The Supplement - Biotin

Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin that is generally classified as a B-complex vitamin. After the initial discovery of biotin, nearly 40 years of research were required to establish it as a vitamin. Biotin is required by all organisms but can be synthesized only by bacteria, yeasts, molds, algae, and some plant species.

Biotin is likely effective for treating and preventing biotin deficiency. Symptoms of deficiency include thinning of the hair (often with loss of hair color), and red scaly rash around the eyes, nose, and mouth. Other symptoms include depression, listlessness, hallucinations, and tingling in the arms and legs. There is some evidence that cigarette smoking may cause mild biotin deficiency.

There is insufficient evidence for:

1. Hair loss. There is some preliminary evidence that hair loss can be reduced when biotin is taken by mouth in combination with zinc while a cream containing the chemical compound clobetasol propionate (Olux, Temovate) is applied to the skin.

2. Diabetes. Biotin alone doesn’t seem to affect blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. However, there is some evidence that a combination of biotin and chromium (Diachrome, Nutrition 21) might lower blood sugar in people with diabetes, whose diabetes is poorly controlled by prescription medicines. Other early evidence shows that the same combination reduces ratios of total cholesterol levels to “good” high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, “bad” low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol to HDL cholesterol, and non-HDL to HDL cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes.
3. Diabetic nerve pain. There is some evidence that biotin can reduce nerve pain in people with diabetes.

4. Brittle fingernails and toenails. Biotin might increase the thickness of fingernails and toenails in people with brittle nails.

5. Other conditions.

More evidence is needed to rate biotin for these uses.

Although overt biotin deficiency is very rare, the human requirement for dietary biotin has been demonstrated in two different situations: prolonged intravenous feeding (parenteral) without biotin supplementation and consumption of raw egg white for a prolonged period (many weeks to years). Avidin is an antimicrobial protein found in egg white that binds biotin and prevents its absorption. Cooking egg white denatures avidin, rendering it susceptible to digestion and therefore unable to prevent the absorption of dietary biotin.

Table 1. Adequate Intake (AI) for Biotin

Life Stage	Age	Males (mcg/day)	Females (mcg/day)
Infants	0-6 months	5	5
Infants	7-12 months	6	6
Children	1-3 years	8	8
Children	4-8 years	12	12
Children	9-13 years	20	20
Adolescents	14-18 years	25	25
Adults	19 years and older	30	30
Pregnancy	all ages	-	30
Breast-feeding	all ages	-	35

Table 2. Some Food Sources of Biotin

Food	Serving	Biotin (mcg) (32, 33)
Yeast	1 packet (7 grams)	1.4-14
Bread, whole-wheat	1 slice	0.02-6
Egg, cooked	1 large	13-25
Cheese, cheddar	1 ounce	0.4-2
Liver, cooked	3 ounces*	27-35
Pork, cooked	3 ounces*	2-4
Salmon, cooked	3 ounces*	4-5
Avocado	1 whole	2-6
Raspberries	1 cup	0.2-2
Cauliflower, raw	1 cup	0.2-4
*A 3-ounce serving of meat is about the size of a deck of cards.

Please take time to read these sources for more information on biotin:

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/lifestyle-guide-11/supplement-guide-biotin

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/biotin