The best biotin supplements

What is biotin?

Biotin (vitamin B7) is part of the B vitamin family. It plays several roles in helping maintain a normal nervous system, normal skin and energy metabolism.¹

Our bodies can’t store biotin, as it is water-soluble.

This is why we have to consume it every day through our diet or supplement routine.

However, the helpful little bacteria in our guts can produce a small amount – thanks guys!

What foods contain biotin?

You can find biotin in several animal-based foods, seeds, nuts, nutritional yeast and some vegetables. Here are some of the best biotin sources:²

What does biotin do?

It’s a very busy and often underlooked vitamin! Biotin has multiple important functions in the body, including:³

• Processing nutrients from food – biotin supports the enzymes responsible for breaking down the fats, proteins and carbs from our food.
• Supporting energy metabolism – biotin helps to convert the proteins, fats and carbs from our food into energy.
• Helps maintain healthy hair, skin and mucous membranes – biotin helps on a cellular level to reproduce all cells in the body, including hair and skin – which have a particularly high cell turnover.
• Supports normal psychological function – with the help of other B vitamins, biotin can help maintain neurons in the brain.
• Supports nervous system function – biotin works with other B vitamins to help maintain normal nervous system function.

A biotin deficiency can result in skin rashes, hair loss and brittle nails.⁴

This is why it is commonly found in hair, skin and nail health supplements.

Read more about biotin uses and health benefits here.

What are the benefits of biotin supplements?

Here are some of the benefits of taking a biotin supplement:

An easy way to get biotin

It can sometimes be difficult to get enough biotin each and every day.

Equally, it can be pretty hard to keep track of unless you’re constantly analysing your diet for its biotin content.

That’s why some people choose to take biotin supplements; think of them as a little insurance in the same way as multivitamins are.

High dosage

Some multivitamins contain biotin, but they often contain quite a low dosage.

Choosing a biotin supplement or a multivitamin for hair, skin and nails is often the best bet if you want to make sure you’re getting enough.

How much biotin should I take?

There is no current ‘recommended’ intake for biotin like there is for many other vitamins like vitamin C and vitamin D, as more research is needed.

However, the European Food Safety Authority has proposed some Adequate Intake (AI) of biotin:⁵

• Infants over 6 months - 6ug a day
• Children aged 1-3 – 20ug a day
• Children aged 4-10 – 25ug a day
• Adolescents -35ug a day
• Adults and pregnant women– 40ug a day
• Lactating women – 45ug a day (to compensate for biotin losses through breast milk)

Is biotin safe to take every day?

Yes, you can take biotin every day as long as you stick to the manufacturer guidance – we do need a daily dose for good health after all!

Are there side effects to taking biotin?

Side effects from taking biotin supplements are rare. However, they could cause people to experience:⁶

• Nausea
• Diarrhoea
• Cramping

Consult your GP if you experience these symptoms.

Also, try taking your biotin supplement with food if you haven’t been already, as taking it alone could be causing these side effects.

It’s also worth noting that if you have ‘extra’ biotin in your body, it will naturally be flushed out of your system when you urinate.

This means that overdosing on biotin is very rare, although still a possibility. Here are the overdose symptoms you should look out for:⁷

• Low vitamin B6 levels
• Low vitamin C levels
• Drop in insulin production
• High blood sugar levels

Summary

• Biotin is an essential B vitamin we need to consume through our diet or supplementation
• You can find it in animal-based foods, seeds, nuts, nutritional yeast and some vegetables like sweet potatoes
• Biotin is needed for breaking down foods and drinks and converting them to energy, maintaining healthy hair, skin and nails, and supporting your nervous system function
• Taking a supplement is an easy and convenient way to get your daily dose (we need it every day as it is water-soluble
• Biotin supplements rarely cause side effects, plus it is quite hard to ‘overdose’ as any extra biotin will be excreted in the urine

The best biotin supplements

The following biotin supplements have been specifically designed to nourish your body with biotin – and nothing else.

They’re great if you only want to take biotin, already take a multivitamin that contains biotin, or simply want to top up your dosage.

We’ll list some biotin supplements with extra added nutrients in the next section if that’s more what you’re looking for.

The following products contain biotin + other vitamins and minerals

Pure biotin supplements have their place, but you can also experience the benefits of biotin in formulations containing other nutrients too.

The following products contain biotin + other vitamins and minerals that complement it – they’re great if you like to keep your supplements to a minimum.

The final say

• Biotin is an essential B vitamin needed for energy metabolism, cellular function, and keeping your hair, skin and nails in tip-top condition
• Most people don’t need a biotin supplement as they will get enough through their diet
• If you do want to invest in a biotin supplement, hopefully the information and customer reviews above have helped you choose the right one for you – whether it’s a gummy, tablet or multivitamin

Last updated: 7 April 2022