Biotin is an essential water-soluble B vitamin commonly recommended as a natural product to counteract hair loss in both children and adults. The name itself is derived from the Greek word "bios," which means life.
Hair Loss
Many believe biotin to be effective in the strengthening of hair and nails; and as a result, biotin can be found in many cosmetics and health products for both hair and skin. There are a number of shampoo products that contain biotin, but it is doubtful that they offer any real benefit because biotin is not absorbed well through the skin. In addition, there has never been a study that proves any benefit to the supplementation of biotin unless the subject was known to already have a biotin deficiency.
While cases of deficiency are extremely rare, it is true that one of the symptoms of biotin deficiency would include a loss of hair not only on the head, but in severe cases, also affecting the eye lashes and eye brows. As mentioned, this situation rarely occurs due to the body generally producing quantities in excess of our daily needs.
Biotin does indeed have it's benefits; the conversion of food to energy, cell growth, the metabolism of fats and amino acids, the production of fatty acids, and it can also be helpful in maintaining a steady blood sugar level for people suffering from Type 2 Diabetes.
Should you supplement with biotin for hair loss? In spite of the lack of clear evidence, there are legions of people who feel that they have had measurable success with biotin supplementation. Also, there is disagreement among experts regarding the proper dosages. It is suggested that doses between 10-40 milligrams daily, taken orally, will not result in toxicity. For children, depending on their age, 5 to 25 micrograms may be taken safely. Both of these suggested doses come from The US Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Science's Institute of Medicine.
In conclusion, should you be suffering from hair loss and are looking for something that may slow, or even stop your hair loss , biotin may be worth a try. Discuss this with your doctor in order to be sure that you do not have any allergies to this type of product. No significant toxicity has been reported by biotin supplementation, but because most herbs and supplements have not been thoroughly tested for interactions with drugs, take the "better safe than sorry" approach and have that discussion with your doctor.
You may find that your doctor would be very interested in the results of biotin supplementation for your hair loss .
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