Most people lose about 100 hairs every day, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. That sounds like a lot, but it's actually just normal loss, and new hairs replace them as they disappear. It's only when you start to notice thinning hair or a receding hairline that hair loss becomes a serious problem. Some forms of hair loss need medication to reverse their effects, but some people can regrow hair by changing habits like the way they eat.
The Facts
Biotin, sometimes called vitamin H, is one of the B complex vitamins that help your body convert the fat, carbohydrates and protein you eat into usable forms. Your body uses biotin to produce the cells that grow strong hair and nails, and hair loss is one of the first signs of biotin deficiency--a rare condition, since biotin is common in many foods, according to MedLine Plus.
Dosage
Adults should get 30 micrograms (mcg) of biotin every day, according to the U.S. Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Science's Institute of Medicine. If you're taking biotin to restore hair loss, check with your health care provider: The recommended daily allowance may be sufficient, or your doctor may recommend doses from 100 to 1,000 mcg per day, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Theories/Speculation
There's not enough conclusive research to support the use of biotin as a cure for hair loss, but researchers theorize that biotin's role in hair growth may also help it regrow thinning or lost hair. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, early studies suggest that biotin combined with clobetasol propionate and zinc may help regrow hair lost because of juvenile or adult alopecia.
Considerations
Certain medications and conditions can lower your body's biotin stores, which could contribute to hair loss over time. According to MedLine Plus, pregnant women may have lower-than-normal biotin levels. If you take medication for seizures, certain broad-spectrum antibiotics and the prescription-strength acne medication isotretinoin, you may have low biotin levels. Biotin supplementation may help prevent thinning hair.
Warning
Taking more than 600 mcg of biotin daily may have unknown health consequences, since that's the maximum limit that safety has been confirmed for, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. MedLine Plus warns that people who use herbal remedies, supplements or medication to control their lipid levels should use caution when taking biotin for hair loss, since biotin can intensify the effects of these treatments.
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