Biotin (also called vitamin B7 or vitamin H) supports hair growth mainly because it plays a key role in the production of keratin, the protein that makes up most of your hair, skin, and nails.
Here’s how it helps:
Boosts keratin production – Keratin is the structural building block of hair. Adequate biotin helps your body produce stronger, healthier strands.
Supports hair follicle function – Biotin helps enzymes involved in cell growth and amino acid metabolism, which can improve the health of hair follicles.
Improves hair strength & thickness – Deficiency in biotin can cause brittle, thinning hair; supplementing can reverse these signs if the cause is biotin deficiency.
Assists nutrient metabolism – It helps convert carbohydrates, fats, and proteins from your diet into energy, ensuring your hair cells have enough fuel to grow.
Important notes:
For most healthy people, biotin deficiency is rare, so taking extra biotin won’t cause dramatic hair growth unless you’re lacking it.
It works best when the hair loss is linked to biotin deficiency, poor nutrition, or after recovery from illness.
Visible improvements may take 2–4 months of consistent use because hair grows slowly.
so how much biotin we should take in daily ? here is the answer .
the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) of biotin is quite small — much less than the doses you often see in supplements for hair growth.
Here’s the breakdown:
| Age Group | Adequate Intake (AI)* |
|---|---|
| Adults (19+ years) | 30 micrograms (mcg) |
| Pregnant women | 30 mcg |
| Breastfeeding women | 35 mcg |
*There’s no official RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) for biotin because deficiencies are rare;
Food Sources of Biotin
You can easily meet your needs through diet:
Egg yolks
Salmon
Nuts (almonds, walnuts)
Seeds (sunflower seeds)
Sweet potatoes
Spinach
In short:
For general health: 30–35 mcg/day is enough.
For hair/nail supplementation: Many people take 2,500–5,000 mcg/day, though strong scientific proof of added benefit in non-deficient people is limited.
Always check with a doctor before going above 5,000 mcg, especially if you’re getting blood work done regularly.