Has anyone tried Biotin for hair loss/quality? My dermatologist gave me a sample for my nails a while ago but I never tried it. Then my RE suggested it for my hair saying that she had patients who raved about their results with Biotin...
Has anyone here had success stories with it? Any side effects?
I have heard that biotin is very good and essential for hair and nails, I havent taken it yet but its also in a lot of hairloss shampoos. I was going to order some, I think it is a type of B vitamin. I havnet heard about side effects with it though.
Wow! That's awesome! I'm definitely going to try it. I'll let everyone know what I think. Kat, how long does it take for you to actually see an effect on your hair and nails?
Biotin also works well for acne. My sister had really bad acne and a friend of mine recommended biotin and her face cleared up nicely but once she stops taking it the acne flares up again.
Holy s**t! Is this the wonder cure or what? The only reason I was on the pill at all is to control the acne and hair loss. Otherwise, I'm soooo much healthier when not on the pill. My weight goes down, my blood pressure goes down, my sex drive goes up, and I don't have 4 month yeast infections (yuck!). The possibility that taking biotin (a supposedly safe suppliment with no side effects) will help the acne and hair loss is really exciting! Thanks for the info!
I seem to be having pretty good luck with it. I've been taking it for 2 months since I am 4 months postpartum and was worried about the serious shedding that happens after giving birth. While I am losing a ton of hairs, my hair still feels pretty thick and full. It is certainly better than before I had the baby. I will update again in a couple of months when the postpartum shed usually trails off.
Sarah
__________________ Sarah
Dx 2/03
DC's
Will 7/26/05
Andie 11/28/06
Girls, I found the following info on Biotin. It looked like it was on a site selling Biotin so I don't know how impartial it is but this article makes it sound like Biotin is the wonder drug for PCOS. Could it be that we have a Biotin deficiency as one of the aspects of the syndrome? What's really weird is that the article says that there is a metabolite of biotin in brewer's yeast (which I've heard is taken by and has shown great results for some cysters). My derm gave me a sample of Appearex which is 2.5mg of Biotin. I'm really pleased with what I've found so far in my research because I've wished I could try brewer's yeast for a while after hearing what others have said about it but was unable as I'm allergic to molds and yeasts. Now I can go directly to the source and skip the yeast!
Biotin is a sulfur containing, water soluble, member of the B-complex family. Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin whose primary function is as a coenzyme in carbohydrate, amino acid, and lipid metabolism. Biotin is essential for cell growth and replication through its role in the manufacturing of DNA and RNA.
Biotin is usually measured in micrograms (mcg.) In doses of milligrams (mg.) lab experiments have demonstrated that biotin aids in managing blood sugar. This is accomplished by improving the effectiveness of enzymes which are involved in processing glucose. Diabetic neuropathy, a degenerative nerve condition caused by elevated sugar levels, has been shown to improve with large doses of biotin.
Rarely is there a deficiency of Biotin, except in infants. A condition called seborrheic dermatitis, or cradle cap, is characterized by a dry, scaly scalp. This vitamin optimizes the body's use of fatty acids and make the scalp less oily, thereby improving the general texture and appearance of the hair. In adults it is produced in the intestines, extracted from foods.
For treatment of adult eczema and dermatitis, it is essential that all the B vitamins be taken as well as essential fatty acids and zinc.
In large doses biotin can partially restore weak or brittle nails (2.5 mg. daily).
One hundred milligrams of biotin daily may prevent hair loss in some men. Biotin also promotes healthy sweat glands, nerve tissue, and bone marrow. In addition, it helps to relieve muscle pain.
Biotin is available as isolated biotin or as biocytin, a complex in brewer's yeast, composed of 65.6% biotin. Biotin is available in multivitamin and vitamin B complexes, and in individual supplements. Standard preparations are available in 10 mcg, 50 mcg, 100 mcg, and 500 mcg tablets.
Deficiency: Symptoms include hair loss, a dry, scaly dermatitis, anorexia, nausea, and depression. Biotin deficiency can exacerbate seborrheic dermatitis (cradle cap) in infants. Biotin deficiency also impacts the immune system. Other symptoms of deficiency are alopecia, extreme exhaustion, and impairment of fat metabolism .
Depleting Agents: Food-processing techniques can destroy biotin, therefore less processed products will have a greater percentage of their biotin intact. Raw egg whites (which contain avidin, a protein that prevents biotin absorption), water, sulfa drugs, estrogen, and alcohol. Fats or oils which have been heated or exposed to the air for any length of time inhibit biotin absorption.
Precautions: There have been no reported toxic effects, even at high doses.
Dosage Ranges and Duration of Administration: Due to biotin's synthesis in the gut, a RDA has not been set. The adequate intake for biotin has been estimated at 30 to 100 mcg per day. Average daily biotin intake in the American diet has been estimated to be 28 to 42 mcg.
INTERACTIONS
No clinically significant interactions between biotin and conventional medications are known to have been reported in the literature to date.
I'm new to this site but wanted to say that my mother's dermatologist recommended Biotin for her nails. She showed me that it also indicated it was good for hair loss so I'm going to give it a try. I've been dealing with my hair thinning for that last 12 years. I have gone through phases of good and bad. What helped me the most was exercise and reducing my weight. However, due to recent minor surgery I will not be able to exercise for at least 6 weeks so I need to find something that might help my hair which has really gotten thin this last few months. I'm 35 years old and have suffered with PCOS symptoms that also include severe hot flashes and night sweats. The hair loss though seems to be the hardest for me to deal with as a woman.
Welcome Cyn! I have hot flashes too. I know what you mean about the hair loss. I used to have long, curly, thick hair and I would probably say that it was my most attractive feature. Everyone always commented about it. When I was in high school, my hair dresser even contemplated using my hair as an entry in a hair style magazine. It really hurts to think about the possibility of one day having hair so thin that people would say, "Ew, that woman has thinning hair!". I stayed on BCP for as long as I did simply because I was afraid my hair loss would get worse and it would be irreversable, even though it was increasing my weight, increasing my blood pressure, giving me constant yeast infections, decreasing my sex drive, and making me a raving psycho. I think that shows how terrified I am of waking up one day to a bald head. I don't know if the Biotin will really be as wonderful as it sounds but it's definitely a welcomed option. Good luck to you!
Biotin 
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