Biotin is a type of vitamin B and its supplements are not the hair loss cure-all they were once thought to be. If you’ve ever spent time researching ways to promote healthy hair, you’ve probably learned a thing or two about the B vitamin. One quick Google search brings up thousands of articles about this famous B vitamin, but is there an untold truth between it and hair loss? In this article, I will discuss the science behind biotin & hair loss, the untold truth as well its relationship to supplements and your diet.
The Science
Before we start, let me be clear on one thing: I am not a doctor or medical professional. Although I have a degree in engineering, I always recommend that you check with a medical professional about the impact of vitamins and supplements on your hair before you start using them. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s break down the science. Keratin is a protein that is found in hair, skin, and nails. Biotin aids in the catabolism of amino acids, which is a breaking down of the molecules in order for new proteins to be formed. One protein that’s formed as a result is Keratin. This means that biotin plays an important and indirect role in the health of hair, skin, and nails.
The Benefits
Studies have shown that Biotin can stop hair loss. While Biotin is a good supplement for hair growth it will not act as a hair restoration overnight. Moreover, those of us who have been solely focusing on Biotin’s beauty benefits may need to start thinking of this B vitamin as a whole-body vitamin if we intend to maximize its many uses. Biotin contains multiple different vitamins that help restore hair, for those who have biotin deficiencies. Biotin also helps improve the thickness and adds shine to our hair. Your body does actually need biotin and its vitamins to convert nutrients. If your diet contains lots of healthy proteins and whole grains you are likely getting all the biotin you need.
This is why biotin deficiencies are considered rare amongst Americans, however if it exists it can seriously impact your health.
Some warning signs that you may have a biotin deficiency are:
- hair loss
- confusion or memory problems
- skin rash, especially around the nose and mouth
- nausea and abdominal cramping
- muscle pain and cramping
If there is not enough B vitamin the body you can experience hair loss or even itchy scalp. Check with your doctor to see if you are at risk for a biotin deficiency and see what the recommended intake is for your diet.
Supplements & Diet
If you do not want to take any supplements for hair loss there are other ways to get vitamin B into your body. Some of these ways include eating different foods such as meats, egg, nuts and soybeans, whole grains, bananas, and even mushrooms, to name a few sources. However, restoring hair loss is not a quick-fix. It may take several months for you to actually notice hair growth from the increase in vitamin B. Therefore, it is very important for you to be consistent with your biotin intake.
The truth is, this form of vitamin B is useful for more than just healthy hair. If you’re experiencing hair thinning or hair loss, biotin may assist in hair regrowth. You may already be getting the amount of Biotin that you need through your diet, so again talk with your doctor about the best option for you and be sure to follow any dosage guidelines that they provide.
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Hi Brandelyn. I am 73 years old and in 2014, I started taking Biotin about 3 months before gastric bypass surgery in July of 2014. My hair was long and thick. In 2016, my hair started thinning. At this time I was still getting the curl and putting dye in it. I stopped curling and dyeing my hair in 2018, and wearing it naturally because it was real thin especially around the edges. I started back wearing a curl in 2019, because my beautician said my hair was too nappy to do anything with, so I let her put a curl on it. I am on my second bottle of your elixir and I think I see some growth around my edges. I can still see my scalp too. Maybe after using this second bottle of your elixir, I will see more progress. Oh, yes, I take a multivitamin, biotin, probiotic, calcium, resveratrol, B-complex with B-12, and my only prescription medication is Pravastatin 10 mg.
Biotin vitamin is really usefull, I am researched since last july hair loss problems, and treatment.
Yes it it’s definitely a key vitamin for growth! There are a few others that often lead to hair loss, such as Vitamin D and iron 🙂 Thanks for sharing.