Biotin for Hair Growth – Whenever I shop at a large retailer, I browse their dietary supplement offerings to stay updated with new products.
Increasingly, I noticed more and more products offering targeted health solutions, especially around hair growth and thickness.
Most products contain multiple ingredients. Biotin, a water-soluble B vitamin, is almost always included.
Likewise, many shampoos and conditioners that promise thicker, fuller hair often contain this B vitamin.
The recurring theme here is that biotin, whether take as a supplement or apply to the hair with soap, is supposed to benefit hair growth.
This article explains the link between biotin and hair health and whether the vitamin is natural and safe for hair growth or prevents hair loss.
What does the Research Say About Biotin and Hair Growth?
Biotin has many benefits for your body. Its primary function is to help convert the food you eat into energy, and your body also needs it to make keratin, the protein that makes up hair, skin, and nails.
Many foods contain biotin, which means that deficiency is rare in healthy people who follow a balanced diet.
Although rare, biotin lack can cause skin rashes, brittle nails, hair thinning and loss. And this is due to the vitamin’s role in keratin production (2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source).
As such, its supplements and biotin hair products are generally advertise to promote healthy hair growth or promote thicker, fuller hair.
However, despite these claims, there is little evidence to suggest that supplementing biotin or moussing the hair promotes in people without deficiency.
In an earlier study from 2012, women with self-perceived thinning hair were randomly assign to receive either a multi-ingredient in supplement containing biotin or a placebo for six months (trusted Source).
After the treatment, those who received the hair growth supplement reported a visible increase in overall hair volume, scalp coverage, and thickness. Meanwhile, no significant variations were observe in the placebo group.
However, since the hair growth supplement contained several ingredients, including zinc and iron, also necessary for hair growth, it is impossible to attribute the study results to biotin alone.
Also, the study was small and deficient in one or more nutrients found in the supplement that affect hair health. Such a deficiency could take remain corrected during the survey, resulting in hair growth.
In another study, researchers found that children whose hair growth or quality improved after taking biotin supplements had an underlying condition causing biotin deficiency (trusted Source).
Outside of these studies, no substantial evidence supports biotin supplements or biotin-based hair products to promote it.
Does Biotin Help Prevent Hair Loss?
Although the evidence supporting biotin alone for hair growth is weak and limited. Also the evidence is slightly more substantial for preventing hair loss.
However, its supplements are likely only to prevent hair loss and promote hair growth in people with biotin deficiency.
In one study, it deficiency was found in 38% of women who complained of hair loss. Of these participants, 11% had a past risk factor deficiency. Such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or using certain medications such as antibiotics.
Although this study did not assess the effects of biotin supplements or biotin-based hair products in preventing hair loss. Also it does demonstrate the link between hair loss and inadequate biotin levels.
Other causes of hair loss include (5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source):
Androgenetic alopecia, also known as callus.
