Biotin
The "Superhero" of Hair and Nail Growth
As new beauty supplements continue to flood the market, one ingredient continues to be seen on every label: Biotin. Biotin is a B Vitamin that the beauty supplement industry promotes as being synonymous with strong and growing hair and nails. But is this just hype or is it effective?
Biotin (or Vitamin B7) is an essential vitamin that is obtained through the diet and produced as a postbiotic in the gastrointestinal track. Like other B Vitamins, it is used to convert food into energy as well as assist in other reactions in the body. Animal-based studies have shown that it might also help regulate blood sugar and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol as well as overall cholesterol. But it’s primary use is to assist in keratin production. Keratin is a group of proteins that forms the epidermis (or top layer) of the skin and gives hair and nails its strength. With a deficiency in biotin, keratin production is stalled.
Multiple studies have shown that a deficiency in biotin leads to thinning and frail hair, brittle nails, and skin infections. However, biotin deficiency is rare in the United States and only happens in individuals with malnutrition, chronic alcohol use, and gastrointestinal disorders like Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Crohn’s Disease. Most people can achieve their daily recommended value through the diet.
Biotin has a daily recommended value of 30 micrograms per day for adults and 35 micrograms per day for pregnant and lactating women. With the update in the nutrition facts panel, this value decreased from 300 micrograms to 30 micrograms. Biotin is found in high amounts in egg yolks, salmon, pork, soybeans (or any soy-based product), peanuts, and sunflower seeds. The absorption rate when consuming either dietary or supplemental biotin is close to 100%. The body stores any excess biotin in the liver and will excrete it within 24 hours if it is not needed.
There have been several studies that showed that consuming 2.5 milligrams of biotin per day over the course of 6-15 months (minimum of 6 months) increased nail thickness and firmness. However, these studies were not reliable and had holes in them. Additionally, there are two studies showing positive results of biotin on hair growth and prevention of hair loss. However, once again, these studies were not reliable and did not show that biotin alone helped hair growth. Biotin containing hair products have shown no benefits to hair loss and growth. There are no studies (to the author’s knowledge) showing that biotin helps improve skin health and appearance.
If worried about a deficiency, supplementing biotin is an easy fix. Many hair, nail, skin, and beauty supplements will include biotin at a minimum of 2500 milligrams (830x the daily recommended value), which is based on the several studies referenced above. Some supplements, like this one, will even go as high as 5000 milligrams. There is no evidence to suggest that high amounts of biotin will lead to faster, longer, and healthier hair growth. In this case, more does not necessarily mean better. If supplementing at this extreme level, it is more important to notice the side effects of biotin over-consumption. This includes excessive thirst, increased urination, and insomnia as the body tries to flush the excess vitamin out.
Do you consume any beauty supplements? If so, how much biotin is in them?