Home Vitamins & Supplements What is biotin and much do you need it?

What is biotin and much do you need it?

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Biotin

Biotin is also known as vitamin H. It is one of the B complex vitamins and is crucial for your body because it helps your body to convert food into energy. B vitamins, specifically biotin keeps your skin, hair, eyes, liver and nervous system healthy.

Biotin is it crucial element during pregnancy because it is important for embryonic growth. You can get biotin from eating a healthy diet. However, not many people can follow such a healthy diet throughout the year and so many people suffer from different problems related to their skin, hair, eyes, liver and nervous system because they do not get the necessary amount of biotin from their food. It is well-known that biotin can help you to regulate your blood sugar, promote healthy skin and hair and nails and can help pregnant moms to have healthy babies.

Recommended daily allowance

You need about 30 to 100 mcg per day of biotin if you are an adult or a teenager.

Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin and so extra biotin will simply pass through your body with urine. That is why, even if sometimes you consume more biotin, the extra amount will be eliminated from your body without any side-effects.

Natural sources

Biotin is also available naturally in different foods like

  • egg yolk
  • organ meats (liver, kidney)
  • nuts, like almonds, peanuts, pecans, and walnuts
  • nut butters
  • soybeans and other legumes
  • whole grains and cereals
  • cauliflower
  • bananas
  • mushrooms

Benefits

Beneficial for diabetic people

some scientific research done on this subject found that people with type 2 diabetes may benefit from taking biotin supplements because it will help to regulate blood glucose levels. Another study found that biotin may help prevent kidney damage in people who have insulin-dependent type 1 diabetes.

Healthy hair, skin and nails

If you suffer from biotin deficiency, you will see some easy signs like hair loss or a scally red rash. If you see do science, you will need to increase your biotin intake.

Fetal development

Sometimes pregnant women may become biotin deficient and if that happens, there may be some complications at the baby. To promote baby health, pregnant women should take a prenatal vitamin that contains biotin and folic acid during pregnancy.

Breaking down macronutrients

Biotin helps your body to convert food into energy. It supports several enzymes involved in breakdown of carbs, fats and proteins.

Biotin is involved in gluconeogenesis. This is the process where glucose is synthesised from sources other than carbs such as amino acids and biotin containing enzymes unnecessary for initiating this process.

Biotin is also involved in fatty acid synthesis. It assists enzymes that can activate reactions necessary for production of fatty acids.

Biotin is involved in amino acid breakdown. Biotin containing enzymes unnecessary for metabolism of several important amino acids including leucine.

If you're looking for a good biotin source, try Biotin by Nature’s Bounty, Vitamin Supplement. It supports metabolism for energy and healthy hair, skin and nails. It contains 10,000 mcg rapid release soft gels which will support your hair, skin and nails. It will improve your energy metabolism.