The bottom line: Biotin can only impact hair growth if there is an existing biotin deficiency. Taking extra biotin supplements does not lead to extra nutrient-based hair growth. 8 How much biotin should I take for hair? If you have certain dietary restrictions or need an extra biotin boost, certain supplements may be used as alternatives.

Bowen R, Benavides R, Colón-Franco JM, et al. Best practices in mitigating the risk of biotin interference with laboratory testing. Clin Biochem. 2019;74:1-11. doi:10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2019.08.012 Outside of these studies, there is no strong evidence to support taking biotin supplements or using biotin-added hair products to promote hair growth ( 2). SummaryIn addition to food, the bacteria in your intestines can make biotin. However, the role of gut bacteria on the overall biotin status of humans remains unknown — in part due to the complexity of the gut microbiota and the factors that influence its composition ( 8). Summary If you happen to have any extra biotin in your body, it will naturally be flushed out of your system when you urinate. As a result, overdosing on biotin is considered tobe rare however, it is still a possibility. Symptoms of biotin overdose include 14: Zhang Y, Ding Y, Fan Y. Influence of biotin intervention of glycemic control and lipid profile in patients with type II diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Nutr. 2022 Oct;9(1):1-12. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.1046800 It's important to understand the difference between the ingredients in hair growth oils. "The only FDA-approved over-the-counter topical ingredient for the treatment of hair loss is Minoxidil," says Danusia Wnek, senior chemist at the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty, Health & Sustainability Lab. It is known to slow down hair loss and stimulate hair growth but "the mechanism of action on the hair follicle is very limited," according to this scientific review. "Unless it contains minoxidil, a hair growth oil won’t increase hair growth (the number of strands on your scalp); instead it will lubricate hair, preventing breakage and damage," she adds. Below, find the best hair growth oils you can use at home for healthier, longer strands. Pregnant or breastfeeding women often benefit from a prenatal vitamin,” says Barth. “Prenatal vitamins contain biotin, folic acid and other nutrients that are important for the health of the mother and baby. If you’re not sure which prenatal vitamin to take, ask your provider.” Do biotin supplements help with hair growth?

Our hair, skin and nails all contain a basic protein called keratin. You may recall some haircare and skincare products being enriched with keratin? 7Its primary role is to help turn the food you eat into energy. Your body also needs it to produce keratin — the type of protein that makes up hair, skin, and nails ( 1). Without robust research, is biotin something you should try? The good news is that taking biotin in reasonable amounts won’t do any harm. How much biotin should you take? Other natural products, such as biotin and zinc, have also been advocated for the treatment of hair loss. Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin and an essential coenzyme for several important enzymes 15 while zinc is an essential micronutrient that is responsible for the normal functioning of hundreds of enzymes. 16 , 17 The use of these agents for hair loss is based on the observation that alopecia is one of many consequences associated with biotin 15 and zinc deficiencies. 18 In one case report, a child with alopecia due to zinc deficiency was administered a zinc supplement and her hair loss stopped in three weeks 18; however, the use of a zinc supplement in a group of 15 patients with alopecia areata and low serum zinc levels did not result in significant hair growth. 19 A literature search did not reveal any studies describing the use of biotin supplementation for the treatment of hair loss.