Biotin: Potential Benefits and Side Effects of Supplements - Verywell Health
Biotin (vitamin B7) is a micronutrient vital to energy production, nervous system health, and other bodily functions. Found in a plethora of foods and available as a supplement, biotin is most well-known for strengthening hair and nails and combatting alopecia.
More research is needed, but there is also some evidence that biotin may improve symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, and help people with diabetes gain control of their blood sugar. While the use of biotin is generally safe, the vitamin may interfere with some lab tests and medications, so you should tell your healthcare provider if you plan to use it.
This article covers biotin's benefits for your health and hair, its safety, and how to select the right biotin product for you.
Verywell / JR Bee
What Is Biotin?
Biotin is an essential nutrient. An essential nutrient is one that your body can't produce or can't produce enough of and needs to function correctly.
Thus, you need to get biotin from your diet or supplements. It's best to get biotin from the food you eat.
Biotin helps your body:
- Transform your food into energy
- Regulate cell signals in your body
- Manage your gene activity
Biotin is available in many common foods. It's mainly stored in your liver.
Symptoms of Biotin Deficiency
Biotin deficiency is rare in the United States. When it happens, symptoms may include:
- Hair thinning
- Hair loss
- Brittle nails
- A red, scaly rash, usually around the eyes, nose, and mouth
- Unusual facial fat distribution
- Skin infections
- Conjunctivitis
- Neurological issues—depression, extreme tiredness, hallucinations (in adults)
- Decreased muscle tone, sluggishness, and developmental delay (in infants)
- Seizures
If you notice symptoms of biotin deficiency, seek help from your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider can diagnose a biotin deficiency by carefully analyzing your symptoms and lab work. Increasing biotin in your diet or via supplementation can be key in correcting your deficiency.
You are more likely to experience biotin deficiency if you have:
Additionally, the risk of biotin deficiency is higher in people who have been on parenteral nutrition (nutrition given intravenously).
Medications that can lead to biotin deficiency include the following:
- Anticonvulsants (epilepsy or seizure medicines)
- Antibiotic use that disrupts gut bacteria
Does Smoking Cause Biotin Deficiency?
Research shows that smoking cigarettes causes nutrients in the body to degrade faster. There is evidence that smoking cigarettes can result in low levels of biotin as well.
Purported Benefits of Biotin Supplements
Biotin's greatest claim to fame is its purported ability to strengthen hair and nails. Most support for these claims is anecdotal, but there is some promising scientific evidence, too.
Grow Hair
Biotin is often touted as a hair loss treatment. Some proponents claim that biotin-containing products make your hair stronger and more luscious. However, science only supports biotin for hair growth if a confirmed biotin deficiency has caused your hair loss.
Click Play to Learn More About Biotin Hair Growth
Strengthen Nails
Biotin supplementation is sometimes used to treat brittle, worn-down nails. It is also used to treat nail conditions like trachyonychia, or rough nails, a condition that is associated with alopecia.
A few clinical trials have found evidence that biotin supplementation can improve these conditions, as well as the firmness, hardness, and thickness of nails. However, these trials are small, and more research is needed.
Furthermore, a 2019 review of 16 biotin supplement products purchased from Amazon showed that only 15% of consumers felt the biotin supplement improved their nails.
Treat Other Disorders
Blood sugar control: A small body of research suggests that biotin supplementation may improve blood sugar control in some people with type 2 diabetes. It's thought that biotin accelerates the conversion of glucose into energy, preventing blood sugar from climbing too high. More research is needed to determine how exactly biotin may be used for this purpose.
Neuropathy: There is some evidence that biotin supplementation may improve symptoms of peripheral neuropathy in people who develop nerve damage as a complication of type 2 diabetes. However, researchers have yet to conduct clinical trials to study biotin supplementation for this purpose. Again, more research is needed.
Hyperlipidemia: Biotin may promote the breakdown and transformation of lipids known as triglycerides and cholesterol in the body. This process is known as lipid metabolism. In turn, biotin supplementation may help prevent hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol). High LDL cholesterol, or "bad cholesterol," is a common problem in people with diabetes. Some research has shown that biotin supplementation may help keep LDL cholesterol levels low, especially in people with diabetes.
Biotin Side Effects
Biotin is normally well-tolerated and has not been associated with side effects, even in high doses.
However, biotin interferes with lab work, resulting in false readings. This effect has been noted in the following tests:
Biotin use has caused the misdiagnosis of hyperthyroidism and Graves' disease, a serious autoimmune thyroid disease. This is due to biotin's impact on thyroid lab work.
Check with your healthcare provider before starting a supplement regimen. They may suggest that you stop taking biotin before getting your labs done.
Food Sources of Biotin
A daily adequate intake (AI) of 30 micrograms (mcg) of biotin is adequate for adults.
Food sources of biotin (in micrograms) include:
- Beef liver, cooked (31 mcg per 3-ounce serving)
- Eggs, cooked (10 mcg per egg)
- Pork chop, cooked (4 mcg per 3-ounce serving)
- Hamburger patty, cooked (4 mcg per 3-ounce serving)
- Sunflower seeds, roasted (2 mcg per 1/4 cup)
- Sweet potato, cooked (2 mcg per 1/2 cup)
- Almonds, roasted (2 mcg per 1/4 cup)
Biotin Supplements
Biotin supplements are available in most drug stores, pharmacies, and supermarkets. You can also purchase them offline. Biotin supplements can be found in a variety of oral (by mouth) forms, including liquid, tablet, gummy, and capsule forms. Taken orally, the body can absorb 100% of biotin, even at high doses.
Dosage
The Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) has not established a recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for biotin. However, a daily adequate intake (AI) of 30 micrograms (mcg) of biotin has been established as adequate for adults, along with the following recommendations:
- Birth to 6 months: 5 micrograms (mcg) per day
- 7 to 12 months: 6 micrograms
- 1 to 3 years: 8 micrograms
- 4 to 8 years: 12 micrograms
- 9 to 13 years: 20 micrograms
- Adults 19 years and older: 30 micrograms
- During breastfeeding: 35 micrograms
People in the United States usually get this amount and more through their diet.
It's important to discuss your biotin use with your healthcare provider, especially before getting your labs done. You may need to stop taking it before getting your lab work, as it can interfere with the results.
Safety
Although biotin is unlikely to cause adverse side effects, even in high doses, keep in mind that dietary supplements are not regulated the way drugs are in the United States.
This means the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve them for safety and effectiveness before products are marketed.
When possible, choose a supplement tested by a trusted third party, such as the following:
Note that even if supplements are third-party tested, they are not necessarily safe for all or effective in general. Talk to your healthcare provider about any supplements you plan to take and ask about potential interactions with other supplements or medications.
Summary
Biotin supplements are effective for hair loss and skin issues caused by a biotin deficiency. Don't hesitate to contact your healthcare provider if you're concerned about your hair health. Keep in mind that biotin can interfere with your lab work. Talk with your healthcare provider about stopping it before getting your labs done.
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