Biotin is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin. Your body uses biotin for turning the carbohydrates and amino acids you eat into energy and for forming glucose and fatty acids. You only need very small amounts of biotin each day, and most people get these from foods. Sources include liver, egg yolks, yeast, avocado, salmon, pork, cauliflower and raspberries. However, biotin supplements are also available.
Safety
Biotin supplements are likely safe, especially if you stick to doses around the adequate intake levels. However, doses of up to 10 mg per day have not resulted in reports of any side effects, according to MayoClinic.com. Biotin also does not appear to interfere with the function of any medications. Due to the lack of reported side effects, no tolerable upper intake level has been set by the Institute of Medicine.
Recommended Intake
For infants up to 6 months old, the adequate intake level for biotin is 5 mcg per day, and for infants between 6 and 12 months old, the AI is 6 mcg per day. Children between the ages of 1 and 3 should consume 8 mcg of biotin per day, those between 4 and 8 years old should consume 12 mcg per day, those between 9 and 13 years old should consume 20 mcg per day, and those between 14 and 18 years old should consume 25 mcg per day. Adults should consume 30 mcg of biotin per day, except women who are breastfeeding, who need 35 mcg per day of biotin.
Deficiency Risk
Rapid weight loss, long-term tube feeding, malnutrition and pregnancy increase your risk for biotin deficiency. Regular consumption of raw egg whites can also lead to biotin deficiency. However, biotin deficiency is rare in the United States. Symptoms of this deficiency include a red scaly rash around the mouth, nose, eyes and genitals, as well as hair loss, tingling or numbness in your arms and legs, lethargy, depression and hallucination. Biotin deficiency can also cause heart problems and high cholesterol.
Considerations
It is better to get your biotin from foods rather than supplements, since foods contain other nutrients that you need as well as biotin. Although some people use biotin supplements for the treatment of diabetes, hair loss and brittle nails, more evidence is needed to determine whether biotin is effective for treating these conditions, according to MedlinePlus.
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