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Biotin Supplements Benefits for Skin, Nails, and Hair

Biotin supplements are a must have if you love having healthy skin, nails, and hair!

It is essential that you get enough in your diet! Biotin is best known as a beauty vitamin but it's also known as B7, vitamin H, and Coenzyme R.

It is also a water-soluble B-complex vitamin, which is a co-factor in the metabolism of fatty acids. Personally, I love Biotin and read about using it years ago as a suggested beauty vitamin. It’s very important to include it in your vitamin regimen if you want stronger hair and nails!

healthy hair image If you love beautiful skin, hair, and nails, you must include Biotin in your vitamin supplements! Once you start using it, you should notice a big improvement. Most everyone I know has some issues with their skin, hair, or nails! Many can be corrected by simply taking more of this water soluble vitamin!

Biotin is necessary for cell growth, the production of fatty acids, and the metabolism of fats and amino acids. It plays a role in the Citric acid cycle, which is the process by which biochemical energy is generated during aerobic activities. Biotin not only assists in various metabolic reactions, it also helps transfer carbon dioxide in the blood and is helpful in maintaining a steady blood sugar level. Biotin is often recommended for strengthening hair and nails. Consequently, it is found in many hair and nail vitamins on the market.

Deficiencies are extremely rare, as intestinal bacteria naturally produce an excess of the body's daily requirement. However, you may need it if you have a deficiency. (see deficiencies below)

Biotin Food Sources

Biotin can be found in a variety of foods that you already consume. Estimates are that the typical U.S. diet provides roughly 40 micrograms a day. There are only a couple of foods that contain biotin in large amounts, including royal jelly, egg yolk, and brewer's yeast. The most important natural sources of biotin in food nutrition are milk, liver, and some vegetables like Swiss Chard.

Other Food Sources

Excellent sources of biotin supplements include tomatoes, romaine lettuce, and carrots. Very good sources include almonds, onions, cabbage, cucumber, and cauliflower. Good sources include goat's milk, raspberries, strawberries, halibut, oats, and walnuts.

Biotin Supplements Benefits

Hair Loss

Biotin supplements are often recommended as a natural product to counteract the problems of hair loss in both children and adults. There have been no studies that show any benefit of taking extra Biotin in any case where the subject is not actually deficient but the benefits from taking it are huge!

The signs and symptoms of extreme deficiencies include hair loss, which can progress in severity to include loss of eye lashes and eyebrows. Some shampoos contain biotin but it is questionable whether they would have any useful effect, as biotin supplements are not absorbed well through the skin.

Hair Growth

Taking Super Biotin can also help hair growth and increase hair volume.

If you have thin hair or even if you have thick hair, its a win, win proposal.

Fingernail Growth

Studies has shown that taking Biotin can improve nail strength and nail growth in as little as three months, however I noticed a big difference in my nails after the first week of taking Super Biotin and I never had good nails before! My nails are whiter, stronger, and much longer than they've ever been!

Synthesis of Fat

Many symptoms of a deficiency include skin related problems. Biotin is required for proper function of an enzyme in the body called acetyl Co-A carboxylase. This enzyme forms the building block of fat production in the body. This is crucial for all cells in the body since the membranes of the cells must contain the correct components of fat to function properly. Fat production is essential for skin cells since they die off and must be replaced very quickly. They are in contact with the outside environment and serve as a barrier to unwanted toxins.

When cellular fat components cannot be made properly, skin cells are among the first cells to develop problems. In infants, the most common biotin deficiency symptom is cradle cap. Infants with the condition develop a crusty yellowish/ whitish patches around their scalp, head, eyebrows and the skin behind the ears. In adults, the equivalent skin condition is called seborrhea, although it can occur in many different locations on the skin.

Cradle cap/Seborrhea

Children with a rare inherited metabolic disorder called PKU often develop skin conditions such as eczema and seborrhea in areas of the body other than the scalp. The scaly skin changes that occur may be related to poor ability to process biotin in the body. Increasing dietary biotin has been known to improve seborrhea in most cases.

If biotin supplements do not improve the condition, most likely there is a yeast infection on the scalp causing it. Nizoral shampoo will clear up the condition quickly, by killing the yeast.

Diabetes

People with type II diabetes often have deficiencies of B7. Studies have shown that biotin may be involved in the formation and release of insulin in the blood. Preliminary studies in both animals and people suggest that biotin supplements help improve control of blood glucose levels in those with type 2 diabetes. Higher doses of biotin lower post-prandial glucose and improve glucose tolerance.

Biotin Deficiencies

The incidence of low circulating biotin levels has been associated with alcoholics, in those with a partial gastrectomy, burn patients, epileptics, the elderly, and athletes. Pregnancy and lactation may also be associated with an increased demand for biotin supplements. Additionally, smoking may further accelerate deficiencies in women especially.

Energy Production

Biotin is involved in the metabolism of both sugar and fat in your body. In sugar metabolism, biotin helps transfer sugar from initial stages of conversion into usable energy. Muscle cramps related to physical exertion, may be the result of your body's inability to efficiently use sugar as fuel and may signal a deficiency.

Nervous System Activity

Because glucose and fat are used for energy within the nervous system, biotin functions as a supportive vitamin. Numerous nerve related symptoms have been linked to a deficiency. Symptoms include seizures, lack of muscle coordination (ataxia), and lack of good muscle tone. (hypotonia).

Biotin Toxicity Symptoms

There is no current Tolerable Upper Limit set for biotin. So far, research has indicated that high levels of intake, has no known detrimental effects on the human body.

Daily Requirements

The Adequate Intake (AI) levels for biotin, set in 1998 by the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences, are as follows:

0-6 months: 5 micrograms

6-12 months: 6 micrograms

1-3 years: 8 micrograms

4-8 years: 12 micrograms

males 9-13 years: 20 micrograms

males 14-18 years: 25 micrograms

males 19 years and older: 30 micrograms

females 9-13 years: 20 micrograms

females 14-18 years: 25 micrograms

females 19 years and older: 30 micrograms

Pregnant females of any age: 30 micrograms

Lactating females of any age: 35 micrograms

I take Super Biotin most everyday. That’s 5000mcg. per capsule. Although I was born with seborrhea/cradle cap, I don't have this condition anymore especially since I've been taking biotin supplements. Daily requirements however, are much lower. Most people only need around 30mcg.’s a day if you don’t have a deficiency. If you have a deficiency or even if you don't, try taking 60 – 5000 mcg./day. It can’t hurt you because it's a water soluble vitamin, so your body naturally eliminates excesses.