Vitamin H (Biotin)Overview,Precautions and Dietary Sources

Overview

Vitamin H, more commonly known as biotin, is part of the B complex group of vitamins. All B vitamins help the body to convert food (carbohydrates) into fuel (glucose), which is used to produce energy. These B vitamins, often referred to as B complex vitamins, also help the body metabolize fats and protein. B complex vitamins are needed for healthy skin, hair, eyes and liver. They also help the nervous system function properly.

Your body needs biotin to metabolize carbohydrates, fats and amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Biotin is often recommended for strengthening hair and nails, and it's found in many cosmetic products for hair and skin.

Like all B vitamins, it is water soluble, meaning the body does not store it. However, bacteria in the intestine can make biotin. It is also available in small amounts in a number of foods. Biotin is also important for normal embryonic growth, making it a critical nutrient during pregnancy.

It’s rare to be deficient in biotin. Symptoms include hair loss, dry scaly skin, cracking in the corners of the mouth (called cheilitis), swollen and painful tongue that is magenta in color (glossitis), dry eyes, loss of appetite, fatigue, insomnia and depression. People who have been on parenteral nutrition -- nutrition given intravenously -- for a long period of time, those taking antiseizure medication or antibiotics long-term, and people with conditions like Crohn’s disease that make it hard to absorb nutrients, are more likely to be deficient in biotin.

There are not many good quality studies evaluating biotin. Many of its proposed uses are based on weak evidence or case reports:

Hair and Nail Problems

Cradle Cap (Seborrheic Dermatitis)

Diabetes

Peripheral Neuropathy

Other

Dietary Sources

Biotin can be found in brewer's yeast; cooked eggs, especially egg yolk; sardines; nuts (almonds, peanuts, pecans, walnuts) and nut butters; soybeans; other legumes (beans, blackeye peas); whole grains; cauliflower; bananas; and mushrooms.

Raw egg whites contain a protein called Avidin that interferes with the body's absorption of biotin.

Food-processing techniques can destroy biotin. Less-processed versions of the foods listed above contain more biotin.

Available Forms

Biotin is available in multivitamins and B-vitamin complexes, and as individual supplements.

Standard preparations are available in 10 mcg, 50 mcg, and 100 mcg tablets and contain either simple biotin or a complex with brewer's yeast.

How to Take It

As with all supplements, check with a health care provider before giving biotin to a child.

Adequate daily intakes for biotin from food, according to the National Academy of Sciences, are listed below.

Pediatric

• Infants birth - 6 months: 5 mcg
• Infants 7 - 12 months: 6 mcg
• Children 1 - 3 years: 8 mcg
• Children 4 - 8 years: 12 mcg
• Children 9 - 13 years: 20 mcg
• Adolescents 14 - 18 years: 25 mcg

Adult

• 19 years and older: 30 mcg
• Pregnant women: 30 mcg
• Breastfeeding women: 35 mcg

Precautions

Because of the potential for side effects and interactions with medications, you should take dietary supplements only under the supervision of a knowledgeable health care provider.

Nevertheless, biotin has not been associated with side effects, even in high doses, and is considered to be nontoxic.

Possible Interactions

• Supporting Research

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credit.source; https://www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/vitamin-h-biotin

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