What is biotin?
Biotin is a B vitamin that helps your body break down food into energy. You can get biotin by eating meat, eggs, fish, seeds, nuts, and some vegetables or by taking a daily supplement.
The name "biotin" comes from the Greek word "biotos," which means "to sustain" or "to give life."
Biotin Benefits
Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, supports many systems in your body, including the nervous system, liver, eyes, hair, and skin. It helps enzymes in your body function and keeps cells functioning properly.
Some of its possible health benefits include:
diabetes management
Research shows that biotin supplements may help manage diabetes symptoms. It may help lower blood sugar levels, total cholesterol, and blood lipids in some people with diabetes. But it doesn't have much of an effect on insulin levels.
Additionally, B vitamins are important for the brain and nervous system and can help relieve neurological symptoms of diabetes, such as neuropathy (nerve damage). However, we need more research on this.
Healthy skin, nails and hair
Biotin supplements are often promoted as beneficial for hair, skin, and nails. If your diet is deficient in biotin, you may experience thinning hair, skin or nail problems. But there is little scientific evidence that supplements improve hair, skin or nail health in people who are not deficient in biotin.
prenatal care
Biotin is necessary for a healthy pregnancy. Research shows that about one-third of pregnant women in the United States have a mild biotin deficiency, but more research is needed to understand why.
During pregnancy, be sure to eat biotin-rich foods or talk to your doctor about taking a biotin supplement.
neurological health
Biotin is thought to help nerves recover from damage, especially in people with progressive diseases like multiple sclerosis. However, recent studies have not shown any long-term benefits to neurological health from taking high doses of biotin.
Foods containing biotin
Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin, which means your body cannot store it like fat-soluble vitamins. Instead, you must replace it every day. Bacteria in your gut can produce biotin, although researchers aren't sure what role this plays in your overall biotin levels.
Foods rich in biotin include:
Beef liver . Just 3 ounces of cooked liver contains 30.8 micrograms, which is 100% of your daily value.
Eggs , especially the yolks. One hard-boiled egg contains 10 micrograms of biotin.
milk . A cup of 2% milk contains 0.3 micrograms of biotin. Milk also contributes to bone and tooth health and is a good source of protein, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and vitamin D.
banana . One serving (half cup) of bananas contains 0.2 micrograms of biotin. Bananas also contain vitamin B6, vitamin C and the minerals manganese, potassium and magnesium.
Nuts and seeds contain biotin, but how much you consume depends on how much you consume. For example, a quarter cup of toasted almonds contains 1.5 micrograms, but only six half-slices of walnuts contain 9.5 micrograms. A quarter cup of roasted sunflower seeds contains 2.6 micrograms of biotin, more than any other seed.
Pork Chops . A 3-ounce serving of pork chop contains 3.8 micrograms of biotin.
salmon . A 3-ounce serving of cooked salmon contains 5 micrograms of biotin, which is about 17% of your daily value.
Half a cup of sweet potatoes contains 2.4 micrograms of biotin, which is about 8% of your daily biotin intake.
Mushrooms also contain biotin. A 100-gram serving of portabella mushrooms (just over 1 cup) contains 11.1 micrograms.
biotin deficiency
Biotin deficiency is very rare, especially if you are healthy and eat a balanced diet. But if you have low levels of biotin, you may experience symptoms, which usually come on slowly. They can include:
- Alopecia (hair loss)
- A red rash around the eyes, nose, mouth, and genitals
- Nails become brittle
- frustrated
- Lethargy (lack of energy)
- hallucination
- Numbness in the extremities (hands or feet)
- epileptic seizure
health risks
Research shows that taking biotin supplements, even in high doses, carries minimal risks.
Because biotin is water-soluble, your body excretes unwanted biotin in your urine. But if you take too much, it may interact with other medications you take or produce false results on lab tests. Be sure to tell your doctor about any dietary supplements you take.
Quantity and dosage
The amount of biotin you need each day depends on your age and gender. The FDA says adults need 30 micrograms per day. If you are breastfeeding, you need 35 mcg per day.
If you think you're not getting enough biotin in your diet, talk to your doctor about whether you need a daily supplement.
