Why You Should Be Using Biotin in Your Hair Care Routine
Healthier and stronger hair? Sign us up!
If you were to search online for hair care tips, you’ve probably seen the word “biotin” being tossed around in various advertisements and products. While this well-loved vitamin isn’t the ultimate cure-all for hair growth, it’s still a favorite for those seeking hair nourishment. With all the biotin buzz going around, L’OFFICIEL has you covered with our guide to this hair-healthy vitamin.
What is biotin?
Also known as vitamin B7, biotin is a vitamin B variant that is essential for your body. While many are familiar with biotin in the form of supplements (or even in hair care products), it’s found in various foods such as egg yolk, meat, fish, whole grains, nuts, and legumes. Likewise, it can also be found in vegetables like mushrooms and cauliflower.
What does it do?
Aside from already ingesting biotin from a healthy diet, if your biotin levels are low, you can take it in the form of a supplement. In many cases, hair loss, dryness, dullness, and breakage could be a result of vitamin and mineral deficiencies—although biotin deficiencies tend to be rare.
The primary fascination with taking biotin supplements is its ability to promote healthy hair growth and nourishment by fortifying the follicles, creating stronger, more resilient strands. Usually coming in a soft gel capsule or gummy form, many biotin supplements combine other proven hair-growth proteins and minerals like keratin, vitamin E, calcium, collagen, and more.
Aside from being essential for hair care, biotin also supports healthy skin and nails in conjunction with maintaining the normal function of your metabolism and nervous system. A recent study also found that biotin is a critical player in gene regulation and cell signaling.
What should you keep in mind before taking biotin?
It’s important to note that there is no recommended dietary allowance for how much biotin you should take. That said, teens and adults should probably get at least 30 to 100 micrograms a day. Additionally, the majority of biotin brands contain upwards of 1,000 to 10,000 micrograms per capsule or gummy. While there is no evidence that biotin is toxic at high levels, according to the said study, your body will naturally expell the excess anyways.