What Is Biotin?
Biotin is a B-complex vitamin that helps your body break down food into energy. You can get it from eating meat, eggs, fish, seeds, nuts, and some vegetables, or from supplements.
The name “biotin” comes from the Greek word “biotos,” which means “sustenance” or “life-giving.”
Biotin Benefits
Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, supports many parts of your body, including your nervous system, liver, eyes, hair, and skin. It helps your body’s enzymes and cells work properly.
Some of its possible health benefits include:
Diabetes management
Studies show that biotin supplements may help manage symptoms of diabetes. It might help lower blood sugar levels, total cholesterol, and blood fats in some people with diabetes. But it doesn’t have much effect on insulin levels.
B vitamins are also important for your brain and nervous system, which could help with neurological symptoms of diabetes, such as neuropathy (nerve damage). But more research is needed to confirm this.
Biotin for hair
Some people have turned to biotin for longer, healthier hair. Research suggests that biotin supplements may benefit people with biotin deficiency or certain medical conditions affecting hair growth, such as alopecia. But there’s limited evidence to show that biotin helps with hair growth in people without these conditions.
Nail health
As with hair, there’s not enough scientific proof that biotin will give you longer, stronger nails unless you have a health condition that affects them.
Biotin for skin
Researchers have looked at the role of biotin in various skin conditions. They’ve linked a shortage of biotin to dermatitis, acne scarring, and other skin problems, but they need to do more research into how biotin levels affect the skin.
Prenatal care
Biotin is necessary for a healthy pregnancy. Studies show that about a third of pregnant women in the U.S. have mild biotin deficiencies, but we need more research to understand why.
If you are pregnant, make sure to eat foods rich in biotin or talk to your doctor about taking a biotin supplement.
Nerve health
Biotin is thought to help nerves recover from damage, especially in people with progressive diseases, such as multiple sclerosis. But recent studies don’t show any long-term benefits of taking high doses of biotin for nerve health.
How to Take Biotin
You can take biotin as a multivitamin, B-vitamin complex, or an individual supplement. They usually come in 10-microgram, 50-microgram, and 100-microgram tablets.
Biotin dosage
The amount of biotin you need daily depends on your age and gender. The Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) says adults need 30 micrograms daily. If you’re nursing, you need 35 micrograms every day.
If you think you’re not getting enough biotin from your diet, talk to your doctor about taking a daily supplement.
Foods With Biotin
Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin, which means your body can’t store it the way it stores fat-soluble vitamins. Instead, you have to replace it daily. Bacteria in your gut can create biotin, though researchers aren’t sure what role this plays in your overall biotin levels.
Biotin Deficiency
It’s very rare to have a biotin deficiency, especially when you’re healthy and eat a well-balanced diet. But there are symptoms if you’re low on biotin, and they usually show up slowly.
Biotin deficiency symptoms
The symptoms include:
- Hair loss (alopecia)
- A red rash around your eyes, nose, mouth, and genital area
- Brittle nails
- Depression
- Lethargy (lack of energy)
- Hallucinations
- Numbness of your extremities (hands or feet)
- Seizures
Biotin Side Effects
Research suggests that taking biotin supplements, even in high doses, has very little risk.
Because biotin is water-soluble, your body flushes out any amount it doesn’t need through your urine. But if you take too much, it could interact with other medicines you take or result in false results on lab tests. Always tell your doctor about any dietary supplements you take.
Takeaways
Biotin, a B-complex vitamin, is found in foods such as meats, eggs, fish, nuts, and some vegetables. You can also take it in supplement form. It helps convert food into energy and supports various parts of your body, like the nervous system, liver, eyes, hair, and skin. While it may help manage diabetes symptoms and help with prenatal care and nerve health, there’s limited evidence that it improves hair, skin, or nails in those without deficiencies. Foods rich in biotin include beef liver, eggs, milk, bananas, nuts, seeds, pork chops, salmon, sweet potatoes, and mushrooms.
Biotin FAQs
How long before a blood test should I stop taking biotin supplements?
You should stop taking any biotin supplements at least 48-72 hours before blood tests because they can interfere with lab results. Check with your doctor on when you should stop taking them.
Can biotin cause false diagnostic results for thyroid conditions or heart attacks?
Yes, when your biotin levels are higher than normal, it may interfere with lab test results, including blood tests for troponin, which doctors use to diagnose heart attacks.
How long does it take for biotin supplements to show noticeable results?
Research has yet to prove that biotin supplements can significantly improve skin, nails, or hair (except for those with alopecia who have biotin deficiency). Small studies and case reports suggest it can take as long as six months to see results.
Can taking biotin supplements cause acne or skin breakouts?
There is no evidence that biotin supplements cause acne. In fact, case studies have shown that biotin supplements may help with certain skin conditions such as dermatitis and alopecia.
