5 Facts About Biotin
Biotin is a vitamin that your body produces naturally but many people don’t produce enough of it. Lately biotin has been getting a lot of attention for its ability to help hair and nails grow faster. While there is truth behind this statement, it’s always a good idea to conduct some research before you start taking a new vitamin. Here are five facts about biotin.
1. Biotin is necessary for the functioning of your body. It helps your body metabolize carbohydrates, fats, and proteins so it’s also important for your physical shape. It helps your body utilize folic acid so it’s included in many prenatal vitamins. It assists in cellular respiration and helps your hair and nails to grow stronger and faster.
2. The best way to get biotin is from dietary sources. This means eating plenty of cooked egg yolks and liver. Tastier options for adding biotin to your diet include bananas, oatmeal, and peanut butter. Shellfish, dairy, and even chicken all contain biotin. You have to make a point of consuming biotin daily because it’s water soluble which means your body will eliminate the biotin it doesn’t use on a regular basis.
3. Biotin can also be obtained via supplementation. If you’re concerned that you aren’t getting enough biotin in your diet, you might want to take a supplement. A biotin deficiency is quite rare but some people like to increase their biotin the hopes of growing longer hair and nails. A multivitamin or B-complex will almost always contain some biotin, or you can take supplements that are simply biotin and nothing else.
4. Biotin has few side effects. It is extremely difficult to overdose on biotin but you should never take more than the recommended amount anyway because excess biotin is eliminated from your body rather than used. Pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding shouldn’t take more than the recommended amount because its effects in these situations are unknown and it’s better to err on the side of caution. Another group that might want to discuss potential interactions are people with diabetes. If you’re taking antibiotics, be sure to ask your doctor how much biotin is safe to take.
5. Biotin deficiency is rare but serious. Most people will not ever develop a biotin deficiency. Those who consume raw egg whites frequently and diabetics are most at risk. This is something that cannot be detected by blood or lab tests so it’s usually diagnosed based on the outward signs such as thinning hair and dry itchy skin. Plenty of people still supplement despite not being deficient because they want to reap the hair and nail growing benefits of this vitamin. Biotin is one of the best vitamins for hair loss.
Related posts:
- Laser Hair Removal Facts You Should Know
- Hair Transplantation Is Worth The Cost
- Different Ways of Remedying Acne