Biotin is vital to produce keratin, a protein that promotes healthy hair, skin, and nails. Let’s learn more about this vitamin and how we can use biotin for hair growth.
What is biotin?
Biotin is one of the B complex vitamins. There are eight B vitamins, biotin being Vitamin B7.
These vitamins are all water-soluble. That means they are not stored in your body for long periods. Your body does not naturally produce them, either. Although the bacteria in your gut, known as intestinal flora, can produce biotin and have a substantial impact on your health.
What does biotin do?
This group of vitamins is in charge of breaking down fat and carbs from the foods that you consume and turning them to energy. This energy offers fuel for a lot of the body’s essential functions.
What is biotin good for?
Biotin is vital to produce keratin, a protein that promotes healthy hair, skin, and nails. It is especially important during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Biotin for hair growth can show results within weeks.
Does biotin help hair grow?
Biotin improves your body’s keratin infrastructure. There’s still limited evidence that suggests increased biotin intake promotes hair growth, but studies have shown potential.
A 2012 study demonstrated improved hair growth and quality after 90 and 180 days.1 Also, in a 2015 study, participants were given biotin or a placebo pill for 90 days.2
The research showed that women taking biotin experienced a significant amount of hair growth in the areas affected by hair thinning. Biotin helped reduce hair shedding as well.
How long does it take for biotin to work?
Taking biotin for hair growth has shown results in nails and eyelashes in as little as two weeks. Studies have shown results after 90 to 180 days.
Sources of biotin
Most people eating a well-balanced diet should be getting a sufficient amount of biotin. That is because most common foods contain considerable quantities of this vitamin naturally. However, if you are trying to increase biotin for hair growth, here are some common foods rich in biotin.
What foods have biotin?
Many common foods contain considerable quantities of biotin. These include:
- green peas, legumes, and lentils
- sunflower seeds and sunflower butter
- carrots, cauliflower, and mushrooms
- broccoli
- cooked eggs, especially egg yolk
- organ meats, including liver and kidney
- dairy products, including milk, cheese, and yogurt
- seafood
- whole grains include barley and corn
Food processing frequently destroys biotin. Therefore you should try and eat as many whole foods as possible.
Supplements
Biotin is offered in multivitamins and individual supplements.
You should speak with your physician before taking a biotin supplement. Vitamin B-7, known as biotin can interact with other medications occasionally. You can also consume too much biotin. Your doctor can help recommend a daily dose.
Biotin shampoo
There’s controversy regarding whether or not biotin shampoo works. Since shampoo is rinsed away almost immediately, it doesn’t give biotin enough time to soak into the scalp.
By comparison, studies show that our bodies can absorb up to 20 milligrams a day when taken orally.
If not biotin shampoo, what topical treatments can help hair growth? Click here to learn more.
How much biotin should I take?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t established a recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for biotin. According to the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, 30 mcg is the adequate daily intake for adults 19 years of age and old, which can usually be achieved through dietary ingestion.3
Although there’s no recommended dietary allowance for biotin, proponents often suggest taking 2 to 5 milligrams (2000 to 5000 mcg) of biotin to strengthen your hair.
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This article has been written from research and reports that you can find sourced at the bottom of this post. We do our best to provide thorough analysis on every topic covered. Products we link to are chosen based off our research alone. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, meaning we may receive compensation from any links provided.
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Sources
- 1.Glynis A. A Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study Evaluating the Efficacy of an Oral Supplement in Women with Self-perceived Thinning Hair. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2012;5(11):28-34. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23198010.
- 2.Ablon G. A 3-Month, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study Evaluating the Ability of an Extra-Strength Marine Protein Supplement to Promote Hair Growth and Decrease Shedding in Women with Self-Perceived Thinning Hair. Dermatology Research and Practice. 2015:1-8. doi:10.1155/2015/841570
- 3.Patel DP, Swink SM, Castelo-Soccio L. A Review of the Use of Biotin for Hair Loss. Skin Appendage Disord. 2017:166-169. doi:10.1159/000462981