Biotin: How This Vitamin Transforms Your Hair, Skin, and Nails

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Biotin, sometimes known as Vitamin B7, plays a crucial role in supporting the health of hair, skin, and nails. This essential B Vitamin assists in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, influencing energy production in the body. Many people choose biotin supplements to improve the health of their hair, skin, and nails. This article shows where to find biotin in foods and takes a closer look at what the published research says about supplementing biotin.

What Is Biotin?

Biotin, also known as Vitamin B7, is a key player in the family of B-complex vitamins and plays a vital role in our body’s metabolism. It helps convert food into energy, which is essential for sustaining our daily activities. Biotin is involved in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. For instance, it helps transform glucose from carbohydrates into energy, supporting our body’s energy levels. It also aids in the synthesis and breakdown of fats, which are required for healthy cellular functions, and assists in processing amino acids from proteins, important for muscle repair and growth.

In addition to its metabolic roles, biotin is also crucial for maintaining the health of our hair, skin, and nails, where rapid cell growth is common. It helps in the production of fatty acids which enhances skin and hair by providing necessary moisture and strength.

This link between biotin and beauty explains why it’s often included in supplements aimed at improving the health and appearance of hair, skin, and nails. However, there is not much research evidence to support high-dose biotin supplements for skin, hair, and nails.

What Are the Benefits of Biotin?

• Skin, Hair, And Nails: Despite the popularity of supplements, there is surprisingly little in the way of published studies to support the use of high-dose biotin supplements for hair or skin issues in people without biotin deficiency. [*]
  • Hair: Biotin is often associated with increased hair strength and quality. It is widely believed to reduce hair thinning and loss and promote healthier hair, but we were unable to find published research to support supplementation in healthy people. [PMC5582478] Yet, one study reported that 38% of women complaining of hair loss had a biotin deficiency. [PMC4989391] People with biotin deficiencies have significant improvements in their hair’s health after supplementing with biotin. [PMC5582478]
  • Skin: Biotin plays a role in maintaining a healthy skin barrier, which can lead to skin issues similar to those seen in zinc deficiency. Biotin deficiency, caused by genetic factors or conditions that reduce absorption, can lead to skin disorders such as hair loss and acne. Since there are so many different root causes of skin issues, it pays to visit a dermatologist for a diagnostic workup. [NBK547751]
  • Nails: Those suffering from weak or brittle nails may benefit from biotin supplements. Biotin can help in making nails thicker and stronger, reducing the likelihood of splitting and breaking. Clinical trials have shown an improvement in firmness, hardness, and thickness of brittle nails with oral biotin. [PMID: 29057689]
• Energy Production: Biotin is essential in the body’s metabolic process, aiding in the breakdown and conversion of dietary fats, proteins, and carbohydrates into energy. [PMID: 30746739]
• Pregnancy: During pregnancy and breastfeeding, biotin supports growth and development, so it is essential for expectant mothers to maintain adequate biotin intake. [*] A study showed that lower levels of serum biotin were associated with preterm birth. [PMID: 32378602]
• Metabolic Effects of Supplements: High doses of biotin supplementation can lower fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in type 2 diabetes patients. [PMC9659605]

Food Sources of Biotin

The adequate Intake (AI) level is 30 micrograms (mcg) daily for men and women 19 and older, pregnant women, and 35 mcg daily for lactating women. Biotin deficiency is relatively rare in the US among the general adult population, largely due to the wide availability of biotin in a variety of foods and the body’s modest requirement for this vitamin. The typical American diet, which includes biotin-rich foods such as eggs, nuts, whole grains, and certain meats, usually provides adequate amounts of this nutrient. Additionally, the body’s ability to recycle the biotin it has already used further diminishes the likelihood of deficiency.

Can Raw Eggs Make Your Hair Fall Out?

Many fitness enthusiasts favor raw eggs, believing they have superior nutritional benefits compared to their cooked counterparts. This belief was popularized in the 1970s by the iconic film “Rocky,” where the main character, a boxer, famously consumes raw eggs as part of his training regimen. The scene not only became a memorable moment in cinematic history but also influenced a fitness myth that persists today. However, the consumption of raw eggs presents a significant nutritional irony.

The key issue lies with a protein found in raw egg whites called avidin. Avidin has a strong affinity for binding to biotin, effectively blocking its absorption in the body. Consequently, frequent consumption of raw eggs might lead to biotin deficiency, a condition rarely encountered except in specific genetic disorders.

When eggs are cooked, the structure of avidin changes, greatly diminishing its ability to bind biotin. This makes the nutrient available for the body to absorb and use. This scenario underscores the importance of how food preparation can impact the availability of nutrients and challenges the misconception that raw eggs are inherently superior in nutritional value.

The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and significance of biotin deficiency in women complaining of hair loss. Biotin deficiency was found in 38% of women complaining of hair loss. … About 11% of patients with biotin deficiency had a positive personal history for risk factors for biotin deficiency. 

Serum Biotin Levels in Women Complaining of Hair Loss [PMC4989391]

Biotin Supplements Affect Thyroid Lab Tests

Biotin supplements can unexpectedly interfere with thyroid lab tests and give inaccurate results. This happens because many thyroid tests—known as immunoassays—rely on biotin-streptavidin interactions to measure hormone levels like thyroxine (T4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).

If you have high levels of biotin in your blood from supplements, it can attach to the test’s components, leading to results that are either too high or too low. For instance, excess biotin might cause your TSH levels to appear lower than they actually are, wrongly indicating hyperthyroidism, or it could artificially raise T4 levels, falsely suggesting hyperthyroidism.

To prevent these errors, doctors usually recommend that patients stop taking high doses of biotin for 48 to 72 hours before undergoing thyroid function tests. This helps ensure the test results accurately reflect your thyroid health.

Are Biotin Supplements Safe?

Biotin is widely recognized for its safety when taken as a dietary supplement. As a water-soluble vitamin, it has a low risk of toxicity. The body efficiently excretes any excess biotin that it does not need through urine. This characteristic greatly reduces the risk of overconsumption or toxicity, making biotin supplements usually safe for daily use.

Medication Interactions with Biotin

• Anticonvulsants (e.g., Carbamazepine, Phenytoin, Primidone, Phenobarbital): Long-term use of these medications can lower biotin levels in the body. Biotin supplements might be necessary to prevent deficiency.
• Antibiotics (especially long-term use): Broad-spectrum antibiotics can reduce biotin levels by disrupting gut bacteria that help in biotin synthesis. Supplementation may be required to maintain adequate levels.
• Isotretinoin (Accutane): Used for severe acne, this medication can lower biotin levels, may lead to a deficiency.
• Proton Pump Inhibitors (e.g., Omeprazole, Lansoprazole): These medications, used for acid reflux, can reduce biotin absorption, possibly leading to lower biotin levels in the body.
• Biotin Supplementation and Lab Tests: High doses of biotin can interfere with certain lab tests, including thyroid function tests and cardiac troponin levels, leading to inaccurate results. It’s important to inform healthcare providers about biotin supplementation before undergoing lab tests.

Supplement Interactions with Biotin

• Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid): High doses of vitamin B5 can compete with biotin for absorption in the intestine. This competition might lead to lower biotin levels in the body, especially when consuming large amounts of vitamin B5.
• Alpha-Lipoic Acid: When taken in high doses, alpha-lipoic acid can possibly interfere with biotin’s biotin-dependent enzymes. This interaction might affect the efficacy of both supplements.
• Zinc Supplements: Zinc can help improve hair health, similar to biotin. However, excessive zinc intake can interfere with biotin absorption and utilization. Balanced intake is important to avoid such interactions.
• B-complex Vitamins: While B-complex supplements often include biotin, excessive intake of some B vitamins might impact biotin’s effectiveness or absorption. It’s important to maintain a balanced intake of B-complex vitamins to support overall health.
• Probiotics: Probiotics can enhance gut health, might improve biotin synthesis by gut bacteria. This synergy can enhance overall biotin levels in the body.

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Food First!

Although this article discusses supplements in detail, don’t forget that we are absolutely committed to the “Food First” approach to nutrition. When it comes to your health, the totality of your eating habits far surpasses the impact of individual nutrients or any single supplement you consume. Even though this article doesn’t delve into the broader picture of your overall diet, it’s crucial to keep this element at the forefront of our minds. Your food needs to provide all the vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals to nourish your body systems down to the cellular level.

Food choices, rather than supplements, are the most critical factors for a healthy gut microbiome. These trillions of tiny inhabitants in your gut affect your brain waves; they orchestrate your immune system. They possess the power to create molecules that can switch genes on or off and are even capable of synthesizing neurotransmitters. Opting for organic foods and steering clear of plastic packaging (including those labeled BPA-free) is a smart move to limit toxin exposure. The sum of all these parts leads to a powerful conclusion: the ultimate key to your health lies in the quality and balance of the food you consume. Supplements are secondary.

What To Eat

To Sum It Up

Biotin, also referred to as Vitamin B7, is an essential component of the B-complex vitamins that plays a pivotal role in metabolic processes. It facilitates the conversion of food into energy, essential for maintaining optimal vitality. Biotin is often sought after for its significant benefits to hair, skin, and nails. Moreover, biotin contributes to the maintenance of a healthy nervous system and is associated with supportive effects in pregnancy, glucose regulation, and cardiovascular health. Although biotin is naturally present in a variety of foods, supplementation can be an advantage for those seeking to increase their biotin intake to support these specific health functions.

This Article is Not a Substitute for Medical Advice

Dietary supplements are not designed to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The Supplement Sciences website seeks to provide comprehensive access to the most relevant supplement information along with convenient online ordering. We do not provide medical advice and cannot guarantee that every product suggested is completely without risk. Since each person is unique in their health history and medication use, it is important to discuss supplements with your personal physician. Specifically, pregnant women and individuals being treated for cancer or liver or kidney problems must consult their physician about every nutritional supplement they plan to take. People taking medications for the treatment of HIV or with a history of organ transplant must not take supplements without consulting with their physician.