Signs of
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.
Excess in the body is rare, and since biotin is a water-soluble vitamin, it is excreted in the urine when in excess. Signs and symptoms of biotin overdose may include and are not limited to insomnia, excessive thirst, and urination.
A high dose of biotin supplement will take 3-5 days to treat the symptoms of biotinidase deficiency, and will most likely disappear in 3-5 months.
Biotin deficiency is caused by a diet that lacks biotin or by prolonged consumption of raw egg whites. There is also some evidence that diabetes could cause low biotin levels.
Sources of Biotin
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. In general, a healthy varied diet provides the body with sufficient amounts of biotin.
There are reports that excessive biotin supplementation can lead to insomnia. Since biotin supplements are needed to metabolize fats and carbohydrates and turn these into energy, excessive intake of biotin during nighttime might lead to a surge of energy. This surge of energy may make it difficult for you to sleep.
Biotin and other B vitamins are water-soluble, so it's hard to overdose on them. “If you take in more biotin than you need, your body doesn't store it,” Barth explains. “You naturally get rid of excess biotin and other B vitamins when you urinate.”
Ask a doctor before using biotin if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Your dose needs may be different during pregnancy or while you are nursing. Do not give any herbal/health supplement to a child without medical advice.
Biotin has no effect on thyroid hormone levels or thyroid function in the body. However, biotin can interfere with the measurement of hormone levels in the laboratory, making them inaccurate. This is because biotin is added as a reagent during some of the laboratory methods.
Regular intake of excessive quantities of certain nutrients can cause hair loss in some cases due to a temporary condition known as Telogen Effluvium. However, the effects of too much vitamin B7 - also known as biotin toxicity - remain unconfirmed.
Who is at risk for biotin deficiency? People with health conditions that impact how the body absorbs nutrients, or who are on certain medications, can be at risk of developing biotin deficiency. Biotinidase deficiency (BTD) is the most common cause of biotin deficiency.
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.
Biotin deficiency and fatigue
When B vitamins are deficient, including Biotin, the body cannot keep up with the energy requirements needed to power up the brain and other body parts. Lack of ATPs, which is the cell's energy currency, results in low energy or getting tired quickly.
Biotin is safe to take — even at high doses. But taking too much can sometimes cause side effects like stomach ache, trouble sleeping, and excessive thirst. Talk to your healthcare provider if you think you've taken too much biotin. You can also contact Poison Control if you're having trouble reaching your provider.
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 a person has a biotin deficiency, taking biotin may improve the health of their skin. Otherwise, collagen can be a better option as there is more evidence to suggest it helps improve the skin's appearance.
There's no evidence that biotin can cause weight gain or weight loss. The best way to get biotin is through your diet, by eating biotin-rich foods. You can also speak with your doctor about taking biotin supplements or use hair products that contain biotin.
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.
Biotin is one of the components necessary for rebuilding muscle strength and helping tissues grow. This vitamin also has a key role in alleviating muscle and joint inflammation, aches, and pains.
How Fast Does Biotin Work For Hair Growth? 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.
Biotin is usually found in many types of food, such as nuts and seeds, legumes, liver, egg yolk, spinach, sweet potato, yeast, and salmon. You need biotin for your hair because it helps you grow thicker, longer hair shafts. Furthermore, increasing your biotin intake has multiple health and aesthetic benefits.
Current recommendations for biotin by the Institute of Medicine state that the daily adequate intake (AI) for adults is 30 μg/day [1]. Most healthy individuals meet these requirements through a well-balanced diet, though many still take up to 500–1,000 μg of biotin supplementation daily.