The Benefits of Biotin for Hair: How Does It Affect Growth?

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What is biotin?

Biotin is also commonly referred to as vitamin H, even though it’s actually considered one of the B vitamins — specifically vitamin B7. The  name  originates from the Greek word biotos, which means “life.”

Biotin appears in small amounts in many different foods, but sometimes people acquire a deficiency in biotin. Biotin is one of the vitamins that assist with converting food into energy for your body. It’s also necessary for regulating blood sugar levels and can be especially helpful for pregnant women. It’s also sometimes recommended for women experiencing postpartum hair loss. 

The recommended dietary allowance of biotin according to healthcare professionals is 30-100 micrograms (mcg) a day. However, before adding any biotin supplementation, you should seek medical advice. People taking thyroid medication should also inform their doctor if they’re taking a multivitamin with biotin, because it may affect test results.

The benefits of biotin for hair

Experts have not yet conducted enough studies to prove the effects of biotin for hair growth. However, having a biotin deficiency has been directly linked to hair loss. So, while taking biotin for hair loss may be helpful if you have a biotin deficiency, there is no evidence to prove that taking additional biotin supplements without a deficiency would aid growth.

Many people believe in the power of biotin for hair growth because of keratin. Keratin is the protein that your hair is made of. It’s also a key ingredient in your nails which is why taking a biotin supplement can also help prevent your nails from breaking and cracking. 

Biotin can help with your body’s keratin production. The more keratin that is produced, the more new hair growth you will have. This is one reason people with thinning hair turn to biotin for hair growth. It’s important to remember, however, that healthy hair growth starts with a healthy scalp, so it is important to keep it clean and moisturized. When added to hair products, biotin can help stimulate the scalp, which can aid in hair production.

What happens if I have a biotin deficiency?

A biotin deficiency can have several harmful side effects, which you should speak to your doctor about. These include skin rashes or dermatitis, psoriasis, and acne. 

Biotin also helps to support metabolic function within your body. It can help break down fats and carbohydrates and turn them into energy. It’s also an important coenzyme for synthesizing fatty acids. This is one of the reasons this b-complex vitamin can be linked to aiding with weight loss.

What can biotin be found in?

High levels of biotin can be found in many foods that you probably already eat. If you’re interested in the benefits of biotin for hair, it may be worth increasing your intake of these foods before exploring any supplements.

Food sources with good amounts of biotin include:

• salmon 
• carrots 
• bananas 
• liver 
• cauliflower 
• egg yolks
• nuts and other legumes
• chicken

If you don’t happen to eat any of these biotin-rich foods, it is possible that you could have a biotin deficiency. This means that you should talk to your doctor about including a supplement to increase your body’s biotin intake levels. You could also speak to a nutritionist or dietitian to see if there’s another way you could get an adequate intake of biotin for hair loss and to support overall wellness.

It has been shown that heat can reduce the benefits of biotin, so it is best to get your biotin from unprocessed foods.

What else helps hair growth?

If you are looking for other nutrients and vitamins that can assist with hair growth, there are a few options to explore. 

Much like biotin, a vitamin A deficiency can lead to hair loss. This is because vitamin A helps your skin to produce sebum, which is needed for keeping your scalp healthy and preventing it from drying out. However, some people have overactive sebum glands, which can make their hair and skin oily. Taking vitamin A supplements when you don’t need them could lead to this too. Vitamin A can naturally be found in carrots, pumpkins, kale, sweet potatoes, and eggs. It is important to maintain the right balance of vitamin A because too much could be problematic as well. 

Vitamin C is necessary for hair growth because it is needed to produce collagen. Collagen is part of what hair is made of. This vitamin can also help you absorb iron, which your body needs for a variety of reasons. Vitamin C can also help reduce oxidative stress on your body.  It can be found in peppers, strawberries, and other citrus fruits. 

Vitamin D helps your hair to produce follicles and therefore plays a role in hair growth. Vitamin D can be absorbed from the sun’s rays into your body. During the winter, your body may not be getting enough vitamin D, which can lead to seasonal depression and other illnesses. Natural food sources for vitamin D include mushrooms and cod liver oil. 

Iron also aids hair growth as well as many other bodily functions. Iron is what helps your red blood cells provide oxygen to the cells in your body. If you don’t get enough iron, you can become anemic. Anemia is known for causing hair loss in many people. This is especially true for women. Iron can be found in spinach, oysters, eggs, red meat and organ meats. 

Protein is also extremely important for hair growth as the structure of hair is made up of proteins. Protein is often found in meat and eggs. There are, however, plenty of other vegan-friendly protein sources you can add to your diet. This includes lentils, beans, oats, as well as many protein-rich vegetables like broccoli, spinach, and sweet potatoes.

Depending on your diet, lifestyle, and genetic makeup, you may need some extra help getting the right nutrients into your hair. This is when custom hair products tailored to your specific needs can be particularly effective. 

Biotin for hair: In summary

At the end of the day, your hair’s health matters. Getting the right nutrients into your body not only has an impact on how you look and feel in your daily life, but it can also have long-term effects, including potential hair loss.

Whether you’re choosing a new shampoo or making changes to your diet and lifestyle, it’s important to understand what ingredients are most beneficial when it comes to healthy skin and hair. By now, you should know enough about biotin for hair to be confident in selecting it as an ingredient in your hair supplements. But, if you’d like more information about what your hair needs, take our haircare consultation today.