What Research Says About Biotin And Hair Growth
Biotin has many benefits for your body.
Its primary role is to help turn the food you eat into energy. Your body also needs it to produce keratin the type of protein that makes up hair, skin, and nails .
Many foods contain biotin, meaning that deficiency is rare in healthy people who eat a balanced diet .
Although rare, biotin deficiency can cause skin rashes, brittle nails, as well as hair thinning and loss. This owes to the vitamins role in keratin production .
As such, biotin supplements and biotin-added hair products are commonly advertised to support healthy hair growth or promote thicker, voluminous hair.
Despite these claims, though, theres limited evidence to suggest that supplementing with biotin or lathering it through your hair promotes hair growth in non-deficient people.
In an older 2012 study, women with self-perceived thinning hair were randomized to receive either a multi-ingredient hair growth supplement that contained biotin or a placebo for 6 months .
Those who received the hair growth supplement reported a visible increase in overall hair volume, scalp coverage, and thickness after the treatment period. Meanwhile, no significant changes were seen in the placebo group.
However, because the hair growth supplement contained multiple ingredients including zinc and iron, which are also necessary for hair growth its not possible to attribute the studys findings to biotin alone.
Precautions For Biotin Supplementation
Biotin is water-soluble, so whatever is not absorbed will pass through the system and be expelled in urine. In that sense, most people dont have to worry about taking too much. In fact, some people take a supplement that contains 10,000 times the daily adequate intake amount of 30 mcg, and they experience no adverse effects.
However, if you have adrenal fatigue and NEM dysregulation, it is still important to be cautious with all supplements. Your system is more fragile and your Detoxification Circuit is more overloaded than normal. So even a relatively safe supplement can still add pressure to your adrenals and worsen your AFS.
You may even experience paradoxical effects. Meaning, the opposite effects of what the supplement is supposed to help with. In the case of biotin, a paradoxical reaction may make hair, skin, nail, and blood sugar issues worse, not better. Or, if youre in a really fragile state, you may even experience an adrenal crash.
There have also been some reports of high-dose biotin supplements creating abnormalities in thyroid test results. And since the thyroid is part of the Hormone Circuit of your NEM, it may already be affected. So getting an accurate test result is useful if you have thyroid issues, and it might be a good idea not to take this supplement while doing so.
All of these precautions can be easily dealt with if you follow the guidance of a health professional with experience in AFS and NEM issues.
Who Is Likely To Have A Biotin Deficiency
As well as coming from food intake, biotin is produced in the gut by intestinal bacteria. If you suffer from an Inflammatory Bowel Disease such as Crohns or Ulcerative Colitis you may be more at risk .
Chronic alcohol users and smokers may suffer from biotin deficiencies. Something that isnt as commonly known is the effect of eating egg whites on biotin intake. If youre prone to eating lots of raw egg whites, a glycoprotein called avidin binds to the biotin in your gut. It affects the way biotin is absorbed.
Long-term dieting can also be a cause. Crash diets like intermittent fasting means hair may not grow, and a restrictive diet can cause deficiencies. The popular ketogenic diet, which involves eating a diet thats low in carbohydrates and high in fat, caused biotin deficiency in mice .
Find out more about the ideal diet for healthy hair.
Certain medications can cause biotin deficiencies. This study of one patient looked at valproate use, a medication that treats epilepsy and bipolar disorder. They found that after taking 10,000 mcg of biotin daily for three months, the patients severe hair loss was completely reversed.
This singular study shouldnt be taken as definitive proof, but it is known that antiepileptic medications such as carbamazepine, phenytoin, and phenobarbital can also cause biotin deficiency .
Many countries screen for BTD when an infant is born its important to test for this condition as it can be very serious without treatment .
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How Much Biotin Do I Need
While biotin deficiencies are possible, they are extremely rare. For this reason, the Food and Drug Administration hasn’t provided a recommended dietary allowance , as they have with other vitamins. Rather, experts have offered a daily requirement for most adults of 30 micrograms to maintain their hair, skin, and nails. For people striving to promote hair growth, this number can increase to 2-5 milligrams.
For best results, it’s important to consistently reach the recommended daily requirement of biotin for an extended period of time, usually between 3-6 months. Because it’s water-soluble, your body will remove the biotin it doesn’t need through your urine. Overdosing on biotin is unlikely, but taking too much can have negative side effects, including skin rashes and digestive problems. While biotin is safe for most people to take, it’s important to discuss increasing your consumption of biotin with your doctor.
Biotin Supplement Side Effects
Biotin supplements have few side effects if you take them as directed. Biotin supplements and B-complex vitamins are safe for most people, though they may cause a slightly upset stomach, Barth says.
High-dose biotin supplements can also interfere with certain medical test results, so tell your healthcare provider if youre taking them, advises Barth.
Biotin and other B vitamins are water-soluble, so its hard to overdose on them. If you take in more biotin than you need, your body doesnt store it, Barth explains. You naturally get rid of excess biotin and other B vitamins when you urinate.
Still, more is not always better. Dont take more than the dosage listed on the package and stop taking biotin if you notice side effects.
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Who Can Benefit From Biotin
Despite its popularity, there is no high-quality research into the effect of biotin on hair conditions such as alopecia, and little or no evidence to support the use of biotin supplements in people with naturally healthy biotin levels. And despite the hype, very few of us fall into that category: most of us get enough biotin through our diet to keep our hair healthy.
Other Benefits Of Biotin
Although more research is needed to assess its effects on hair growth, biotin does have several proven benefits.
For example, biotin is one of several B vitamins that support a healthy metabolism. Biotin converts glucose from carbohydrates into energy for the body and aids amino acids in carrying out normal bodily functions.
Biotin is also thought to:
- reduce inflammation
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Will Biotin Make My Body Hair Grow Too
No! Luckily, biotin will not make your body hair grow extra long. Unlike the hair on our head the body hair gets a molecular signal to stop growing at a certain point. This is why we don’t have to cut and style our arm hair! The only hair on the body that biotin has been shown to thicken is the eyebrows, which is typically a welcome result.
How Much Biotin Can You Take For Hair Loss
Biotin is present in many foods, including eggs, fish, meat, seeds, nuts, sweet potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower.
For supplementation, Cleveland Clinic dermatologists favor amega-B vitamin combination that includes:
- 3 milligrams of biotin.
- 200 milligrams of vitamin C.
- < 1 milligram of folic acid.
Occasionally, the mega B-vitamin combination gives somepatients minor gastric trouble, but switching them to biotin alone relievesit, Dr. Bergfeld notes.
And if you cant find the mega B-vitamin combination, youcan buy biotin, zinc and vitamin C separately, she says.
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So Does Biotin Shampoo Actually Work
Biotin is available as a health supplement. Its also frequently used in hair loss treatment shampoos. Our Hers hair loss shampoo contains biotin as one of several active ingredients designed to prevent hair thinning and encourage healthy hair growth.
So, does it work? Unlike many other shampoo ingredients that make big promises, biotin for hair loss really is backed up by proven science.
First, its closely linked to an improvement in hair growth in one recent study. Sixty women took part in the study, with 30 receiving a placebo and the other 30 receiving a biotin supplement. At the end of the 90 day study, women in the biotin group noticed an improvement in hair growth.
Its important to point out that this study was funded by Lifes2good, Inc., which manufactures a biotin-based supplement. The supplement given to the biotin group also contained a variety of other hair growth ingredients.
Other studies also back up the idea that biotin for hair loss can contribute to a reversal of hair loss and an improvement in growth. In a 2014 study, children with a medication-induced biotin deficiency showed a reversal in hair loss symptoms after consuming a biotin supplement.
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Biotin Recommended Dose For Hair Growth:
The amount of biotin you should take each day is debatable and is thought to vary depending on your age. Newborn babies require only 5 micrograms per day, whereas adults should get at least 30 mcg and breastfeeding women should get 35 mcg or more. Because biotin is found in a variety of foods, it would be unusual for anyone to be deficient in biotin.
Adults can easily achieve a biotin intake of 30 mcg per day by eating biotin-containing foods such as meat, eggs, fish, nuts, seeds, and certain vegetables such as sweet potatoes, spinach, and broccoli.
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If you choose to supplement, biotin can be taken alone or in combination with other B-complex vitamins in a multivitamin. Most biotin for hair growth supplement manufacturers/brands recommends taking 2-5 milligrams of biotin per day, and many supplements are sold under different brand names, indicating a 5000 mcg size.
Biotin consumption in Western countries, excluding the United States, is estimated to be 3570 mcg per day. Biotin deficiency is uncommon, and most people in the United States get enough naturally from gastrointestinal bacteria and a well-balanced diet.
A biotin supplement can help restore hair health and growth by correcting a biotin deficiency. There is no strong evidence to support the use of biotin supplements or biotin-added hair products to promote hair growth in people who are not deficient.
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Maximizing Hair Growth On Biotin
If you want to give biotin a try, you might as well do it right! Yes, theres a right and wrong way to take biotin for hair growth, and thats what were focusing on in this section.
Here are some tips to maximize hair growth on biotin:
Note: If you experience worrisome side effects after starting a biotin supplement or biotin-containing hair product, stop using it immediately and get an opinion from a doctor in your area. There are other healthy hair growth remedies out there that are proven to work and may better mesh with your body chemistry.
Biotin Dosage For Nails Hair Adults 5000mcg Rda Overdose How Much Biotin Is Too Much Side Effects
What is biotin dosage? How much biotin should I take and is safe? How much is too much or an overdose? What is the dosage for 5000mcg,1000mcg 0r 10000mcg biotin? What is the RDA of biotin? What are the side effects of too much biotin in your system? Here is a guide on how much biotin you should take for hair, strong nails, adults and children and other specific ages.
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A Month After Using Biotin Supplement Treatment
In this phase, it would be glad for most people to see some minor but recognizable changes. However, as we reason before, results of biotin vary from person to person. Your hair may appear slight changes that will bring you to cloud nine or it is just a dream that you are longing for.
In other words, changes could be visible but changes could be invisible. We understand that you are losing your patience and at some points during the first month, you tend to think that biotin is just a fraud of online marketing and it is never effective.
Just keep calm, be patient and keep using vitamin B7 in form of pills on a regular basis!
What Are The Possible Side Effects Of Biotin Supplements
Taking high doses of biotin supplements can be associated with inaccurate thyroid hormone test results and falsely low results on troponin tests used to diagnose stroke, heart attack, and other cardiovascular conditions. Tell your doctor ahead of time if you’re taking biotin supplements.
Most people can take dietary biotin supplements without experiencing adverse effects, but minor side effects are possible. They include:
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Biotin For Hair Growth
“Biotin, or vitamin B7, plays a key role in the production of a number of different proteins,” explains Gaby Vaca-Flores, registered dietician and education specialist with HUM Nutrition. “While the research directly linking biotin to hair growth is limited, biotin does have the potential to promote healthier hair in an indirect way.”
Biotin helps to activate proteins that play an important role in the metabolic processes that contribute to healthy hair – namely, the chemical reactions involving glucose, fatty acids, and amino acids.
“Biotin also has the potential to stimulate the production of keratin, the main protein in the hair and nails,” Vaca-Flores adds. “Since keratin is the main building block of the hair, it can be inferred that promoting its production can benefit hair health.”
Can Biotin Cause Hair Loss
Although biotin deficiency is considered to be rare, it can result in hair loss that can be addressed with supplementation. If you have symptoms of biotin deficiency or are thinking of taking it, be sure to talk with a medical professional to assess your levels and discuss whats best for you.11
Its possible for people who drink excessive amounts of alcohol or eat a lot of raw egg whites to develop a biotin deficiency. Genetic disorders and smoking can also potentially cause lead to a reduction in biotin within the body.
Youre also more prone to developing a biotin deficiency if you have a condition that impacts your digestive tract, such as an inflammatory bowel disease or bacterial overgrowth within your small intestine. This is due to the fact that biotin is naturally produced by certain gut bacteria that are present within the intestines any condition that throws off the microbes in there can impact the effective production of biotin.12
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Does Biotin Really Work
All right, lets cut to it: The simple truth is that theres not enough scientific proof that biotin is the key to growing your hair really, really long. While, in the past, there was belief biotin supplements were needed to grow strong and healthy hair, there is actually little evidence that it makes much of a difference, Dr. Bhanusali says. Most dermatologists tend to agreewhile it likely doesnt hurt, taking biotin may not make much of a difference in your hair.
And remember how I said biotin was water soluble? What that means is any excess amount of it in your system gets flushed out through your urine, so loading up on biotin wont give you great results, unfortunately. Biotin can only impact hair growth if there is an existing biotin deficiency, Hill adds. Taking extra biotin supplements does not lead to extra nutrient-based hair growth.
Do Biotin Supplements Help With Hair Growth
Maybe youre not worried about biotin deficiency but wonder whether a biotin supplement could help you get amazing hair. After all, many products advertise biotin as a hair growth booster.
No studies have proven that biotin supplements will change the appearance of your hair, skin or nails, Barth says. But some people find that taking a biotin supplement helps them boost hair and nail growth. Its usually not harmful to try biotin for thicker hair or healthier nails.
If you decide to take a supplement, be patient. It takes several months to see new hair or nail growth, notes Barth. Biotin may be worth a try if your doctor gives you the go-ahead. But its not a guarantee that youll see a major change in your appearance.
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Does Biotin Regrow Hair
Biotin is an important nutrient that helps your bodys metabolism turn carbohydrates, fats, and protein into energy. Research shows that biotin helps your skin cells produce more keratin, a protein that your body needs to make strong skin, nails, and hair . People with biotin deficiency experience hair loss, scaly rashes, and brittle nails, so using biotin supplements to increase keratin and boost hair growth sounds like a no-brainer.
And for people who have a biotin deficiency, the evidence is there. Biotin deficiency is definitely a cause of hair loss, and for people who dont have enough in their bodies, treatment with a biotin supplement can improve hair and nail strength . Biotin deficiency may be caused by smoking, medications , underlying medical conditions, pregnancy, or genetics. But most of us get more than enough biotin from the foods we eat, so having a biotin deficiency is rare.
Research in people who dont have a biotin deficiency seems to show that its not necessarily the panacea of all hair loss woes.
In 2019, a group of researchers reviewed more than 100 studies on vitamins and hair loss. They found no evidence that biotin works for common types of hair loss like androgenetic alopecia or temporary hair loss from stress or trauma .
And while taking biotin supplements probably wont hurt , adding them to your regimen probably wont give you a thick, lustrous mane.