If you identify as female, you may have noticed that most of the supplements marketed to you contain biotin. It has been claimed that biotin is a beauty holy grail that can enhance your skin, nails, and hair. But are these just bold claims? What is biotin anyway and is it really the holy grail we think it is?
What Even Is Biotin?
Biotin is one of the B vitamins and is essential for a healthy body. And because it is part of the B vitamin family, it also helps with the process of metabolizing fats and proteins for energy. Without supplementation, we have a number of options in foods that can up our biotin levels. Biotin is found in foods like:
- Eggs (especially yolk)
- Sardines
- Nuts
- Soybeans
- Whole grains
- Cauliflower
- Bananas
In truth, many medical professionals find the taking of biotin supplements unnecessary, as the body only needs a small amount of biotin to function optimally.
The Claims
It is not uncommon to hear bold claims in regard to the benefits of supplements. Increased energy, weight loss, and a “boost” in immune support are the most common benefits heard in regard to supplements. But just because a label says those are the results, doesn’t necessarily mean you will actually see them. Most biotin providers claim that users will see an improvement to their hair, skin, and/or nails as a result of the increased biotin. But, as we said before, biotin deficiency is rare. Meaning that most will likely not see a difference – especially as there is not enough evidence to recommend the supplement.
What Does the Research Show?
If you’ve done a bit of sleuthing into getting better skin and hair, you’ve probably heard of keratin. Keratin is a protein at the core of our hair, skin, and nails. Biotin has been linked to improving the infrastructure of keratin. This is the main reason many jump to the conclusion that an increase of biotin leads to improved hair and skin. There haven’t been many studies done on the topic, so there is only limited evidence that this hypothesis is true. If you are interested in that study, click here.
Benefits Proven by Research
But while we still need to do more research on biotin’s effect on hair growth and skin quality, it does have a few other proven benefits. Remember, because biotin is a B vitamin, it supports a healthy metabolism. And it actually changes glucose from carbohydrates into energy. It has also been linked to:
- Reduced inflammation
- Improved cognitive function
- Lower blood sugar in those with diabetes
- Increased “HDL” (good) and decreased “LDL” (bad) cholesterol
Biotin and Other Supplements with Zock Chiropractic
If you have supplement concerns, Dr. Zock and the staff at Zock Family Chiropractic would love to help. She can listen to your concerns, provide you with chiropractic insight, and help guide you to a trusted medical professional should you need one. Keep yourself healthy this month and every month. Make an appointment in Cranberry to schedule an introductory session and provide you with a happy and healthy 2020!
* This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please contact a medical professional for advice.