The team, including University of Limerick experts, say low levels in the fingernail indicate low levels in bone.
Their test, they say, offers a cheap and accessible way of assessing if someone needs to go for further checks, according to the news agency.
The researchers are now seeking funding to carry on their research so they can evaluate what level of disulphide bond indicates that someone is at risk of osteoporosis, or that they already have the disease.
A spokeswoman for the National Osteoporosis Society said it was an interesting area of research, saying "Obviously, there's still quite a lot of work to do, to work out the link between nail and bone health."
