Coenzyme
Biotin attaches to five different enzymes in the body and is essential to the activities those enzymes are responsible for. Your body needs this coenzyme to both break down and build up protein, which impacts hair growth. Hair is made of a protein called keratin. Biotin also is needed for cell growth, the utilization of other B vitamins and for the body to metabolize fats and glucose. There is also evidence it's needed for DNA replication.
Supplementation
While hair loss is one symptom of biotin deficiency, no published scientific studies actually support the claim that high doses of biotin supplements effectively prevent and/or treat hair loss, according to Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute for macronutrient research.
Deficiency
Biotin is a water-soluble B vitamin found in egg yolks, milk, whole grains, brewer's yeast, legumes, nuts, organ meats and rice. Signs of deficiency include dry skin and hair, dandruff, muscle pain and poor appetite. Biotin is sometimes used therapeutically for baldness despite lack of clinical evidence. It's also used therapeutically for hypothyroidism, an endocrine disorder that can cause hair loss, according to IThyroid.com.
Needs
Your body needs little biotin, and some is made by the bacteria in your digestive tract. The recommended daily amount is 30 mcg for both men and women. While your body does not require much biotin, it is needed for healthy bones as well as hair, according to Harvard Health.
Toxicity
Both lack of and overdose of biotin can impact human cellular growth. However, there is no doccumented toxicity level for biotin because excess is excreted via a person's urine. Regardless, biotin should only be consumed via food sources to prevent potential toxic levels, the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine recommends.
Cell Division
A study backed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture identified several human genes that require biotin for the genes' expression. It also found that biotin plays an important role in DNA repair, gene regulation and cell division. Cells that make up hair are duplicated by a cell-division process called mitosis. Hair, nails and skin are rapidly replaced throughout a person's life with this process.
Blood Glucose
One study found that insulin-dependent, type 1 diabetics had reduced blood-glucose levels after supplementing with 16,000 mcg of biotin daily, according to Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute for macronutrient research. This may be because it's a cofactor for enzymes in fatty acid synthesis and may boost utilization of glucose for fat synthesis. Biotin also stimulates a liver enzyme that increases glycogen synthesis. Glycogen is the storage form of glucose. Biotin also stimulates insulin secretion, which lowers blood glucose, according to the institute. Preventing or gaining control of blood-glucose levels can aid in preventing hair loss, according to FamilyDoctor.org, because hair loss can be a side effect of diabetes.
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