Biotin is a water-soluble B-vitamin designated as B-7. It is also known as vitamin H. Biotin is naturally produced in the intestines and is found in many foods, so deficiency is considered uncommon. The recommended daily allowance for supplementation is 0.3 mg. Metabolic disorders exist in which natural production of biotin is abnormal. In these cases, mega-dosing biotin at 5 mg or more daily can mitigate symptoms and provide various benefits. A physician should be consulted before supplementing with biotin.
Hair, Skin and Nail Benefits
Biotin deficiency can be caused by malnutrition or metabolic disorders in which specific enzymes are lacking. Biotinidase is an enzyme that frees biotin bound to food proteins so the body can use it. Hereditary biotinidase deficiency occurs in one in 60,000 newborns and causes many problems, especially for hair, skin and nail growth, according to the text "Advanced Nutrition: Macronutrients, Micronutrients and Metabolism." Initial signs of biotin deficiency include thinning hair, brittle hair and nails, balding scalp, dry skin, fungal infections and facial rashes centered near the nose and mouth.
Mega-dosing biotin can reverse symptoms of deficiency and stimulate the growth of healthy hair, clear skin and strong finger nails. Hair loss can be successfully combated with biotin supplementation and it may help reverse graying hair in those with marginal biotin deficiency. Seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp, common in infants with the metabolic disorder phenylketonuria, is also improved by biotin supplements. This should only be undertaken with a doctor's guidance.
Metabolizing and Energy Benefits
Biotin plays an essential role in metabolizing fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Biotin aids in the conversion of fatty acids and glucose into energy, which is why deficiency symptoms include fatigue, lethargy, loss of appetite, hallucinations and muscle weakness, as cited by the Linus Pauling Institute. Biotin helps to produce essential enzymes and plays a part in keeping sweat glands, nerve tissue and bone marrow functioning normally. Biotin also binds to proteins, called histones, which are important to the structure of chromosomes, and thus, for gene expression and cellular proliferation. In addition to metabolic disorders, pregnancy, intestinal surgery, antibiotic use and chronic consumption of large amounts of raw egg whites can all lead to biotin deficiency.
Benefits to Diabetics
Some studies have linked biotin supplementation to reducing and stabilizing high blood sugar levels in Type 2 diabetics. A 1993 study published in the "Journal of Biochemistry and Nutrition" found that 9 mg of biotin daily caused blood glucose levels to decrease by an average of 45 percent in non-insulin dependent diabetics. Other studies have found benefits to diabetics based on biotin levels ranging from 1.5 mg to 15 mg daily. Biotin can also help reduce neuropathy symptoms often associated with diabetes, such as the numbness and tingling of nerves caused by glucose toxicity.
References
- "Advanced Nutrition: Macronutrients, Micronutrients and Metabolism"; Carolyn D. Berdanier; 2009
- Oregon State University: Linus Pauling Institute: Biotin
- "Journal of Biochemistry and Nutrition"; Therapeutic Evaluation of the Effect of Biotin on Hyperglycemia in Patients with Non-insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus; M. Maebashi et al.; June 1993
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