Biotin: An Essentially Important Nutrient for the Body

Did you ever notice that your nails have become brittle and your hair have stopped looking glossy? Do you also feel that you are no longer having strong hair and hair fall has become frequent?

If ‘yes’ is the answer of all these questions, then you really need to know about biotin.

What is Biotin?

Biotin is water soluble vitamin, it also known as vitamin H, vitamin B₇ or vitamin B_8. It is an essential component of enzymes which helps in metabolizing carbohydrates, fats and helps in protein synthesis. The word biotin comes from a Greek word ‘biotis’, which means life. Biotin is used to strengthen hair and nails, and thus, it is also called Vitamin H (for hair).   

What is Biotin good for?

1 - Biotin is helpful in maintaining blood sugar level.

2 - Biotin is used for strengthening skin, nails and hair. Taking biotin also helps in hair growth and prevents hair thinning.

3 - Biotin is useful in treating skin rashes in infants.

4 - Studies have also suggested that it is handy in the treatment of type 2 diabetes as it is helpful in regulation of blood glucose level.

5 - Biotin is helpful in tissues growth. It also helps in alleviating muscle aches and joint inflammation.

Deficiency and Its Symptoms

As you know, deficiency of any essential nutrient in the body leads to certain diseases or may hamper the natural working process of the body. When we particularly talk about biotin, its deficiency also reflects certain symptoms in the body, and these include:

- Brittle and thin fingernails

- Hair loss and hair thinning

- Skin issues in the form of a scaly, red rash around the eyes, nose, mouth, and genital area.

- Neurological symptoms in adults, such as depression, lethargy, and hallucination

But, you do not need to worry much about it because even if you encounter above mentioned symptoms in your body and feel you are having its deficiency, then you can get it from various foods, and additionally, it is also available in the form of supplement in the market. Let’s quickly learn about them:

What Foods Contain Biotin?

Eggs, cheese, Almond, Cauliflower, Mushroom, sweet potato and Spinach are some of the foods in which you can find a good amount of biotin.

§ Eggs

Since biotin serve in the development of an embryo, thus egg yolk is one of the best source of Biotin (find more about egg diet). Over cooking of the egg may reduce its quantity, thus the best way is to consume it in raw form.

§ Cauliflower

Cauliflower approximately contains 15-18 micrograms of biotin per serving. As, biotin is water-soluble, and eating cooked cauliflower may not provide you with full biotin quantity, therefore avoid over cooking it and try slow roasting it in the oven.

§ Cheeses

Many of the dairy products are rich in biotin and so does cheese. Cheddar and American cheese are fine example of rich in biotin.

§ Spinach

Spinach contains one of the highest biotin levels. You may consume it as a smoothie or can eat in combination with other veggies in salad.

Other Sources of Biotin

If you think, you are not consuming adequate amount of biotin from your food, then you may consume it in a powder and add to shakes and smoothies. They are also available in tablet form and in a liquid form.

No doubt, good hair adds to a beauty of a person, and it is very important to take care of them. Thus, it becomes very important to know how much biotin you should take daily for healthy, shiny and strong hair. The below chart shows the required quantity of biotin that should be consumed:

Bottom Line

We believe now you know Biotin is an essential vitamin that provides multiple benefits to the body. It is essentially important to include it in your diet for good hair growth and nails. If you think your diet does not provide you enough biotin, then you may consume it as a supplement.

Expert’s Tip: If you’re taking medicine or you are pregnant, please get in touch with your doctor before taking biotin supplements.