What Is Biotin?

Biotin is a B vitamin that is vital for facilitating healthy metabolism and creating crucial enzymes (2). Biotin converts certain nutrients into energy and is believed to improve the keratin infrastructure of your body. Like any other vitamin of the B family, biotin helps the body metabolize proteins and process glucose. It is also known as vitamin B7 or vitamin H. Since the human body cannot synthesize biotin, we need to consume it through our diet or supplements. The body does not build up any biotin reserves, and the unused biotin is flushed out of the body in urine. Therefore, it must enter our system daily through our diet. Biotin is a coenzyme that enhances an enzyme’s action.

Importance Of Biotin

Mammals cannot synthesize biotin. Hence, we need to depend on dietary intake from microbial and plant sources. Biotin works as a coenzyme for five carboxylases in humans. It helps the body process glucose and metabolizes proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. It is believed to be good for healthy hair, nails, and skin. This vitamin is present in many health and cosmetic products, though biotin cannot be absorbed through the skin or hair. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which provides scientific advice to assist policymakers, has confirmed numerous benefits of dietary intake of biotin(3):

Essential for the metabolism of carbohydrate and fat Aids energy-producing metabolism Helps in the maintenance of healthy skin and mucous membranes Aids the normal function of the nervous system Helps in the maintenance of healthy hair Aids normal psychological functions

Biotin supplements are gaining a lot of popularity and are readily available in the aisles of supermarkets. Here are the top 10 biotin supplements you can consider buying.

Top 10 Biotin Supplements

1. Best Overall:Sports Research Biotin With Organic Coconut Oil

Sports Research is a family-run company known to provide high-quality health and wellness products. The Sports Research Biotin With Organic Coconut Oil supplement supports and promotes healthy hair, skin, and nail growth. It also aids healthy metabolism. This supplement contains 10,000 mcg of biotin in organic cold-pressed coconut oil. Coconut oil aids weight reduction boosts immunity and may help control diabetes symptoms. This product is GMO-free and comes in a vegan-friendly soft gel. The United States Pharmacopeia mark guarantees high purity and dosage accuracy of this biotin supplement. If you need further convincing about the Sports Research Biotin With Organic Coconut Oil, check out this YouTuber’s review. Pros

Non-GMO verified Veggie biotin soft gel 90 days money-back guarantee Helps support healthy hair, nails and skin

Cons None

2. Best Gluten-Free:Vitafusion Extra Strength Biotin Gummies

Vitafusion Biotin Gummies are excellent sources of biotin. They come in a delicious natural blueberry flavor. Vitafusion is the only gummy-based supplement on the market. It is made in the USA and is free of gluten and high fructose corn syrup. Two extra-strength biotin gummies provide a daily value of 5,000 mcg of the vitamin. It supports good hair, nails, and skin and also aids fat, protein, and carbohydrate metabolism. This supplement has as much biotin as other formulas. So, you can get your daily dose of the supplement while enjoying the candy. This nostalgic gummy formula is easy to consume than vitamins in tablet or pill forms. It is gelatin-based and includes some artificial flavoring and coloring. Check out this video on YouTube for a detailed understanding of the Vitafusion Extra Strength Biotin Gummies. Pros

No high fructose corn syrup Natural blueberry flavor Recipient of the 2018 Chef’s Best Excellence Award

Cons

Each gummy contains 3 grams of sugar.

3. Best For Healthy Hair:Natrol Biotin Maximum Strength

Natrol is a leading vitamin and supplements manufacturer. Natrol Biotin Supplement helps restore the health of your hair, the radiance of your skin, and the strength of your nails. This supplement supports metabolism and assists in the conversion of food into energy. Natrol Biotin Maximum Strength is a 100% vegetarian supplement, which aids in maintaining healthy hair, skin, and nails. It is available in doses of 1,000, 5,000, and 10,000 mcg. It offers all the benefits of biotin supplements and also includes calcium. This supplement is the best choice for vegans and vegetarians as it comes in the form of tablets and not gelatin capsules. It is currently one of the bestsellers and a top-rated Vitamin B7 supplement. Here is a personal review of the Natrol Biotin Maximum Strength for better understanding. Pros

Contains 66 mcg of calcium 100% vegetarian Available in different doses Value for money

Cons None

4. Best Rapid Release:Nature’s Bounty Biotin Supplement

Nature’s Bounty is a flagship brand of Nature’s Bounty Co., a trusted brand of health-conscious people for decades. The brand is known to provide supplements of unsurpassed quality and value. The rapid release softgels are devoid of any preservatives, gluten, or sugar. This supplement is available for a fraction of the cost of the competitors. It is available in doses of 1,000, 5,000, and 10,000 mcg. This soft gel supplement helps support healthy hair, skin, nails, and energy metabolism. Pros

Available in doses of 1,000 and 5,000 mcg Rapid release softgels Supports healthy hair, skin, and nails

Cons

Not suitable for vegetarians and vegans

5. Best For All Hair Types:Hairfluence By Zhou Nutrition

This multi-ingredient hair supplement provides targeted nourishment to your hair to reach its bouncy potential. This nutrient-rich biotin supplement is excellent for all hair types. It supports existing hair health and stimulates new cell growth. This supplement not only helps and promotes hair health, but you can notice visible benefits after two to three weeks on your skin and nails as well. It offers 5,000 mcg of biotin per serving. This scientifically formulated supplement is a blend of trusted amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. It contains bamboo extract, collagen, and keratin. Pros

Targeted to support hair growth Loaded with vitamins, minerals and protein building blocks Multi-ingredient hair supplement

Cons

For 5,000 mcg, a dose of two capsules is required.

6. Best Chewables:Havasu Nutrition High Potency Biotin Gummies

Havasu Nutrition High Potency Biotin Gummies are made from high-quality ingredients and are vegetarian-friendly. This supplement is a convenient and delicious way to nourish your body. It is a GMO-free formula with pectin based ingredients. Each serving contains 15 calories only. Hence, this supplement allows you to enjoy the benefits of biotin without concerns about wrecking a healthy eating plan. Each serving offers high potency biotin that supports the body with the correct quantity needed for optimum cellular growth and metabolism. This supplement is free of high fructose corn syrup and gluten. It is best for those who are looking for easy to chew vitamins. Pros

High potency biotin gummies Support cell growth and metabolism GMO-free Free of high fructose corn syrup and gluten Easy to chew Only 15 calories per serving

Cons

Each gummy contains 3 grams of sugar.

7. Best For Improved Skin Tone:SBR Nutrition Biotin

Say goodbye to arbitrary dosages of biotin with this dropper bottle biotin supplement. Each serving of this supplement contains 5,000 mcg of biotin. It makes your hair appear thicker and improves the tone and texture of your skin. This vegan/vegetarian-friendly supplement comes in natural vanilla flavor and is gluten-free. This liquid dietary supplement is easy to consume and more gentle on the digestive system as compared to its capsule counterparts, which have fillers or excess ingredients used. This liquid biotin is made in the USA in an FDA-registered facility. The natural vanilla and stevia make the taste more palatable. It has a comparatively higher absorption rate when compared to supplements in solid form. Pros

Non-GMO Vegan-friendly No artificial preservatives Gluten-free Made in an FDA-registered facility

Cons

Dropper delivery method not very precise.

8. Best Potency:Solgar Super High Potency Biotin

Solgar is a well-known brand in the world of supplements. It has been innovating and producing fine quality nutritional supplements since 1947. Solgar’s biotin vegetable capsule is gluten-free and non-GMO. This capsule doesn’t contain wheat, dairy, soy, yeast, sugar, sodium, artificial flavor, sweetener, preservatives, and color. This supplement gives 10,000 mcg of biotin per serving. Pros

Super high potency Promotes healthy skin, nails, and hair Gluten-free Non-GMO

Cons None

9. Best For Thicker Nails:Zenwise Health Extra Strength Biotin

Zenwise Health is a brand that is known to deliver highly effective products that you can trust. They are committed to providing premium supplements that offer empowering results for people of all ages. The Extra Strength Biotin features 5,000 mcg of the vitamin that not only supports and promotes healthy hair, skin, and nails but also takes care of your metabolism and energy levels. It is a vegetable capsule and is free of most common allergens. One bottle contains 120 counts of advanced gluten-free biotin. This supplement is formulated in an FDA-registered facility, which is NSF and GMP certified. Pros

Vegetable capsule Free of common allergens Gluten-free Formulated in FDA registered facility

Cons

Mild dosage

10. Best Allergen-Free:Now Foods Extra Strength Biotin

Now it is a popular and reasonably well-regarded vitamin and supplement company. Its Extra Strength Biotin supplement supports amino acid metabolism and promotes healthy immune function. This non-GMO, vegan/vegetarian capsule is gluten-free. This GMP quality assured product is packaged in the USA. This 10,000 mcg biotin supplement is free of common allergens. If you want to keep your dosage low, you can buy the 1,000 mcg and 5,000 mcg versions of the biotin supplement. Pros

Supports healthy hair, skin, and nails Non-GMO Gluten-free Vegan/Vegetarian capsules GMP quality assured

Cons

Not for acne-prone skin.

Biotin is an essential nutrient that is naturally present in small amounts in some foods and can also be taken as a dietary supplement. Since this vitamin is water-soluble, it is not stored in the body. Hence, you need to consume it through foods and supplements. Unfortunately, there is no good laboratory test for detecting biotin deficiency. Low levels of biotin are reflected in symptoms like thinning of hair, brittle nails, and lackluster skin. Though deficiency is a rare phenomenon, it can occur in chronic smokers, alcoholics, and pregnant women (4), (5). Your diet can also trigger it. People who consume a lot of processed food are most likely to have a deficiency. Here’s a list of few possible benefits of biotin:

May regulate blood sugar levels (6). Assists in energy production (7). Biotin is effective for treating brittle nails (1). Biotin is said to promote healthy hair growth, though there is little evidence to support this claim (1). Important during pregnancy and breastfeeding (8). Improves your skin health. Biotin deficiency can lead to a variety of skin problems (9).

Buying a supplement should always be a well-researched decision. It is essential to focus on specific variables while shopping for a biotin supplement. Here’s a list of few factors that you need to keep in mind while buying a biotin supplement.

Buying Guide

Ingredients: It is the sign of an aware buyer to look up ingredients while making a purchase, especially when it comes to health-related products. If you are a vegan or vegetarian, ensure that the supplement does not contain animal-based gelatin. It is always better to go for non-GMO verified products and those that do not contain any common allergens.

Side Effects: Taking biotin supplements may lower your B5 levels, and this can lead to rashes, acne, and itchiness. Though this does not happen to everyone taking biotin supplements, in case you encounter this problem, talk to your doctor and start taking vitamin B5 pills alongside to balance things out. Also, if you are planning to get your blood tests done, you may have to lay off your supplements a day or two before. This is because biotin supplement messes with your blood test results.

Quantity: When on supplements, it is best to keep a check for pill count of each bottle and how much of the supplement each pill will supply. It is essential to ensure that you choose a supplement that has an adequate amount of biotin for your needs.

Why Trust StyleCraze?

The author, Shiboli Chakraborti, is a certified skin care coach and a hair care enthusiast. She understands that biotin supplements are crucial for maintaining your skin and hair health. That is why she conducted thorough research to compile a list of the best biotin supplements available on the market. She checked the brand websites, user feedback, reviews, and potency of the supplements before recommending them. What should I know before taking a biotin supplement? Most biotin supplements are available in megadoses that are generally more than the accepted amount that your body needs per day. Since it is a water-soluble vitamin, whatever is not absorbed and required by your body will be flushed out in the urine. Biotin supplements may interfere with the results of lab tests that test the blood (10). If you are planning on taking biotin supplements, it is always recommended to consult your doctor before that to determine the appropriate dosage and the supplement you should opt for so that there are no potential threats to your health in the future. How much biotin is too much? As per the current nutritional recommendations, you should not exceed 10,000 mcg of supplemental biotin per day. A few medical studies have reported using 40,000 mcg of biotin supplements to treat deficiencies, which did not exhibit any side effects, but if we talk about nutritional recommendations, 10,000 mcg or 10mg is the upper limit (1). How much biotin is required for hair growth? The FDA does not have a Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for biotin. Health experts recommend that if someone is above 10 years of age, they should get somewhere between 30 to 35 mcg of biotin per day (2). If you intend to speed up things, there is no harm in going up to 1,000 to 5,000 mcg. Consult a doctor, who will prescribe the right supplement and dosage for you. What causes biotin deficiency? Biotin deficiency is rare. It can be caused by one of the two factors – genetic mutation or excess of raw egg white intake. Egg white contains a compound that significantly inhibits biotin absorption, which is deactivated by cooking the egg. Does biotin make you gain weight? No, there is no scientific evidence to claim biotin supplements can make you gain weight. In contrast, since biotin supplements help speed up metabolism, they are occasionally promoted as a weight-loss product. How long does it take for biotin supplements to start working? It will take upto 6 months for biotin supplements to start working.

References

Simple And Best Biotin-Rich Foods Best Biotin Shampoos You Should Definitely Try How To Use Biotin For Hair Growth Best Biotin Shampoos And Conditioners