Its primary role is to help turn the food you eat into energy. Your body also needs it to produce keratin — the type of protein that makes up hair, skin, and nails ( 1). Further, the study was small, and it’s possible that the participants were deficient in one or more nutrients present in the supplement that affect hair health. Any such deficiency could have been corrected through the study period, resulting in hair growth. Biotin works to strengthen hair, reduce hair loss, and promote hair growth. It can be your secret to having good hair days for days.

Many foods contain biotin, meaning that deficiency is rare in healthy people who eat a balanced diet ( 2). Choline supports overall hair health by assisting in the production of structural proteins like keratin. Keratin is a crucial component of hair which makes hair strong and sturdy. Without enough keratin, hair can become weak and prone to damage. Helps maintain healthy hair, skin and mucous membranes – biotin helps on a cellular level to reproduce all cells in the body, including hair and skin – which have a particularly high cell turnover. Note that high doses of biotin don’t appear to pose a risk of toxicity, although they may interfere with lab testing.

The final say

Outside of these studies, there is no strong evidence to support taking biotin supplements or using biotin-added hair products to promote hair growth ( 2). Summary Some research has been carried out, but evidence of biotin for hair growth, along with beard growth, remains limited. Among the research includes a study that was carried out in 2015, in which women with thinning hair were given an oral Marine Protein Supplement (MPS) that contained biotin or a placebo pill twice a day for 90 days. Due to poor diet due to severe illness I decided to give these a try about 4 months ago and I’m so glad I did, I have a lot more energy now and my hair feels and looks better as I was starting to lose a large amount of my hair.

Considering the key to vitamin supplementation is consistency, anything which helps you take your daily dose is a good thing. It’s a very busy and often underlooked vitamin! Biotin has multiple important functions in the body, including: 3 That sweet taste can come at a price - sometimes they’re as sugary as real sweets! Try a sugar-free variety if you’re concerned about your sugar intake. It's essential to recognize that the impact of biotin hair deficiency on hair health can vary from person to person.

The best biotin skin, hair and nails tablets

A true zinc deficiency is rare in the UK as most people get enough from their diet. However, the bioavailability of zinc is lower in vegetarian and vegan foods, so people following these diets may risk running low on zinc. 8 Inositol is often included in hair gummies due to its potential to prevent hair thinning and promote healthy hair growth. Contains vitamins C, B6, B12, D and Biotin for normal hormonal activity & maintenance of normal bones to contribute to normal energy release Biotin deficiency is linked to hair loss, so ensuring you have an adequate supply of biotin may prevent or reduce hair loss, especially if the loss is due to a deficiency. While biotin won't necessarily stimulate hair growth in people not deficient in the vitamin, it supports the overall health of existing hair, allowing it to grow longer and at a healthier rate.

That’s why some people choose to take biotin supplements; think of them as a little insurance in the same way as multivitamins are. High dosage Biotin for hair growth only works if taken consistently, although biotin deficiency is rare, biotin supplements taken regularly ensure that you at least get the right nutrients to ensure healthy hair growth. With over five years’ experience in beauty and health journalism, Florence has written for ELLE, Women’s Fitness, Sister Magazine, National Geographic Traveller and many more, with a strong sustainability angle thread through much of her work. This means that overdosing on biotin is very rare, although still a possibility. Here are the overdose symptoms you should look out for: 7

In a different study, researchers found that children who experienced improved hair growth or quality after taking biotin supplements all had an underlying condition that caused a biotin deficiency ( 3).