What are the health benefits of biotin?
Biotin has many health benefits. Biotin helps convert carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in food into energy that your body needs. It is responsible for forming the foundation of skin and hair cells, and some research suggests that taking biotin supplements may help improve nail strength and condition.
How much biotin do you need?
As with most essential nutrients, the amount of biotin you need each day depends on whether you are male or female and your stage of life.| age | Biotin – Adequate Intake (AI)* |
| 1 to 3 years 4 to 8 years |
8 mcg/day 12 mcg/day |
| boy 9 to 13 years old 14 to 18 years old |
20 mcg/day 30 mcg/day |
| girl 9 to 13 years old 14 to 18 years old |
20 mcg/day 25 mcg/day |
| male 19+ |
30 mcg/day |
|
|
25 mcg/day 30 mcg/day 35 mcg/day |
Foods rich in biotin include organ meats, such as liver, but many other foods, including meat, fish, seeds and nuts, and certain vegetables, also contain biotin, but in lower amounts. For example:
Other sources include beans, whole grains, broccoli, bananas, brewer's yeast and mushrooms.
Biotin is also available in supplement form, often as part of a vitamin B complex supplement , a multivitamin , or a supplement designed to improve and support healthy skin, hair, and nails
Cooking destroys the biotin-binding ability of avidin, so eating cooked egg whites does not cause the same problem.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women may also find it more challenging to get enough biotin – in fact, research shows that at least one-third of pregnant women suffer from a borderline biotin deficiency, even if they are getting enough of the vitamin from their diet of.
Symptoms of biotin deficiency include brittle nails, hair loss, pale skin, muscle pain, weakness, and fatigue.
| food | Biotin content |
| Beef liver (85g, cooked) | 30.8 micrograms |
| 1 egg | 10 micrograms |
| Canned salmon (85 grams) | 5 micrograms |
| Pork chop (85g, cooked) | 3.8 micrograms |
| Sunflower seeds (1/4 cup, toasted) | 2.6 micrograms |
| Sweet potatoes (1/2 cup, cooked) | 2.4 micrograms |
| Spinach (1 cup, cooked) | 1 microgram |
Other sources include beans, whole grains, broccoli, bananas, brewer's yeast and mushrooms.
Biotin is also available in supplement form, often as part of a vitamin B complex supplement , a multivitamin , or a supplement designed to improve and support healthy skin, hair, and nails
Are you getting enough biotin?
Since biotin is found in a variety of foods, deficiencies in this vitamin are quite rare. However, bodybuilders often like to eat too much raw egg whites, which can lead to a deficiency because a protein in egg whites called avidin inhibits the absorption of biotin.Cooking destroys the biotin-binding ability of avidin, so eating cooked egg whites does not cause the same problem.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women may also find it more challenging to get enough biotin – in fact, research shows that at least one-third of pregnant women suffer from a borderline biotin deficiency, even if they are getting enough of the vitamin from their diet of.
Symptoms of biotin deficiency include brittle nails, hair loss, pale skin, muscle pain, weakness, and fatigue.
