Have troubled skin, hair fall, brittle nails? Give Biotin or vitamin B7 a chance

Our luscious mane brings us confidence while a good hair day can always set our mood for the day but holistic hair health requires nutrition inside and outside as does skin and nail health, which is where Biotin plays a vital role. It is also known as vitamin H or vitamin B7 and helps enzymes to break down fats, carbohydrates and proteins in food, regulate signals sent by cells and the activity of genes and a deficiency of biotin can certainly lead to hair loss and skin or nail problems.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Ddevika Kamat, Health Expert at Chicnutrix, revealed why Biotin, which is part of the vitamin B complex family, has become so important. She said, “That’s because of a lot of issues that people are facing- hair fall, hair thinning, lacking volume, lacking hair lustre, having brittle nails, having troubled skin and skin eruptions. Owing to different hair and skin problems with the changing lifestyle, biotin has become crucial to us that we need to include it on a day-to-day basis.”

She added, “Not just for our hair, skin, and nails, Biotin is essential for the eyes, liver function and brain and should be included in our daily intake. I would recommend including Biotin-rich food such as eggs, meat, nuts, seeds, avocados, mushrooms, broccoli, and sweet potato. These all are natural sources of Biotin. You can also add biotin supplements to your daily intake along with natural sources. Taking it every day is safe to consume as Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin and even if there is any excess, it gets flushed out of the body.”

Highlighting that Biotin helps in better cell regeneration and growth and promotes the metabolism of protein-building amino acids which are essential for our hair and nail growth and skin as well, Dr Ddevika Kamat shared, “Taking one every day for at least a good six months is recommended. Usually, a recommended dose is about 30 mg for the average adult. Sometimes a higher dose could lead to some gut-related issues or constipation. So be wary about it. Make sure to take the right dosage as well as the right supplementation, preferably after your breakfast every day, and go with it. If it suits you well, you see the benefits of it.”

Pointing at an industry report which claims that 7 out of 10 Indians are biotin deficient and 53% of the population takes no additional supplement to fulfil their regular vitamin dietary requirements as of July 2020, Divij Bajaj, Founder of Power Gummies, asserted how it makes it very difficult to cope up daily biotin intake from a general diet. She revealed, “As per our clinical trials, we found how biotin and folic acid are vital for improvised hair and nail growth. Being a water-soluble vitamin, it helps to revive hair inside out and starkly reduces hair fall and nail tears.”

Gushing over the benefits of Biotin, she explained that it “aids in maintaining scalp health, thickness and volume. However, she said that the awareness of the role of proper nutrition still has a long way to go for younger generations, who look for easy solutions to fit their lifestyle.