What is Biotin Exactly?

Sometimes, biotin is referred to as vitamin H or B7. Actually, it is best described as a cofactor for metabolizing fats and amino acids, maintaining consistent blood sugar levels and helping to process carbon dioxide. Biotin is extremely important for cell growth and the production of fatty acids as well. This diversified nutrient, adorned with three names, also has a hand in the Citric acid cycle. This involves the generation of biochemical energy during aerobic respiration, but that seems like a tangent best saved for a more advanced look into biotin…perhaps in the near future.

Although the amount of naturally occurring biotin in food varies from season to season and harvest to harvest, the nutrient can often be found in liver, soybeans, tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, almonds, walnuts, cucumber, oats, milk and some fish such as salmon and halibut. Specifically, brewer’s yeast and royal jelly (another gift from the amazing and endangered honeybee) happen to have some of the highest biotin contents.

Biotin isn’t limited to the spectrum of food either. Biotin supplements can be suggested as a natural or alternative means of regenerating hair for both adults and children. Although the skin can have trouble absorbing the nutrient, it is often included in the ingredients of shampoos and other cosmetic products designed for the hair and skin.

Our bodies’ intestinal bacteria, by and large, produce enough biotin for us to survive. This explains why biotin deficiencies are fairly infrequent and why biotin is often found in most foods at low concentrations. So, health departments around the globe don’t even bother issuing or prescribing recommended daily intakes. Nevertheless, do not doubt its value and utility.

There is a rare hereditary disorder known as phenylketonuria, which targets children who are unable to metabolize the amino acid phenylalanine. This condition usually results in skin problems (eczema and/or seborrheic dermatitis).

However, children afflicted with this disorder have often increased the amount of biotin in their diet with some success. The research, being the bright side of this situation, shows that taking biotin in excess has absolutely no negative effects on the human body.

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.