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Your body's bacteria builds biotin
The award for the best B vitamin in a supporting role goes to biotin. Not a major B complex vitamin, biotin doesn't get as much attention as thiamin, niacin, and riboflavin.
But biotin is just as important for converting your carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into energy. It's also essential to creating numerous enzymes your body needs. Further, it is necessary to help your cells divide and conquer.
Like vitamin K, biotin is synthesized in your intestine by friendly bacteria, but how much is absorbed is unknown. As a water-soluble vitamin, it must be obtained through your diet or bacteria.
Quick Facts About Biotin
- There is no RDA, but the provisional allowance is 30 to 100 micrograms (mcg) per day for healthy adults.
- Some foods rich in biotin are brewer's yeast, cheese, milk, nuts, organ meats, saltwater fish, and whole-grain products.
- Some signs of biotin deficiency are neurological disorders, inflammation of the skin around the mouth, hair loss, conjunctivitis, and loss of muscle coordination.
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You May Need More Biotin if You Have (or Have Had)
- A history of excessive drug or alcohol use
- An inborn error of metabolism for biotin-dependent carboxylase
- Chronic malnutrition
Or if You're
- Eating excessive amounts of raw egg whites
- A child with seborrheic dermatitis
- Pregnant or lactating
- Taking antiepileptic drugs
- Taking antibiotics or sulfonamides
- Following a low-calorie weight-loss diet
What Works Best -- and Worst -- with Biotin
- B vitamins work together for many of your body's functions. So you should not increase one B vitamin without increasing other B vitamins by a proportionate amount. For example, if you're taking double the RDA of biotin, you should double the RDA of all other B vitamins.
- Absorption is maximized when ingested in a well-balanced diet.
- Eating large quantities of raw egg whites releases a protein that may inhibit biotin absorption.
- Tobacco inhibits biotin absorption.
- Antibiotics and sulfonamides may inhibit the function of biotin-producing bacteria in your intestines.
Forms Available
- Individual supplements as tablets or capsules
- A constituent of many B complex and multivitamin/mineral preparations
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Chemical Forms
Comments on Biotin
- Intestinal bacteria in your body produces biotin.
- Your intestines produce biotin in excess; therefore, supplements are not really necessary.
- Biocytin gets converted into biotin in your body.
- Biotin works with other enzymes to help your body convert food to energy.
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Known Benefits of Biotin
- Aids in the metabolism of amino acids, fats, and carbohydrates
- Helps in fatty acid production
- Essential for healthy skin, hair, tissues, bone marrow, sweat glands, nerve tissue, and male sex glands
Unproven Claims
- Helps treat cradle cap in newborns
- Prevents neurological disorders for patients on hemodialysis
Biotin May Prevent These Signs of Deficiency
- Conjunctivitis
- Delayed or slowed development in children
- Dry flaking skin
- Hair loss
- Inflammation of skin around mouth
- Loss of muscle coordination
- Neurological disorders
- Over-acidified urine
Recommended Dosage Range for Biotin
- Our pharmacists suggest that healthy adults may take 100 to 300 mcg daily to supplement a well-balanced diet.
- RDA values were set as the minimum needed to offset deficiency or disease, not as an actual value needed for optimum health.
- In the United States, the average consumption of biotin is 28 to 42 mcg per day.
- Consult your physician before starting any high-dose supplement regimen.
Dietary Sources
| Foods High in Biotin | Serving Size | Amount of Biotin | Units |
|---|
Beef liver
Brewer's yeast
Peanut butter
| 3 ounces
3 ounces
2 tablespoons
| 82
73
12
| mcg
mcg
mcg
|
When and How to Take Biotin
- In most cases, intestinal bacteria produce all of the necessary biotin.
What Not to Take with Biotin
- Raw egg whites can cause biotin deficiency by binding with biotin and preventing its absorption.
- Tobacco products reduce the absorption of biotin.
- Alcohol inhibits biotin absorption.
Storage
- Keep biotin in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and air.
- Don't freeze biotin.
- Don't store biotin in your bathroom medicine cabinet. Heat and moisture may make it less effective.
- Store safely out of children's reach.
Recommended Daily Allowance
| AGE/GROUP | RDA |
|---|
Infants
0 to 6 months
6 to 12 months
1 to 3 years
4 to 6 years
7 to 10 years
Males
11 to 14 years
15 to 18 years
19 to 24 years
25 to 50 years
51+ years
Females
11 to 14 years
15 to 18 years
19 to 24 years
25 to 50 years
51+ years
Pregnant
Lactating
1 to 6 months
6 to 12 months
| micrograms (mcg)
10 Provisional, No RDA
15 Provisional, No RDA
20 Provisional, No RDA
25 Provisional, No RDA
30 Provisional, No RDA
30 to 100 Provisional, No RDA
30 to 100 Provisional, No RDA
30 to 100 Provisional, No RDA
30 to 100 Provisional, No RDA
30 to 100 Provisional, No RDA
30 to 100 Provisional, No RDA
30 to 100 Provisional, No RDA
30 to 100 Provisional, No RDA
30 to 100 Provisional, No RDA
30 to 100 Provisional, No RDA
30 to 100 Provisional, No RDA
30 to 100 Provisional, No RDA
30 to 100 Provisional, No RDA
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Warnings
Consult a physician before use or do not use biotin if:- You are about to start a high-dose supplement program
Biotin May Have Interactions with
- Alcohol: alcoholics have a low circulating plasma level of biotin and reduced levels of biotin in the liver.
- Antibiotics: can kill the intestinal bacteria that produce endogenous biotin and may precipitate clinical biotin deficiency if taken long-term.
- Anticonvulsant drugs other than valproate: these are competitive inhibitors of biotin transport, but no clinical symptoms of biotin deficiency are reported.
- Egg whites: excessive ingestion of raw egg whites can lead to symptoms of biotin deficiency called "egg white injury."
- Sulfonamides: taken long-term, can kill the intestinal bacteria that produce endogenous biotin.
Side Effects
- No known toxicity from oral supplements.
- Supplementation at 60 grams per day produced no toxic effects.
Signs of Overdose
None anticipated.
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Sources & Further Reading
Books
- 1. Basu, TK and Dickerson, JW.Vitamins in Human Health and Disease. CAB INTL, UK 1996.
2. Fauci et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, Fourteenth Ed. McGraw-Hill Co., Inc. 1998.
3. Groff, JL, Gropper, SS, Hunt, SM.Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism, Second Ed. West Pub. Co. St. Paul, MN 1995.
4. Lieberman, S and Bruning, N.The Real Vitamin & Mineral Book, Second Ed. Avery Publishing Group. Garden City, NY 1997.
5. Machlin, LJ.Handbook of Vitamins, Second Ed. Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York, NY 1991.
6. Werbach, MR.Nutritional Influences on Illness, Second Ed. Third Line Press. Tarzana, CA 1996.
Find more books on health and wellness at  barnesandnoble.com.
Articles
- 1. Limat A; Suormala T; Hunziker T; Waelti ER; Braathen LR; Baumgartner R.Proliferation and differentiation of cultured human follicular keratinocytes are not influenced by biotin. Arch Dermatol Res, 288(1):31-8 1996.
- 2. McVoy JR; Levy HL; Lawler M; Schmidt MA; Ebers DD; Hart PS; Pettit DD; Blitzer MG; Wolf B.Partial biotinidase deficiency: clinical and biochemical features. J Pediatr, 116(1):78-83 1990 Jan.
- 3. Vel'azquez A; Ter'an M; B'aez A; Guti'errez J; Rodr'iguez R.Biotin supplementation affects lymphocyte carboxylases and plasma biotin in severe protein-energy malnutrition. Am J Clin Nutr, 61(2):385-91 1995 Feb.
- 4. Cherbonnel-Lasserre CL; Linares-Cruz G; Rigaut JP; Sabatier L; Dutrillaux B.Strong decrease in biotin content may correlate with metabolic alterations in colorectal adenocarcinoma. Int J Cancer, 72(5):768-75 1997 Sep 4.
- 5. Higuchi R; Noda E; Koyama Y; Shirai T; Horino A; Juri T; Koike M.Biotin deficiency in an infant fed with amino acid formula and hypoallergenic rice. Acta Paediatr, 85(7):872-4 1996 Jul.
- 6. Singh A; Moses FM; Deuster PA.Vitamin and mineral status in physically active men: effects of a high-potency supplement. Am J Clin Nutr, 55(1):1-7 1992 Jan.
- 7. Mock DM; Mock NI; Stratton SL.Concentrations of biotin metabolites in human milk. J Pediatr, 131(3):456-8 1997 Sep.
- 8. Dabbagh O; Brismar J; Gascon GG; Ozand PT.The clinical spectrum of biotin-treatable encephalopathies in Saudi Arabia. Brain Dev, 16 Suppl():72-80 1994 Nov.
- 9. Co,skun T; Tokatli A; Ozalp I.Inborn errors of biotin metabolism. Clinical and laboratory features of eight cases. Turk J Pediatr, 36(4):267-78 1994 Oct-Dec.
- 10. Ozand PT; Gascon GG; Al Essa M; Joshi S; Al Jishi E; Bakheet S; Al Watban J; Al-Kawi MZ; Dabbagh O.Biotin-responsive basal ganglia disease: a novel entity. Brain, 121 ( Pt 7)():1267-79 1998 Jul.
- 11. Mock DM; Mock NI; Nelson RP; Lombard KA.Disturbances in biotin metabolism in children undergoing long-term anticonvulsant therapy. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr, 26(3):245-50 1998 Mar.
- 12. Watanabe T; Yasumura S; Shibata H; Fukui T.Biotin status and its correlation with other biochemical parameters in the elderly people of Japan. J Am Coll Nutr, 17(1):48-53 1998 Feb.
- 13. Mock DM; Dyken ME.Biotin catabolism is accelerated in adults receiving long-term therapy with anticonvulsants. Neurology, 49(5):1444-7 1997 Nov.
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