It’s safe to say that biotin may make you more beautiful. If you have brittle nails or slow-growing, dull hair, there’s a good chance you’re deficient.
In one study published many years ago in the Journal of Nutrition, researchers gave mice a combination of biotin and a few other B vitamins and found that natural hair color could be partially restored in old animals. The color transformation occurred by supplementing with natural forms of the nutrients (as found in animal feed), not by supplemental multivitamins. As exciting as this may be for silver-haired seniors, I must tell you that I’ve not been able to find a solid human clinical trial that proves biotin restores hair color in people.
While it might not erase gray, there are plenty of studies that show biotin nourishes the skin and hair, as well as the liver, pancreas, and heart. So obviously its role goes way beyond beautification. Its most important one, in fact, is to help you break down food, namely carbohydrates, fats, and protein. It also helps regulate cholesterol and blood sugar.
Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, belongs to the B complex family of vitamins, and like all vitamin Bs, it dissolves in water, not fatty tissue. But did you know that it is sometimes referred to as vitamin H? The “H” is for haut, which means “skin” in German.
The human intestinal tract can make some biotin. It is not made in the cells. The manufacture of small amounts of biotin in the gut happens thanks to the hard work of beneficial bacteria. A flourishing, natural, healthy camp of friendly bacteria is absolutely essential to making biotin. If you have poor gastrointestinal function, low amounts of healthy normal intestinal flora, or chronic diarrhea, you will become deficient in biotin. This explains why antibiotics are drug muggers of both probiotics and biotin. You can’t make biotin without the presence of the good microorganisms that make up your intestinal flora. In fact, biotin is produced naturally by all sorts of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, algae, and a few plants.
Symptoms of deficiency may include hair loss (alopecia), high cholesterol, blood sugar imbalances, liver enlargement, cardiac arrhythmias, depression, abnormal skin sensations (parasthesias), seborrheic dermatitis, low appetite, poor immunity, and muscle aches or pain. Children with low biotin may act withdrawn and show developmental delays. Because biotin works directly in the Krebs cycle (the chemical reactions in your body that release energy from food), it makes sense that a biotin deficiency could cause tiredness. Biotin also helps reduce symptoms of zinc deficiency because it extends the life span of zinc. People with diabetes often show deficiencies in both biotin and zinc. This is one of the safest and best B vitamins to take as a supplement.
Acid Blockers
Cimetidine (Tagamet)
Esomeprazole (Nexium)
Famotidine (Pepcid and Pepcid Complete)
Lansoprazole (Prevacid 24HR)
Nizatidine (Axid)
Omeprazole (Prilosec OTC)
Pantoprazole (Protonix)
Rabeprazole (Aciphex)
Ranitidine (Zantac)
Analgesics
Butalbital-containing drugs (Fioricet, Fiorinal, Zebutal)
Antacids
Aluminum and magnesium hydroxide (Maalox, Mylanta)
Aluminum carbonate gel (Basaljel)
Aluminum hydroxide (AlternaGEL, Amphojel)
Calcium carbonate (Rolaids, Titralac, Tums)
Magnesium hydroxide (Phillips’ Milk of Magnesia)
Sodium bicarbonate (Alka-Seltzer, baking soda)
Antibiotics (a few examples)
Amoxicillin (Amoxil)
Azithromycin (Z-Pak)
Cefdinir (Omnicef)
Cephalexin (Keflex)
Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
Clarithromycin (Biaxin)
Doxycycline (Doryx)
Erythromycin (E.E.S.)
Levofloxacin (Levaquin)
Minocycline (Minocin)
Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim (Bactrim, Septra)
Tetracycline (Sumycin)
Anticonvulsants: When supplementing for this particular depletion, space your vitamin at least 4 hours away from the anticonvulsant medication.
Carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol)
Oxcarbazepine (Trileptal)
Phenobarbital (Solfoton)
Phenytoin (Dilantin)
Primidone (Mysoline)
Zonisamide (Zonegran)
Antivirals
Delavirdine (Rescriptor)
Foscarnet (Foscavir)
Lamivudine (Epivir)
Nevirapine (Viramune)
Zidovudine, AZT (Retrovir)
Zidovudine and Lamivudine (Combivir)
Hormone Replacement Therapy/Oral Contraceptives
Estradiol (Climara, CombiPatch, Estraderm, EstroGel, Menostar, and many others)
Estrogen-containing drugs (Estrace, Estring, Femring, Premarin)
Estrogen and progestrin (Activella)
Estrogens, conjugated (Prempro, Premphase)
Ethinyl estradiol (found in many birth control pills)
Nonsteroidal Aromatase Inhibitors for breast cancer
Anastrozole (Arimidex)
SERMs (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators—used for breast cancer)
Raloxifene (Evista)
Tamoxifen (Nolvadex)
Toremifene (Fareston)
Sulfonamides (Sulfa antibiotics, some diabetes medications)
MISC:
Alcohol
Any drug that depletes beneficial bacteria in the gut is a drug mugger of biotin.
Estrogen dominance
Nicotine
Raw egg whites
Peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds, soy protein, cheese, beef liver, cauliflower, brewer’s yeast, egg yolks, wheat germ, cashews, yogurt, sweet potatoes, spinach, Swiss chard, legumes, haddock, salmon, tomatoes, avocados, bananas, and canned tuna.
For general health: 100–1,000 micrograms (mcg) per day
Drug mugger dose: 1,000–5,000 mcg per day
Biotin is usually found in supplements as D-biotin, and this is just fine. There are high concentrations of this nutrient in royal jelly (a bee product) and brewer’s yeast. Hair, skin, and nail formulas often contain 2,000 to 5,000 mcg. Excess biotin is eliminated in the urine, and this nutrient appears to be nontoxic, even when taken in high doses (up to 5,000 mcg per day). Biotin works best in conjunction with the rest of its family members, all found in a B complex. One more thing: Save your money on the shampoos that claim to include biotin for hair growth. It’s fine if it’s in there, but only nutritional supplements will allow you to get the active form of biotin into your gut and into your cells. In a shampoo, all of it swirls down the drain along with your money. Point: Take it by mouth; don’t splash it on your head.
Most people think that eating eggs will sufficiently increase their biotin levels, but this isn’t true unless the eggs are raw, and I don’t recommend eating raw eggs. Biotin is found naturally in the protein in eggs. This protein contains a smaller peptide called avidin, which binds to the biotin like glue, keeping this B vitamin intact and preventing you from absorbing it. You want this love affair to break up so that the biotin becomes available to you for absorption. Cooking the eggs solves the avidin-biotin problem because the avidin hates heat. When you cook the egg, you break the “lovers” apart, which is why many experts suggest scrambled eggs as a source for biotin.
Not getting enough biotin when you think you have your bases covered is a big deal because biotin deficiency could suppress your levels of human growth hormone (HGH) and IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1), according to a 2009 study published in the European Journal of Nutrition. HGH and IGF-1 are different hormones (chemically speaking), but they both serve to promote youth and growth, help build muscles, and have an antiaging effect on the body. Besides keeping us youthful, they protect against cardiovascular disease, arrhythmias, osteoporosis, wrinkling, gray hair, weight gain, depression, and muscle wasting. No wonder biotin keeps us beautiful, and now we have the science to prove it! In summary, the installation of a nutrient security system that includes biotin can make us beautiful inside and out. It works best in tandem with its sister B vitamins—B1, B6, folic acid, and the rest, so take your biotin along with a full-range B complex. And don’t rely on eggs!
Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics 12 Plus: This is a fantastic combination of probiotics, along with many B vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. It contains a synergistic blend of beneficial bacteria along with biotin and other B vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Since biotin is manufactured by intestinal microflora, it makes sense that a probiotic formula would enhance your body’s own ability to produce normal levels of biotin. This brand is a capsule and is produced using non-GMO (that’s short for genetically modified) ingredients. Note: You need healthy bacteria in your gut in order to produce biotin.
For Longer Life Biotin 1% by Life Extension: This is a powder. You just mix up whatever dosage you like in water, juice, or a smoothie. This will go a long way because 1/8 of a heaping teaspoon gives you 5,950 mcg daily.
Super Potency Biotin by Nature’s Bounty: Each capsule gives you 5,000 mcg (or 5 mg) per dose.
Biotin by Swanson Health Products: This product contains 5,000 mcg per capsule.
Super Biotin by Puritan’s Pride: Each capsule contains 5,000 mcg biotin.
Bluebonnet Ultimate Hair and Nail Formula: These vegetarian caps contain a comprehensive list of vitamins (including biotin), minerals, and amino acids all designed to support beauty and hair growth. The daily dose of 3 capsules contains 1,000 mcg of biotin.
Biotin by Natural Factors: Each tablet contains 300 mcg of biotin.
Biotin 1000 mcg by Nature’s Way: These dissolvable lozenges contain 1,000 mcg of biotin. Biotin is helpful in creating normal skin and scalp secretions, so this is a tasty way to look pretty! It helps with dry scalp and seborrheic dermatitis.