Once you hit your 40s, you may start noticing a few changes in your hair, skin, and nails—and that’s completely normal. Hair can feel a little less full or shiny, skin may become drier or less resilient, and nails can sometimes seem more brittle than they once did. While a great beauty routine can certainly help, supporting these areas from the inside matters, too. Getting enough of certain nutrients can help give your body the building blocks it needs to maintain strong hair, healthy-looking skin, and sturdy nails as you age.
You don’t necessarily need an overflowing supplement cabinet to make a difference. Focusing on a few key nutrients (ideally through a balanced, varied diet) can go a long way toward supporting your overall health and, in turn, the health of your hair, skin, and nails. Here are three nutrients that become especially worth paying attention to after 40, along with why they matter and how to make sure you’re getting enough.
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1. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an especially valuable nutrient for healthy-looking skin, hair, and nails because it plays an important role in collagen production. Collagen provides structure and support to the skin and contributes to its firmness and resilience, while also supporting the tissues surrounding hair follicles and nails. Because natural collagen production gradually declines with age, getting enough vitamin C can be particularly worthwhile after 40.
Vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant that helps protect cells from oxidative stress, which contributes to visible signs of skin aging. Some of the richest food sources include citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwi, bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and tomatoes.
2. Protein
Protein is essential at every age, but it deserves extra attention after 40, when maintaining muscle and other lean tissues becomes increasingly important. It also happens to be a major building block for hair and nails: both are composed largely of keratin, a type of protein, while amino acids from dietary protein are also needed to produce structural proteins such as collagen.
Consistently falling short on protein can contribute to weaker nails and, in more significant cases, hair shedding or changes in hair quality. Women can incorporate plenty of protein through foods such as eggs, fish, poultry, lean meat, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu, tempeh, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds.
3. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are healthy fats that can be particularly beneficial for skin as it becomes more prone to dryness with age. These essential fats are important components of cell membranes and support the skin barrier, helping skin retain moisture and maintain a supple, healthy appearance.
Their anti-inflammatory properties may also help support a healthy scalp and create a better environment for hair, while adequate healthy-fat intake contributes to overall skin and nail health. Fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, and trout are among the best sources of the omega-3s EPA and DHA, while walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and hemp seeds provide the plant-based omega-3 ALA.
