Biotin supplements help increase biotin levels in the body, which is essential for breaking down carbohydrates into glucose. Deficiencies can cause negative side effects, but biotin supplements can help combat them, including improving hair and nail health and liver function. Biotin is found in many foods, but deficiencies can occur in rare cases, and supplements may be necessary. Pregnant women often take biotin supplements for embryonic growth and development. Some foods naturally contain biotin, but processing can destroy it.
Biotin supplements are dietary or nutritional supplements taken to help increase biotin levels in a person’s body. Biotin, also called vitamin H, is part of the B complex group essential for helping the human body break down carbohydrates into glucose, which the body uses for energy. Biotin deficiencies in someone can have negative side effects, and biotin supplements can be used to counter such deficiencies or to help strengthen certain parts of the human body.
People often use biotin supplements to help combat the problems that biotin deficiencies can cause them. This can include brittle or brittle hair and nails, as well as improving liver health in a person. Biotin is water soluble and therefore is not stored in the human body, but is eliminated along with waste. This means that regular intake of vitamins that include biotin or stand-alone biotin supplements may be necessary in rare cases of extreme deficiency.
Many health and beauty products may include biotin supplements because of the way it can strengthen hair and nails. People who suffer from brittle or brittle hair or nails that break too easily may want to try biotin supplements or treatments that include biotin to help strengthen those areas. As with any dietary supplement, care should be taken to read any precautions or warnings, and a medical professional should be consulted before supplementing in young children.
Biotin supplements are also commonly taken by pregnant women, as biotin is important for normal embryonic growth and development. While biotin deficiencies are quite rare, as it is found in quite a few different foods and can even be created by microorganisms within the human body, the effects of such a deficiency can be severe. Biotin deficiency symptoms include hair loss, dry and flaky skin, insomnia, and depression. People who have been fed intravenously for an extended period of time or who have been taking antibiotics extensively are often the most prone to a biotin deficiency. Someone who has eaten a large amount of raw egg whites may also create a deficiency in themselves, as raw egg whites contain avidin, a protein that can bind to biotin to reduce how well it can be used by the body.
Some foods like egg yolks, sardines, bananas, cauliflower, and mushrooms naturally contain biotin. Eating such foods in typical amounts will generally provide an otherwise healthy person with amounts sufficient for basic physical health. However, some food processing techniques can destroy the biotin in foods, so less processed forms of such foods are preferred for full benefit.
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