Have you ever experienced hair loss or hair thinning? It was not a good experience, was it? Hair loss or thinning can happen for many reasons, but have you ever considered a vitamin deficiency?
Although biotin deficiencies are rare, they can happen, but have no fear! If you are deficient in vitamin H, you can turn your hair troubles around thanks to biotin!
So what is biotin? How much do you need? Where can it be found? And how can biotin help with hair growth? To get answers to these questions, read on!
What is Biotin?
Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin, in the B-Vitamin family, which enables your body to change food to energy. It is also called vitamin H or vitamin B7.
It is known for supporting healthy hair, skin, and nails. But it also is used to treat multiple sclerosis; diabetes; muscle cramps; cholesterol; blood sugar level; and metabolic function among other health issues.
How Much Biotin is Needed?
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), does not give a Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin H.
But the National Institute of Health (NIH) – Office of Dietary Supplements recommends the following intakes for healthy individuals. Keep in mind the amount can differ due to a person’s age, sex, and health. Please refer to a physician if you need more information.
Foods Rich in Biotin
The human body does not have the ability to synthesize vitamins, and a lack of dietary intake of vitamins can lead to deficiency. Below are a few natural dietary sources for biotin:
- Organ meats like liver and kidney
- Soy beans
- Bananas
- Mushrooms
- Whole grains
- Egg yolks
- Cauliflower
Remember, too much heat causes a reduction in biotin’s efficiency so do not overcook these foods.
If you are not ready to start chomping on cauliflower, don’t worry. There are dietary supplements for biotin (vitamin H).
How Can Biotin Help with Hair Growth?
Hair is made of keratin. Keratin is a type of protein. Proteins are created from amino acids, which are then produced after cell enzymes and biotin react. Lack of biotin can cause hair loss. It is essential in cell proliferation. Biotin helps to metabolize proteins for the formation of healthy hair.
Now we haven’t conducted any scientific studies, but we have several people at Lengthy Hair who use biotin or vitamin H supplements. Most report positive changes to their hair and nails. A daily biotin capsule has allowed nails to grow thicker and longer. And hair growth has been close to ½ inch a month, which is ideal. Combining the increased growth rate with proven hair retention methods has led to lengthy hair goals being achieved at a faster rate.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, vitamin H can be great for individuals who are vitamin deficient. If you are already getting the proper amount of biotin and still experiencing hair loss or thinning, then we encourage you to see a dermatologist. In fact, before taking any dietary supplement, it is best to check with your physician. As the FDA has recently released a safety communication warning the public on biotin interfering with the results of lab tests².
How do you get your vitamin H? With food or supplements? And how has it affected you? Let us know in the comments.
¹https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Biotin-HealthProfessional/
²https://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/SafetyAlertsforHumanMedicalProducts/ucm586641.htm