Biotin has made headlines in recent years for its various health and skin benefits. In the age of trendy pseudoscience, however, it can be difficult to know what to believe. If you’ve heard a lot about biotin and you’re either wondering what it is or how you can benefit from it, you’ve come to the right place. Below, you can read about the ins and outs of adding biotin to your diet.
What is Biotin?
Biotin is otherwise known as vitamin H and although it has always been a prominent component of nutrition, it has become a popular topic of discussion in the health and fitness industry recently. You may have also heard of this vitamin under another name: vitamin B7.
If you’re worried as to whether you consume enough biotin in your diet, you should know that it is rather rare to experience a deficiency from the vitamin. That said, adding supplements to your diet provides you with a number of benefits. If you’re looking to consume more B7 naturally, you can do so by consuming raw eggs more often.
If you want to learn more about Biotin you can read a more in-depth article here
What are the benefits of biotin?
Now that you have a better idea of what biotin is, we can get into the specifics of how it can benefit your life.
Nutrient Absorption
Biotin is known for improving your ability to absorb macronutrients. By doing this, vitamin B7 can also provide you with an increase in energy. This is because a number of enzymes require B7 to function.
Biotin is known for aiding in the initiation and synthesization of gluconeogenesis, fatty acid synthesis, and amino acids. It also breaks down protein, carbs, and fats, which is why it has become a staple in the fitness community.
Nail Strength
Admittedly, it can be frustrating to try to maintain healthy nails, only to have them break with diet changes, lack of sleep, etc. If you’re trying to find a new way to maintain your nail strength, you may want to consider including biotin in your diet.
You can do this by either consuming vitamin supplements or by adjusting the foods you eat. Raw eggs, as mentioned above, can be a great addition for those who want to increase their B7 intake.
Hair Health
Knowing that biotin is beneficial for your nail, it should come as no surprise that it will also benefit your hair. This benefit is mainly based on deficiencies in biotin, which can lead to hair loss and a reduction in overall hair health.
Pregnancy
Vitamin B7 is essential for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Nearly half of all pregnant women are thought to experience a biotin deficiency at some point during their pregnancy. This may be because the body becomes more efficient as utilizing biotin during this time and as such, an increase in the amount of biotin consumed is necessary to maintain healthy levels of it.
While the science behind it needs to be explored further, researchers are also looking at the correlation between vitamin B7 deficiencies and birth defects in pregnant animals.
Type 2 Diabetes
Those with Type 2 diabetes are likely to experience the benefits of this vitamin. When combined with other supplements, biotin has demonstrated the ability to reduce blood sugar levels and to improve the overall quality of life for those living with the disease.
This may also have to do with biotin’s effects on the body’s ability to process proteins, carbs, and fats.
Conclusion
Biotin is well known in the fitness community and while it’s difficult to develop a biotin deficiency, there is no doubt that increasing your consumption of biotin can improve your daily life. This is especially true for individuals living with Type 2 diabetes, for pregnant or breastfeeding women, for those experiencing brittle nails or hair loss, and more. If you have any questions that we haven’t answered yet, contact us today and we’ll be happy to answer everything to the best of our ability.
Have you tried using Bitoin? What was your experience? Let us know in the comment section!
