Dr. Westin Childs Podcast: Thyroid | Weight Loss | Hormones

One easy way to check the status of your overall health and the health of your thyroid is by simply looking at your nails. Because your nails grow slowly, and because they respond to stressors on the inside of your body, they represent a 6 month history of your overall health. It just so happens that they also give you valuable information about your thyroid function as well. In hypothyroidism roughly: 70% of patients experience fragile nails 48% experience slow growth 40% experience thinning And 38% experience onycholysis (which is nail separation at the base) In hyperthyroidism roughly: 100% of patients experience koilonychia (which is depression of the nail in the center with flaring of the nails on the side) 83% experience softening of the nail 29% experience onycholysis (which, again, is nail separation) And 10% experience brittle nails In addition to these problems, those with thyroid problems are also at increased risk for developing: 1. Leukonychia 2. Pits in the nails 3. Brittle nail sy