Biotin is a water-soluble member of the B-vitamin family. Usually, you get enough biotin in your diet through foods such as oatmeal, egg yolk, soy, organ meats, bananas, peanuts and brewers yeast. Because biotin may interact with some medications, including anticonvulsants and insulin, you should always consult your doctor before taking a biotin supplement.
Step 1
Know the symptoms of a biotin deficiency. Biotin supplements are used to remedy a rare deficiency, which may be caused by genetic disorders, long-term use of anti-seizure medication, alcoholism, pregnancy, stomach diseases, surgical alteration or removal of the stomach, infant seborrheic dermatitis and eating copious amounts of large egg whites. Symptoms of a biotin deficiency include hair loss, skin rash, depression, anemia, nausea, high cholesterol and heart problems.
Step 2
Learn the benefits. Biotin is critical to the formation of fatty acids and glucose and the metabolism of amino acids and carbohydrates. Taking biotin may halt symptoms of biotin deficiency, strengthen brittle fingernails and improve hair growth. The University of Michigan reports that in some cases, the symptoms of deficiencies in zinc or pantothenic acid may also be somewhat reduced by taking biotin.
Step 3
Be wary if you're pregnant. According to the University of Michigan, biotin deficiency causes birth defects in animals and may cause birth defects in humans, too. Taking prenatal vitamins with biotin in them appears to be a simple way of remedying this potential problem.
Step 4
Take advantage of biotin if you're a diabetic. Only a very small amount of biotin is required; the University of Michigan estimates that a typical Western diet contains between 30 and 70 micrograms of biotin per day, while the Mayo Clinic reports no side effects reported for biotin intakes as high as 10 milligrams a day, well over 100 times the typical amount in a regular diet. It may be that the only side effects to biotin intake are a possible lowering of blood glucose levels and reduction in diabetic neuropathy, both of which would be useful to a diabetic under proper medical monitoring.
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