Biotin is a supreme vitamin for well-being.

Overview

The Greek word "biotos," meaning "sustenance" or "life-giving," is the origin of the English word "biotin."

The B-complex vitamin biotin aids in the metabolic process, which turns food into energy. Biotin, or vitamin B7, is essential for the health of numerous bodily systems, including the neurological system, liver, eyes, hair, and skin. It maintains proper cellular function and aids in the activity of enzymes in your body. Meat, eggs, fish, seeds, nuts, and certain veggies are good sources, but you can also take a supplement every day.

Just how does it improve our physical and mental health?

Controlling blood sugar, total cholesterol, and blood lipids may be possible with this method of diabetes treatment. However, insulin levels are unaffected.
The nervous system and brain rely on B vitamins, which may alleviate neuropathy and other neurological complications of diabetes.
Supplemental biotin may help persons suffering from alopecia or other medical disorders that hinder hair development, according to studies.
If your nails are healthy, taking biotin will make them longer and stronger, barring any underlying health issues.
Skin biotin: Dermatitis, acne scarring, and other skin issues have been associated to insufficient biotin levels.
A healthy pregnancy requires prenatal care, which includes the use of biotin. Nearly one-third of American pregnant women suffer from minor biotin deficiencies, according to research.
Biotin may aid in the healing of damaged nerves, which is of particular importance for those suffering from degenerative disorders like multiple sclerosis.

However, in the absence of these factors, there is little data to suggest that biotin promotes hair growth.

When is it determined?

A doctor can check your blood B-7 levels if they think you aren't getting enough of the vitamin. To further assess other parameters, your physician may request further laboratory and blood testing. These results can help them determine if a biotin deficit is present or not.

Video about Biotin deficiency

Suggestion

Because biotin loses some of its effectiveness when cooked, it is best to consume these foods in their raw or less processed forms.
Natural sources of nutrition are usually preferable.
Your doctor may recommend a supplement if your body does not produce enough biotin on its own. Do your homework on supplement brands before you buy them because the FDA doesn't check their safety, purity, dosage, or quality.
But you shouldn't use biotin pills unless your doctor tells you to.

Appropriate Doses of Biotin

Age, gender, gestational age, and lactation date

The first six months of a child's life five micrograms
7-9 months to 12 months Six milligrams
From one to three years eight milligrams
four to eight years twelve micrograms
9–13 years old 20 milligrams
14–18 years older from 25 mcg to 35 mcg
for over nineteen years 30, from 30 mcg, 35 mcg

Here are some of the ways to get biotin:

No vegan options.

Beef hepatic. There are 30.8 micrograms in just 3 ounces of cooked liver.
Minced pork. The amount of biotin in three ounces of pork chops is 3.8 micrograms.
Fish of the sea. The amount of biotin in three ounces of cooked salmon is five micrograms.
Especially the yolks of eggs. The amount of biotin in one cooked egg is 10 micrograms.
A milk product. The biotin content in one cup of 2% milk is 0.3 micrograms.

No meat eater

Those pesky bananas. There are 0.2 micrograms of biotin in half a cup of bananas, which is one serving.
The amount of micrograms in a quarter cup of roasted almonds is 1.5
Micrograms are included in 9.5 of the walnut halves.
There are 2.6 mcg of biotin in a quarter cup of roasted sunflower seeds.
Half a cup of sweet potatoes contains 2.4 micrograms of biotin.
Mushrooms: 11.1 micrograms are contained in 100 grams of portabella mushrooms.

The dietary intake of this vitamin is very simple. There is a lot of biotin in a lot of typical foods. Some examples are:

beans, lentils, and green peas
butter made from sunflower seeds
veggies, kale, and crimini mushrooms
scrambled eggs, particularly the yolk
many types of organ meats, such as kidney and liver
dairy items, such as milk, yoghurt, and cheese
Wheat, maize, and barley are examples of whole grains.

Processing food renders biotin inert. To maximize your vitamin intake, eat these foods in their natural, unprocessed forms as often as possible.

Food Additives

You can find biotin in both multivitamins and standalone supplements. There are usually three different dosages of biotin pills available: 10, 50, and 100 mcg.
Before starting a biotin supplement, talk to your doctor. Interactions between B-7 and other drugs are rare. Side effects that are not anticipated may occur. Having an excess of biotin is also conceivable. For the suggested dosage each day, consult your physician.

What happens if biotin levels are too low?

Symptoms such as reddening of the skin, particularly on the face, scaling of the skin or eyes, dryness of the hair, and hair loss
Feelings of melancholy, lethargy, nausea, and trouble sleeping
tingling or burning in the extremities, aches and pains in the muscles
alterations in the gastrointestinal system (regular indigestion), and a cracking sound coming from the corners of the mouth
epilepsy, impaired gait

Causes of insufficient biotin

Rarely does one encounter a biotin deficit. In order to determine the reason for your low B-7 levels, doctors usually consider one of six potential causes. Here are the reasons:

1. Medication: Some medications could hinder your body's ability to absorb vitamins properly.

2. B-7 deficiency can occur with intravenous (IV) feeding, which involves receiving nutrition through a tube or IV.

Thirdly, issues with the digestive system, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

4. Severe dieting: When you cut out whole foods, you risk a deficiency in essential nutrients.

5. An extremely rare genetic condition is biotinidase deficiency. You won't be able to reuse biotin anymore because of it.

6. Other hereditary factors: Hypoxia can be caused by phenylketonuria, biotin transport deficiency, or holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency, among other genetic illnesses.

Who among us could be in danger of shortage?

Unless you're at risk for a biotin deficiency or already have one, taking a supplement won't do you much good.

Biotin insufficiency is more common in people who have

Insufficiency in biotinidase (BTD). A hereditary condition that prevents biotin reutilization and recycling. Many nations, including the US, check their newborns for this condition.
Use of alcohol on a regular basis. There is a strong correlation between heavy alcohol consumption and drastically decreased biotin levels since alcohol blocks its absorption.
Food insecurity. Low biotin levels are one consequence of insufficient food and nutrition consumption.
The inflammatory bowel disorders (IBDs). Decreased biotin production by gut bacteria can be a symptom of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Even with a regular vitamin consumption, low biotin levels can occur in pregnant and nursing women. Either increased vitamin use or decreased absorption might be to blame.
Another group of people who could be at risk for biotin deficiency includes those who take retinoids and antiepileptic drugs.
Nerve pain, bipolar illness, and seizure disorders are prominent indications for the use of antiepileptics. Many dermatological issues, including acne and psoriasis, respond well to retinoids, a family of chemicals derived from vitamin A.

Dangers and caution signs

Since biotin is soluble in water, taking it as a supplement is probably not going to hurt you too much.
A biotin overdose, on the other hand, can make you drowsy, thirsty, and prone to urination.
In addition to raising biotin levels in the blood, taking these can skew results for tests measuring thyroid hormones, vitamin D, and cardiovascular health.
Reason being, biotin's capacity to attach to particular proteins and identify particular diseases makes it an indispensable component of many laboratory tests.
That is why it is imperative that you inform your doctor about any biotin supplements you are now taking or intend to take. Some prenatal and multivitamin supplements may be among these.
Also, keep in mind that carbamazepine, primidone, phenytoin, and phenobarbital are antiepileptic medications that might reduce biotin levels.
Get the recommended amount of biotin—from food, supplements, or a mix of the two—before taking any of these medications by seeing your physician or a registered dietitian.

Potential adverse implications of a biotin shortage

Biotin deficiencies are less prevalent than those in other nutrients. Very few people will not get enough biotin if they eat a balanced, nutritious diet. That's because the vitamin is naturally present in high quantities in a lot of everyday meals.
It is quite improbable that biotin pills or hair products containing biotin will have any positive effects on populations outside of these specific ones.

Conclusion

Those who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBD), obesity, chronic alcohol use disorder (BTD), or chronic malnutrition are at a higher risk of biotin deficiency. A higher risk is also associated with certain drugs, being pregnant or nursing, and other health conditions. If you want more specific advice based on your medical history, though, you should see a doctor.

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