Biotin is known to be the vitamin that promotes abundant hair and beautiful skin, however, the function of this nutrient in the body covers much more than that. Biotin is part of the B complex and is also known as vitamin H, B7 or B8 . At present, the use of this substance is very popular, which has been added to cosmetics such as shampoos and hair serums because of its power to regenerate the cells and stimulate the birth of new strands.
This type of vitamin B is present in a large amount of food and is also available as a supplement to take advantage of more easily and concentrated all the benefits offered to the body, inside and out. Due to the boom that has emerged in recent times around this nutrient, many people wonder what biotin is for . If you want to know the answer to these questions, we invite you to continue reading this article carefully.
Little is known about the importance of biotin for the human body, and the truth is that this vitamin intervenes in processes and functions essential for the body to function properly. Below you can learn about the benefits of biotin for health :
- Biotin is a very important vitamin for the bloodstream, since it stimulates the production of hemologin , the substance responsible for transporting red blood cells and oxygen throughout the body through the blood. When hemoglobin levels are insufficient, people tend to have some type of anemia and the body does not oxygenate properly.
- Biotin is essential for the health and regeneration of body tissues, which is why it benefits so much the appearance of the skin , allowing it to look much healthier, brighter, hydrated and elastic.
- Biotin intervenes in the process of obtaining energy derived from glucose. This metabolic activity benefits the body by controlling high blood sugar levels.
- Vitamin H is essential in the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates.
- By its power to regenerate the cells helps to keep nails strong and long.
- This vitamin provides a large amount of essential fatty acids that the body does not produce and which are necessary to help fix carbon dioxide.
- Improves skin conditions such as seborrheic dermatitis .
- It is widely used in cosmetics for hair use due to its power to stimulate hair growth and combat hair loss.
Where do we find biotin?
Few amounts of biotin are enough for the body to benefit from all its properties, in fact, the recommended daily dose of vitamin B7 is 50 grams and you can get it by increasing the intake of the following foods rich in biotin :
- Liver of beef and salmon.
- Eggs 8 (each one gives 8 ug of biotin).
- Nuts, specifically peanuts and almonds.
- Strawberries, banana, grapes, watermelon and tomato.
- Onions and mushrooms.
- Carrots and potatoes.
- Legumes, brewer's yeast and whole grains.
You can also take advantage of the benefits of this nutrient by making a biotin supplement that you can find in health food stores and are highly recommended in cases of weak nails, fragile hair and withered skin. Also in pharmacies you will find biotin tablets that will offer you that contribution you need.
How effective are biotin supplements?
The consumption of biotin supplements is often used to treat deficiency of this vitamin, which, although rare, can occur in cases of pregnancy, vegetarian individuals, malnutrition, rapid weight loss or people who are fed through probes. . It is also recommended the consumption of vitamin H orally to treat hair loss, brittle nails, diabetes, mild depression and seborrheic dermatitis. How effective is it to consume biotin supplements? According to the Comprehensive Data Base of Natural Medicines, biotin is:
Probably effective for :
Treat or prevent the biotin deficiency that can occur through hair loss and decreased color, red rash and peeling on the nose, around the eyes and mouth, tingling in arms and legs, depression and apathy.
Possibly effective for :
Rashes on the skin of children, such as dermatitis or seborrheic dermatitis.
Insufficient evidence to determine what is effective for :
Combat hair loss : there is evidence that ensures that you can combat hair loss if you take biotin in conjunction with zinc supplement and applying a topical treatment containing the chemical compound clobetasol propionate.
Diabetes : biotin alone does not improve blood sugar levels of type 2 diabetics. However, when combined with chromium the results are more encouraging in those who do not control the disease with medication.
Brittle nails : Biotin can increase the thickness of brittle nails.
Diabetic nerve : there is not enough evidence to ensure that biotin improves nerve pain caused by diabetes.
There is no clinical analysis to check the biotin deficiency in the body, therefore the presence of symptoms is considered the main indication of low levels of vitamin B8. Diabetes is a condition that is associated with biotin deficiency.
Contraindications of biotin
With the studies that have been done it can not be said that there is any contraindication in the consumption of biotin, in fact we can say that taking biotin supplements does not cause any harm to the body. But that there are no contraindications does not mean that if we are exposed to an overdose there can be some side effects :
Acne : if we take more vitamins than our body really needs we can cause a mismatch in the protective layer of our dermis, making external agents penetrate more easily and can cause acne breakouts.
Imperfections in the face : this effect is seen more clearly in people who are already genetically predisposed, but an excess of this type of vitamin B can favor the appearance of imperfections in the skin of the face.
This article is purely informative, in this website we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any kind of diagnosis. We invite you to go to a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.