There are many foods that contain biotin (vitamin H) and are good sources of this vitamin, including liver, kidneys, soybeans, milk, eggs and various fruits and vegetables such as bananas, spinach and tomatoes. Also nuts and almonds contain a lot of biotin.
Many plant foods contain biotin in its free form. In foods of animal origin and yeast, biotin must be separated through digestion so that the body can absorb it.
Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin. Therefore, the vegetables should not be cooked for too long and the cooking water should also be consumed when possible.
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In the following table you can see a list of foods and their biotin content:
Food Biotin content in μg / 100 g
Beef liver 100.0
Liver of pork 30.0
Whole milk 3.5
Herring 9.0
Banana 5.0
Strawberries 3.0
Chicken egg 23.8
Tomatoes 3.0
Green peas 2,1
Biotin deficiency
Biotin deficiency is rare. Normally, with a balanced and varied diet you can get enough biotin.
However, people in the following groups should make sure they are getting enough biotin:
- Lactating women : Biotin is found in small amounts in breast milk. Cow's milk contains between four and eight times more biotin than breast milk. Therefore, it is perhaps advisable, after consultation with the doctor, to provide biotin supplements during the period of lactation to the babies.
- People with hereditary diseases : there are genetic defects that can cause a deficiency of biotin. An example is the congenital deficiency of an enzyme (biotinidase), important for the use of biotin in the body.
- People who consume excessive alcohol : people with liver cirrhosis caused by alcohol may suffer from biotin deficiency.
- Smokers : nicotine increases the consumption of biotin in the body.
- People who make excessive consumption of raw eggs : in the egg white, biotin is linked to the avidin protein . The body is not able to separate biotin from avidin. This is only possible when the egg is cooked at 100ºC. People who take many raw eggs and who take a few foods that contain biotin may suffer long-term nutritional deficiencies.
The body reacts to biotin deficiency with different symptoms . The typical annoyances are the following:
- Inflammatory reactions of the skin (dermatitis) and tongue (glossitis)
- Sickness
- Hair loss and brittle nails
- High blood cholesterol concentration (hypercholesterolemia)
- Disorders of cardiac function
- Anemia
- Depression