It's rare to be deficient in biotin. Symptoms include hair loss, dry scaly skin, cracking in the corners of the mouth (called cheilitis), swollen and painful tongue that is magenta in color (glossitis), dry eyes, loss of appetite, fatigue, insomnia, and depression.
The signs and symptoms of biotin deficiency typically appear gradually and can include thinning hair with progression to loss of all hair on the body; scaly, red rash around body openings (eyes, nose, mouth, and perineum); conjunctivitis; ketolactic acidosis (which occurs when lactate production exceeds lactate ...
People at risk for biotin deficiency include people with BTD, chronic alcohol use, malnutrition, and IBD. Those who are pregnant and lactating as well as those who take certain medications are also at an increased risk.
Biotin deficiency can cause thinning hair and loss of body hair; a rash around the eyes, nose, mouth, and anal area; pinkeye; high levels of acid in the blood and urine; seizures; skin infection; brittle nails; and nervous system disorders.
Biotinidase deficiency is treated with oral biotin (vitamin H; coenzyme R, part of vitamin B complex) supplements. Treatment should begin as soon as the diagnosis is made. With biotin treatment, symptoms of the disorder may disappear.
The bottom line
Some of the best sources of biotin include legumes, egg yolks, organ meats, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, avocados, sweet potatoes, and yeast. Biotin supplements are available as well, but most people can get all of the biotin they need by eating a balanced diet.
Biotin supplements can cause problems if you take too much. Side effects of biotin can include: Trouble sleeping.
Egg yolk. Egg yolk is a good source of biotin. A whole, cooked egg provides up to 10 mcg . To maximize the intake of biotin and for safety reasons, always cook eggs before eating them.
While biotin is added to some shampoos that claim to reduce hair loss, there is no evidence that this works. Consuming foods rich in healthy vitamins and minerals will help with overall hair health. The best natural sources of biotin are meat, eggs, fish, seeds, nuts, and vegetables.
Your body makes enough biotin on its own through your dietary intake each day. Therefore, you shouldn't take biotin supplements unless directed by your doctor. There are some rare health conditions that can cause some people to need biotin supplements on a regular basis. This can be determined by a doctor.
But biotin has been shown to help with preventing balding and hair loss. In fact, biotin is primarily used for alopecia — a condition that causes hair loss in all sexes. “Biotin helps maintain hair growth and helps with inflammation,” Dr. Bergfeld says.
If no home remedies work for your hair loss, use a daily biotin supplement for at least 6 months to start seeing results.
Research pertaining to how quickly vitamins work in the body is limited, however, we have found that some begin to see and experience benefits approximately 30 days after you start taking biotin. It may take up to 90 days or longer for some individuals.
After starting a biotin supplement routine, you can expect to start seeing a difference in about three to four months. Results may vary depending on the amount and type of biotin you're taking. You can find biotin at most drug stores and in any vitamin shop.
Vitamin B7 is found in a number of foods, though in small amounts. This includes walnuts, peanuts, cereals, milk, and egg yolks. Other foods that contain this vitamin are whole meal bread, salmon, pork, sardines, mushroom and cauliflower. Fruits that contain biotin include avocados, bananas and raspberries.
The bottom line. There's no strong evidence to support using biotin for hair growth or to prevent hair loss in people without a deficiency. Because hair thinning and poor hair growth are sometimes associated with a biotin deficiency, correcting a deficiency can help restore hair growth in some people.
Biotin also promotes hair growth and regrowth in those who are experiencing hair thinning, hair loss, or are having it hard to grow out their hair. This process can take time with consuming the supplement daily for a period of 4-6 weeks minimum to a few months for optimal hair growth.
Most commonly, biotin use can result in falsely high levels of T4 and T3 and falsely low levels of TSH, leading to either a wrong diagnosis of hyperthyroidism or that the thyroid hormone dose is too high.
We observed that long-term administration of biotin decreased systolic blood pressure in the SHRSP strain; also, a single dose of biotin immediately decreased systolic blood pressure in this strain.
6. Biotin (Vitamin B7) The brain is particularly sensitive to the delivery and metabolism of glucose. Biotin plays a key role in glucose metabolism and haemostasis, including regulation of hepatic glucose uptake, gluconeogenesis (and lipogenesis), insulin receptor transcription and pancreatic β-cell function [18].
In addition, biotin also helps to support your body's nervous system and thyroid function helping to regulate sleep, energy, and overall cognitive function. A deficiency in biotin could lead to symptoms of fatigue, mood swings, digestive issues or even low blood sugar levels.
The most commonly recommended time slot to consume biotin supplements is with your morning meal. The water-soluble nature of biotin will ensure that your body is absorbing it with the other nutrients in your meal.
Sweet potatoes
They are also one of the best vegetable sources of biotin. There are 2.4 mcg (8% of the recommended daily value) of biotin per 1/2 cup of cooked sweet potato. Along with the vitamin A in sweet potatoes, which is also good for the eyes and skin, the biotin makes sweet potatoes a superfood for skin health.