What is Biotin?
Biotin—also known as vitamin B7, B8, and H—is a water-soluble vitamin that belongs to the B complex vitamins group. These vitamins convert food into energy. Biotin can be stored in the body for very little time and is not self-synthesised by the body. However, biotin is a product of intestinal bacteria and can boost health [1, 2].
What Does Biotin Do?
Biotin is a co-factor for five cellular carboxylases: the metabolic enzymes involved in synthesising fatty acids, branched-chain amino acids, and gluconeogenesis. It also inhibits specific DNA-binding proteins, thus functioning in gene regulation [3, 4].
Biotin aids in cell growth and allows the body’s natural process of fat metabolism [5]. It has, in fact, been demonstrated to end premature baldness in a few men and smooth out brittle fingernails [5].
Biotin is essential for maintaining health for skin, hair, eyes, liver, and nervous system. It is also a crucial nutrient during pregnancy, necessary for embryonic growth [1].
Furthermore, biotin also plays a vital role in hair, skin, and nails health. More specifically, biotin helps form keratin, the major structural protein of hair [6].
What are Biotin Vitamins?
Biotin is an essential nutrient that acts as a coenzyme to five carboxylases in humans. It plays a vital role in fatty acid, amino acid, and gluconeogenesis metabolism and is necessary to produce keratin (a protein for strong nails and hair) [2, 3, 7].
Biotin is not something our body makes on its own, though it can be synthesised by the bacteria that line our guts or intestinal flora. These bacteria impact our health positively [2,8].
Biotin is widely distributed in foods of plant and animal origin, and most individuals quickly consume sufficient amounts in their daily diets. Nonetheless, because of its putative enhancements on skin, nails, and hair growth, supplementation with biotin might be recommended in some instances [8].
Benefits of Biotin Vitamins
One of its most important functions is the role biotin plays in the metabolism of nutrients. As a coenzyme for five carboxylases, it is a critical player in breaking food into usable energy, necessary for most cell and body functions [2, 3].
We also know that biotin is important for the health of our skin. It helps maintain good skin health and is also involved in building keratin, an essential protein that keeps our nails and hair strong [2].
Along with helping skin health, biotin is also vital for hair and nail health, so some people believe that biotin supplements can help their hair and nails look healthy and shiny (although more research is needed to confirm natural sources of biotin) [9].
Biotin is also beneficial for pregnant women as it is one of the critical nutrients in pregnancy. Biotin helps for embryonic growth [1].
On the other hand, evidence suggests that biotin can be advantageous for people with diabetes [1]. Some studies indicate that biotin supplements can promote sugar regulation in the blood, but more research is required to verify this [1].
Biotin exerts anti-inflammatory activity, too. Animal experiments show that biotin deprivation enhances inflammatory response [10].
How Long Does it Take For Biotin Vitamins to Work?
The time biotin vitamins take to work can vary depending on the individual and the condition being treated.
For example, in a trial of dogs with fur and skin disorders, those given biotin showed improvement after 3 to 5 weeks. In a study of biotin-responsive basal ganglia disease (causing cerebral disorders including spasms, mental disturbance, blindness and paralysis) in human patients, there was an improvement after 2 to 8 months [11].
In a study involving horses, more excellent hoof growth rates and hardness were achieved after 5 months of biotin supplementation [12].
In patients with brittle nails, after daily biotin supplementation, 63% of the subjects improved clinically in a study of small size and unknown duration [13].
However, these studies varied in the amount of biotin taken and in how the biotin was administered, and response can vary depending on body condition, diet, and general health.
Always consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new supplement regimen.