Taking biotin supplements is a treatment that’s been popularized for treating thinning hair and hair loss. Numerous websites market biotin for healthy hair and extol the virtues of taking biotin supplements for hair that's not as healthy as it should be. Does it really work? Is biotin good for hair growth and thinning hair?
Biotin is a member of the B vitamin family of vitamins and has the important function of helping cells produce energy by being an active participant in fat and protein metabolism and in other reactions that go along with energy metabolism.
Despite the fact that biotin is an important vitamin, there’s no evidence that taking biotin for hair thinning or for hair growth has any real benefit for a person who isn’t already biotin deficient. People who are biotin deficient often experience hair loss, but taking biotin for thinning hair won’t influence the rate of hair growth or its thickness unless a person lacks biotin.
A deficiency in biotin is uncommon since biotin is found in a wide range of foods of all types - including meat, vegetables, and dairy. Because only small amounts are needed to prevent a deficiency, most people get more than enough biotin through their diet. Even if they don’t, bacteria in the intestines make small amounts which are recycled by the body.
There are a few situations where a biotin deficiency can occur. Raw egg whites contain a glycoprotein called avidin that binds to biotin in food and blocks its absorption. A person who eats raw egg whites – which isn’t a good practice because of the risk of Salmonella food poisoning – could develop a biotin deficiency.
Certain medications such as antibiotics, which destroy intestinal bacteria that make biotin, and medications used to control seizures can also contribute to a biotin deficiency. Pregnancy is another condition that predisposes to low levels of biotin.
Unless a person has a biotin deficiency due to one of the above factors, biotin is unlikely to be helpful for thinning hair. It was originally thought that biotin played a role in hair growth and hair thinning because hair loss is so common in people who have a biotin deficiency. On the other hand, taking biotin won’t help a person grow thicker or healthier hair if they already have enough of it.
Don’t buy into the claims that biotin for thinning hair is effective. Some vitamin deficiencies other than biotin cause hair loss including low iron or B12 levels – and certain medical conditions such as thyroid disease can too. It’s important to rule these problems out before taking any kind of vitamin supplement for hair loss.
