What does biotin do and how does it benefit your body and hair? If you’re wondering about the benefits of biotin, you’ve come to the right place. Here we break down everything you need to know about this vitamin in simple terms.
What Is Biotin?
Biotin is one of the important nutrients in the group of B-vitamins. Biotin benefits for your health include stronger and healthier hair, prevention of hair loss, stronger nails and healthy skin. Sometimes called vitamin H or vitamin B7, biotin is found naturally in many foods and it is also available as a supplement.
What Does Biotin Do?
Biotin is involved in many important body functions. An adequate amount of biotin benefits the hair, the bones and the health of the skin, the eyes and the liver. Like many B-vitamins, biotin is also important for the nervous system. It is involved in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and amino acids (protein) and in the body’s energy production.
Some studies have found biotin supplements helpful for strengthening brittle and weak fingernails. One of the most discussed benefits of biotin is its ability to make the hair stronger and healthier. In fact, it is considered one of the very best vitamins for hair loss.
Biotin Benefits for Your Hair
Biotin benefits the hair in many ways and it does this by helping the production of keratin. This protein is responsible for giving the hair its structure and rigidity. Biotin is especially useful if your hair is weak, fine or dry. It can help to improve the quality of your hair, to reduce the amount of split ends, and to make sure the hair does not break easily. It can also be helpful against hair loss.
Dry and weak hair and nails can be early signs of biotin deficiency. A serious biotin deficiency can eventually cause hair loss. Making sure you get enough biotin in your diet or from supplements can be one way to prevent baldness and hair loss. Biotin supplements may also be useful for those who already suffer from hair loss as they can help the growth of new, healthy hair. Biotin side effects are very rare because it’s a substance your body naturally produces.
Biotin is used in many supplements and hair care products to prevent the hair from drying, to increase elasticity (which helps to prevent the hair from breaking) and to make the hair appear thicker and fuller. As well as taking biotin in supplement form and making sure your diet contains enough biotin-rich foods, you can experiment with some of the many biotin hair growth shampoos and other hair care products on the market.
How to Get Enough Biotin
Your body cannot store this water soluble vitamin, so you will need to get it from your diet. Biotin is found in a range of foods, including the following:
- Liver
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Nutritional yeast
- Brewer’s yeast
- Egg yolks
- Nuts
- Mushrooms
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Legumes
- Bananas
Biotin deficiency is not very common in healthy people with a normal, balanced diet. However, taking vitamin supplements can be a good idea if you want to enjoy certain biotin benefits for your health, including stronger, healthier hair. Be sure to check out our article on how much biotin is safe to take if you’re considering a higher dosage.
Recommended Biotin Supplements:
I am often asked which are the best biotin supplements. Although they may seem equal on the surface, they are actually very different. Vitamin manufacturers use different sources and formulations and some really are better than others. Here are a few standouts that I often recommend:
1. Nature’s Bounty, Super Potency Biotin 5000 mcg
I like Nature’s Bounty first and foremost for its formulation. The quality is consistently good, they use reputable suppliers, and have excellent quality control standards that are overseen by scientists. As an added bonus, the softgels are very easy to swallow.
2. Solgar Biotin Vegetable Capsules, 5000mcg
Solgar is considered one of the best brands in the vitamin world and only costs slightly more than generic brands. Vegetable capsules are a very pure way of delivering vitamins. This formula is free of preservatives, colors, sweeteners, wheat, gluten, and soy.
NOW is a popular brand for a reason: they make a decent product at a good price. NOW Biotin doesn’t disappoint. These vegetable capsules contain a very effective yet safe dose of biotin and are suitable for vegetarians.This one gets quick results and the brand is trustworthy.
Also be sure to check out my separate biotin reviews page.
