Biotin (vitamin H, vitamin B7)

Vitamin H also known as biotin plays an important role in the biochemistry in the life of human beings. Biotin involves the transfer of carbon dioxide which is essential for the proper maintenance of the metabolic activities of the carbohydrates and fats in the body. A well maintained nutritional diet contains the requisite amount of biotin in it.

Biotin is absorbed by the small intestine. Biotin plays an important role as it is a carrier of carbon dioxide which helps in the metabolic activities for the synthesis of the fatty acids and gluconeogenesis and also the metabolic activities of the amino acids which helps break down the fatty acids into energy to help carry out all the metabolic activities in the body. A well balanced nutritional diet is what doctors recommend as it contains the required amount of biotin in it to help carry out proper metabolic activities in the body.

Sources of biotin: Biotin is produced in the liver, apart from that it is found in egg yolk, legumes and in cereals. A bacterium present in the intestine also produces biotin which is absorbed by the body for its daily metabolic activities.

Normal level of biotin in the body helps not only maintain the metabolic activities of the body but also helps promote the proper functioning of the sweat glands, male gonads, bone marrow, skin, nerve tissues, hair and blood cells. The concentration of biotin is relatively low in the liver, brain and muscle tissues of the body.

What are the benefits of Biotin?

The most important function of biotin is to regulate the proper functioning of the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. It functions to generating energy through the synthesis of glucose and amino acids. Vitamin H plays a leading role in controlling the level of glucose i.e. blood sugar in the body as this is the main source or power house of energy.

Supplements of biotin help improve the texture of skin, fingernails, good hair growth etc. Biotin helps control alopecia or partial or complete hair loss in adults and children. Increased dosage of biotin supplements are given to babies suffering from infantile seborrhea, it can also be administered to patients born with abnormalities. It has also helped diabetic patients to control the sugar level in the body.

Type 2 diabetes patients have benefitted with biotin supplements, it has also helped strengthen hair and nails from splitting. Obese people have benefitted by the use of biotin as it has helped them increase the metabolic activities thus helping them lose weight.

The required dosage of biotin supplement that is recommended is anywhere between 30-100mg/day or as recommended by your physician. As such there are no side effects due to an overdose of biotin as this is both water and fat soluble. Excess of biotin in the body is passed out of the body in the form of urine.

It has been noticed that long term effects of anti-seizure medications can lead to deficiency of biotin. Deficiency of biotin leads to fatigue, nausea, muscle cramps and pain, depression, anemia, hair loss etc. Deficiency can also lead to neurological symptoms wherein it leads to lethargy, hallucination, depression etc.