Walk into any pharmacy on King Street or Mount Vernon Avenue and you will find a shelf of hair, skin and nail supplements. Almost every one of them contains biotin, often in large amounts. Many of our clients in Alexandria tell us they take it. In this month's hair health update from Holistic Hair Studio, we look at what the evidence really says.
What Biotin Is
Biotin is vitamin B7. Your body uses it to help turn food into energy, and it plays a part in producing keratin, the protein that makes up most of your hair. It is found in eggs, nuts, seeds, sweet potatoes, legumes and whole grains, and bacteria in your gut also produce some.
Adults need about 30 micrograms a day. Most people get that easily from a normal diet.
When Biotin Helps
True biotin deficiency is rare. When it does occur, it can cause thinning hair, a red scaly rash around the eyes, nose and mouth, and brittle nails. It can be linked to some inherited conditions, long term use of certain medications, very high alcohol intake and regularly eating large amounts of raw egg white, which contains a protein that binds biotin. Pregnancy can also lower biotin levels.
In people who are genuinely deficient, biotin can make a real difference.
When It Does Not
For people who are not deficient, there is little good evidence that extra biotin improves hair growth or thickness. A 2017 review in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology looked for published cases where biotin had improved hair or nails. The researchers found 18, and every one of those patients had an underlying condition or deficiency. They found no strong evidence that biotin helps healthy people.
That has not slowed sales. Hair supplements commonly contain 5,000 to 10,000 micrograms of biotin per dose, and some contain far more. That can be hundreds of times the daily amount your body needs.
The Warning on the Bottle Nobody Reads
This is the part of the biotin story most people never hear. Many laboratory blood tests use biotin as part of the chemistry that makes them work. High levels of biotin in the blood can interfere with those tests and produce results that are falsely high or falsely low.
In 2017 the US Food and Drug Administration issued a safety communication warning about this, and it repeated the warning in 2019. The FDA reported that it had received a report of a patient who died after biotin interference caused a falsely low result on a troponin test, a test doctors use to help diagnose a heart attack. Thyroid tests are among the others that can be affected, and a distorted result can lead to the wrong diagnosis or treatment.
If you take biotin, tell your doctor before any blood test. Your doctor may advise you to stop taking it for a period beforehand.
What Actually Supports Healthy Hair
For most people, healthy hair starts with an everyday diet that includes enough protein, iron, zinc and vitamin D, along with good sleep and stress management. If you are losing more hair than usual, the best first step is a visit to your doctor, who can check for deficiencies such as low iron or thyroid problems. A supplement chosen without testing may simply hide the real cause.
What you do to the hair you already have matters just as much. A gentle shampoo, low heat and regular trims protect the hair that is growing from your scalp right now.
Healthy Hair Care at Holistic Hair Studio
We cannot change what happens inside your follicles, but we can help you look after every strand they produce. Our Scalp Purifying Treatment, $135, clears buildup so the scalp is in good condition, and our Deep Conditioning Treatment, from $45, uses OWAY masks to strengthen and soften the lengths. All of our care, treatment and styling products come from OWAY, an organic and biodynamic line, and our color line is formulated without ammonia, PPD, resorcinol or parabens.
Clients visit our Powhatan Street studio from Old Town North, Del Ray, Potomac Yard and Arlington. We are always glad to talk through what is happening with your hair and when it might be time to see your doctor.
For more on the nutrients that make a difference, read the three vitamins that actually work for hair growth.
Your Biotin Checklist
Eat a varied diet with eggs, nuts, seeds and legumes
Ask your doctor to check for deficiencies before you buy supplements
Tell your doctor about biotin before any blood test
Protect the hair you have with gentle care
Book a Scalp Purifying Treatment at Holistic Hair Studio in Alexandria
Book your appointment today and experience the transformative power of natural organic hair wellness at Holistic Hair Studio!
1433 Powhatan Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
Book your appointment: 703-473-6864
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