Biotin or Vitamin B7 is one of the vitamins of the water-soluble Vitamin B complex. It is an essential vitamin and plays such an important role in maintaining hair and skin health that is also known as Vitamin H, where the ‘H’ stands for ‘Haar und Haut’, i.e. hair and skin in German. Thus, biotin for hair is very important. The word Biotin itself is derived from the Greek word ‘biotos’ which means life or sustenance.
What are the benefits of Biotin?
#1. Improves Hair Health
Biotin, like the vitamins of the B complex, is essential for hair health. It improves the body’s keratin structure and is important for good nail health as well. It improves overall hair quality and also brings about a difference in thickness and shine.
#2. Supports Skin Health
Biotin is very important for the wellness of our skin. The presence of Biotin moisturizes your skin and prevents drying up.
#3. Helps in Weight Loss
Biotin plays an important role in keeping up your metabolism, which means that it helps in breaking down the food you eat into energy. Because of this, sometimes biotin for weight loss is recommended.
#4. Boosts Health of Heart
It also boosts your heart health as it increases good cholesterol and reduces the bad cholesterol in your body.
#5. Aids in Muscle Repair & Regrowth
Consuming Biotin can support you to take full benefit of the carbohydrate you have collected in your muscle in the form of glycogen, permitting you to start through lengthy exercise sessions.
#6. Supports Nail Health
Biotin promotes strong cell growth and supports the metabolism of protein-building amino acids which are necessary for nail growth. Biotin-rich foods can help increase your brittle fingernails
What are the Plant-Based Sources of Biotin?
If you need it, you can get biotin from your regular food. Some good sources of Biotin in your diet are:
1. Raspberry
2. Avocado
3. Cauliflower
4. Mushrooms
5. Nuts eg. almonds, pecans, walnuts
6. Soybean and other legumes
7. Whole grains
8. Banana
With such varied sources out there, it is more than possible to get the required daily dosage of Biotin from a nutritious plant-based diet.
With so many food sources available, is it possible to get Biotin deficiency?
The average dosage is between 30-100 micrograms for teens and adults. This requirement, however, increases in the case of pregnant women. Biotin deficiencies, although are rare, may happen. Such deficiency usually happens due to malnutrition or gastrointestinal problems. It may also happen when there is excessive consumption of processed food. The most common symptoms are
1. Dull hair
2. Brittle nails
3. Dry, cracking skin
4. Skin rash around the nose and mouth
5. Confusion and/or memory-related problems
6. Nausea and abdominal pain
7. Muscle pain and cramping
In case of the above problems, or to supplement existing nutrition, you can take additional Biotin supplements.
Is it okay to take Biotin supplements?
Biotin supplements are available as biotin powders or biotin tablets. Since biotin is water-soluble, excess biotin is excreted out through urine. You can opt for clean plant-based Biotin supplements available in the market. OZiva Plant-Based Biotin is one such product. All you need to do is add 1-2 scoops in around 100-150 ml of water, mix well and consume. If you have any questions, you can reach out to community@oziva.in
The Take-away!
Biotin is an essential vitamin that plays an important role in several vital functions of the body. The best way to avoid its deficiency is to have a clean plant-based diet, avoid processed foods and choose a good supplement that you’re sure about.
Last modified: January 29, 2021
