really needs to be said about vitamin C as it is a well-known immune system booster that fortifies the body to fight off all sorts of diseases including the common cold. Citrus fruits are good sources of this vitamin. It can also be found in broccoli, kiwi fruit, melon, and blueberries.
- Vitamin D: According to a study conducted in 2017, a deficiency of vitamin D could potentially impair the immune system’s ability to fight infections, including nail fungal infections.
- Vitamin E: This fat-soluble vitamin is found in a variety of health and beauty products. It is good for improving skin and hair most likely because it helps stimulate and improve blood circulation. This is necessary for delivering water and nutrients to all parts of the body, particularly those affected by disease. Vitamin E can be found in kale, eggs, sunflower seeds, and spinach.
Not everyone is able to eat a healthy diet. Luckily, all of these vitamins are available in as supplements. You can take them individually or as part of a daily multivitamin pill.
Does Vitamin E kill Toenail Fungus?
There is no scientific evidence to suggest that vitamin E specifically, applied topically or taken with food can kill toenail fungus on its own. While vitamin E is an essential nutrient that plays a role in good skin health, it does not possess antifungal or anti bacterial properties.
Toenail fungus is a stubborn condition that typically requires treatment with strong antifungal medications or topical solutions. These treatments work by targeting the fungus directly, either by preventing its growth under the nail bed or killing it off entirely.
That being said, incorporating vitamin E into your overall diet and skincare routine can help support healthy nail growth and prevent future fungal infections. Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant that helps protect the skin and nails from free radical damage, which can weaken their structure and make them more susceptible to infection.
In summary, while vitamin E may not be a standalone treatment for toenail fungus, it can play a role in overall nail health and prevention of future fungal infections.
Do you Really have Nail Fungus? Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms of diseases like psoriasis (a type of skin disease that also affects nails) also look like nail fungus. Symptoms of nail psoriasis are:
Nails infected with fungus often show one or more of the following visible symptoms:
- Light or dark yellow streaks in the skin under the nail, or nail bed, and on the underside of the nail
- A gradual accumulation of bits and pieces of skin and nail fragments under the nail
- Discolored and thickened nail that may separate from the skin under the nail
- Brittle, broken, and thickened nails
- White spots or a long, thin line or mark of a different substance or color from its surroundings on the nail surface
- Soft and powdery nail surface, which starts to show as the infection worsens
- Crumbly, and brown or gray nail surface showing physical damage with or without separation of the nail from the underlying skin.
Nail fungus infection can cause permanent deformity of the finger and toenails, which can interfere with your being able to put on slippers/shoes, walking, running, and other day to day activities.
Is the Distortion of your Nails due to Underactive Thyroid?
Fungus nail infection can be caused by thyroid issues. In a small percentage of people this common foot condition is related to sub par or over working of thyroid gland in the body. The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland that sits low on the front of the neck. Its main function is to keep the body warm, keep the immune response at optimum levels and maintain metabolism.
Thyroid problems such as hyperthyroidism (underactive thyroid) or hypothyroidism (overactive thyroid) may cause abnormality in nail shape, brittle nails or splitting of the nail bed from the nail plate (onycholysis) and dry cuticles.
The reason this nail fungus like symptom occur is that the thyroid hormone controls the strength with which our heart pumps blood. So stronger the contractions, the greater the amount of blood that will be supplied to body parts, such as the toes. Thus, when pumping are weaker they provide sluggish blood flow, the toes receive decreased amounts of oxygen, get cold and allow for an environment conducive for nail fungus.
Iodine is an important mineral for proper thyroid functioning. Your body uses iodine to make thyroid hormones. Deficiencies of Iodine are commonly found in Europe and Third World countries, where the soil and food supply don’t have sufficient iodine levels.
Food Sources of Iodine
Following are rich sources of Iodine in American diets:
-
- Seafood
- Cod
- Tuna
- Shrimp
- Dairy Products:
- Milk
- Yogurt
- Cheese
- Seafood
Iodized salt, is readily available in the United States and many other countries world over but some people intentionally reduce salt intake thereby reducing iodine as well.
Treating Nail Fungus
Good nutrition plays only a supplementary role in the fight to get rid of nail fungus. If you want to know how to treat nail fungus without resorting to synthetic medication, costly laser nail fungus removal or some other expensive and ineffective treatments, then check out our reviews of the top nail fungus removal products available at the moment. These products are made with natural ingredients so you don’t have to worry about side effects when using them. Best of all, they have been proven to work. Go to this page to learn what’s the best nail fungus treatment that works. or head over to our homepage to learn about Funginix, FlexiNail and EmoniNail which worked for my nail fungus problem.