Health Benefits Of Biotin

If you look up a list of the B vitamins, it can be a little confusing.

There’s B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12.

Why are they all classified under the “B” subgroup?

What happened to B4, B8, B10 and B11?

Strange naming conventions aside, the important question is what do these vitamins do, and is there a chance you could be deficient in any of them?

Today we are going to have a closer look at vitamin B7, also known as biotin.

As a naturopathic doctor who offers naturopathic IV for skin rejuvenation, I’m going to help you to understand the benefits of this important vitamin, which although often associated with promoting hair growth has a number of other benefits as well.

Keep reading to learn more.

What Is Biotin?

Biotin is considered one of the “B vitamins” – vitamin B7 to be precise.

If you’ve heard of it, it’s probably because it’s a key ingredient in many hair growth supplements currently on the market.

It’s also often added to beauty products such as shampoos and creams, although the evidence for the effectiveness of if being absorbed through these forms is limited.

Health Benefits Of Biotin

Biotin has many benefits, aside from being great for healthy skin and hair.

Getting your biotin through food or supplements means it will have a better chance to help out in all of these areas.

Let’s have a look at the benefits of this important B vitamin.

1. It’s Good For Your Skin And Hair

Biotin supplements are often recommended for people who are trying to grow their hair long.

It can also have beneficial impacts on your skin.

This is because one of the effects of biotin is to help your body create the proteins such as keratin needed for skin and hair health.

2. It Can Help With Blood Sugar

If you are diabetic, biotin may be used as a naturopathic diabetes treatment to help control your blood sugar levels.

It can help promote the insulin response, which helps to prevent blood sugar levels from fluctuating widely.

This is due to the fact biotin suppresses the enzymes which stimulate the liver to produce glucose.

3. It’s Good For Your Brain

Biotin plays a role in the health and functioning of the nervous system as it helps with neurotransmitter activity and nerve signaling.

Along with the other B vitamins, it helps protect against cognitive decline related to age, and memory function, and works as a naturopathic supplement for memory loss.

B vitamins also help to create hormones linked to mood regulation, and helping to boost energy, improve concentration and maintain a positive frame of mind.

4. It’s Good For Your Heart

Biotin, along with the other B vitamins may be useful tools in the fight against heart disease.

They help fight plaque buildup in arteries, inflammation, heart attacks, and stroke.

Taken with chromium, vitamin B7 may also help improve cholesterol levels, increasing “good” cholesterol and decreasing “bad” cholesterol levels, and can be an effective naturopathic treatment for hypertension.

5. It’s Good For Your Thyroid

The thyroid is a small, butterfly shaped gland located at the front of the throat.

It is responsible for producing hormones which regulate control many functions including metabolism, digestion, brain development, and heart rate.

In short, it’s a pretty important gland.

Along with the other B vitamins, biotin is required for thyroid function and deficiency can lead to issues including tiredness, sleep issues, and weight gain.

Dietary Sources Of Biotin

If you’re looking to increase your biotin levels, the following foods can help:

• Mushrooms
• Egg yolk
• Cauliflower
• Bananas
• Organ meat such as kidney and liver
• Nuts and nut butters
• Whole grains and cereal
• Soybeans and legumes
• Avocado
• Fish
• Berries

Symptoms Of Biotin Deficiency

Deficiency in biotin is rare – most individuals are getting enough through diet, as it’s present in so many different varieties of foods.

In the unusual case you’re not getting enough, it may show in a scaly red rash, or potentially hair loss.

Can You Overdose On Biotin?

Biotin is water soluble, which means it’s difficult to overdose on as any excess amounts of this vitamin will be eliminated through urine.

In rare cases, if someone is taking an extremely high dose supplement, it could result in digestive issues like:

• Cramping
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Indigestion

Taking high doses of biotin over an extended period of time can lead to:

• Low levels of vitamin C
• Decreased B6 levels
• Skin rashes
• Increased blood sugar

As a result, if you’re considering biotin supplements, seek advice from your naturopathic doctor in Toronto first.

Questions? Ask Dr. JJ!

Do you think you could benefit from biotin supplementation?

Perhaps you’re diabetic and think you could benefit from the help it can offer in blood sugar regulation.

Maybe you want to help stave off the cognitive effects of aging, or are worried about heart disease.

And if you want to pursue it for purely cosmetic reasons, to help keep your skin glowing and your hair growing, that’s okay too.

I’m Dr. JJ, a naturopathic doctor in Toronto and I can help you determine if biotin therapy and supplementation is the right choice for you.

Contact my office today to set up an appointment to discuss things further.