Eating a well-balanced diet is supposed to ensure your body receives sufficient amounts of vitamins to keep you healthy. However, it isn't always possible to receive all the vitamins you need from diet alone. This is especially true for people suffering health conditions that necessitate the need for multivitamin supplements. Biotin is a type of vitamin B that is combined with vitamin B complex and vitamin C supplements for people suffering from elevated homocysteine levels or kidney failure.
Use and Function
Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin that helps your body convert food into blood sugar to produce energy. Biotin, like other B-complex vitamins, helps you convert fats and proteins into energy. Biotin also helps strengthen your hair and nails. Biotin combined with chromium is purported to improve blood sugar management in diabetics and alleviate the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy. Biotin works with pantothenic acid to help your body metabolize food.
Dose
The vitamin composition of multivitamin supplements varies. The general recommended dose of biotin is 30 mcg to 100 mcg daily for general health. Infants and children up to 10 years old require between 10 mcg to 30 mcg of biotin daily. Be sure to check the nutritional information of your multivitamin supplement prior to taking any. Always consult your doctor to discuss what multivitamin supplement best suits your needs.
Side Effects
Biotin doses of up to 10 mg daily have not caused any adverse effects per se, however this does not mean biotin is free of side effects. B-complex supplements that contain biotin also have other vitamins that cause adverse reactions. Drowsiness is a possible side effect of vitamin B-complex supplements containing biotin. Headaches, diarrhea and stomach upset are also typical side effects of multivitamins. People that are allergic to one or more of the vitamins included in the supplement may experience an allergic reaction that includes hives, breathing difficulties and swelling.
Dietary Sources
Biotin is available in dietary sources such as egg yolk and sardines. Almonds, pecans, walnuts, soybeans, legumes, beef liver, avocado and kale also contain biotin. Getting vitamins from dietary sources instead of supplements generally lowers your risk of experiencing the adverse reactions and side effects associated with commercially manufactured vitamin supplements.
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