What is biotin?
Biotin is known as vitamin B7 or vitamin H. The water-soluble vitamin B7 = biotin is an important component of various enzymes in the human body, which are responsible for the conversion of four essential amino acids. Biotin must be supplied daily, as it is essential for the body.
History
In 1936, biotin was isolated from egg yolk for the first time. When a biotin deficiency was experimentally produced in animal experiments and in 1942 in a group of volunteers, this led to skin changes, depression and muscle pain in each case. If the volunteers were given 150 µg of biotin, the symptoms disappeared. Until 1970, it was believed that a biotin deficiency could not occur because intestinal bacteria also produce biotin.
What is biotin responsible for?
In our body, biotin plays a very important role in many metabolic processes and is essential for a beautiful appearance of hair, nails and skin. Our organism needs the vitamin to activate certain enzymes and to protect the cardiovascular system. A functional disorder can lead to hair loss, dull or brittle hair, discoloration of hair and loss of eyelashes and eyebrows.
Which foods contain biotin?
Behind the lasting success of visually attractive and healthy nails and hair is the vitamin biotin. Many foods contain biotin e.g. lentils, soybeans, eggs, carrots, numerous nuts (cashews, hazelnuts and peanuts), strawberries, spinach, bananas, oysters, mushrooms, salmon, oatmeal, figs, milk or avocados.
How do you notice that you have a biotin deficiency?
Many foods contain a lot of biotin, so a biotin deficiency is extremely rare. The most common cause is a congenital enzyme defect that prevents the release and absorption of the vitamin. An artificial diet without biotin can also result in an undersupply. The diagnosis is made by determining the biotin level in serum and urine. The classic symptoms of a biotin deficiency include hair loss, skin rash, paleness, the brittleness of fingernails, toenails and toenails and severe fatigue. A biotin deficiency can also include an increased sensitivity to pain, reduced performance and an increase in cholesterol levels.
Causes of biotin deficiency:
Long-term alcoholism reduces the absorption of biotin. Drugs from the anticonvulsant group of drugs cause biotin deficiency in some patients. Around 30 - 40 % of all pregnant women develop a slight biotin deficiency during their pregnancy. People with a shortening of the small intestine suffer from a biotin deficiency because the organism has too little absorption surface available to ensure a complete supply of biotin. Patients requiring dialysis often suffer from a biotin deficiency.
Beware of raw egg!
Anyone who eats raw egg every day can trigger a biotin deficiency. There is a certain protein in the egg white which binds to the biotin and prevents its absorption in the body, but there is no danger with boiled or fried eggs, as heating eggs inactivates the enzyme.
Side effects of biotin:
Biotin is generally considered to be free of side effects.
Is an overdose of biotin possible?
An overdose of biotin is not really possible according to scientific findings. To date, no negative effects have been discovered if the biotin intake is too high.
Biotin as a food supplement
Our Vitamineule® Biotin capsules contain only pure biotin and vegetable rice flour. The capsule shell consists of vegetable cellulose. There are no additives such as microcrystalline cellulose or magnesium stearate. Our product is free of preservatives, colorants, flavors, genetic engineering, lactose, gluten and sugar and is produced in Germany.