Biotin

Description

Biotin is a member of the B complex family, but is not actually a vitamin. It is a coenzyme that works with them. Also known as vitamin H and coenzyme R, it was first isolated and described in 1936. It is water soluble and very unstable; it can be destroyed by heat, cooking, exposure to light, soaking, and prolonged contact with water, baking soda, or any other alkaline element. The body obtains biotin from food and can also synthesize this nutrient from bacteria in the gut.

General use

Biotin is utilized by every cell in the body and contributes to the health of skin, hair, nerves, bone marrow, sex glands, and sebaceous glands. Apart from being a vital cofactor to several enzymes, biotin is essential in carbohydrate metabolism and the synthesis of fatty acids. It is also involved in the transformation of amino acids into protein. Biotin plays a role in cell growth and division through its role in the manufacture of DNA and RNA, the genetic components of cells.

Adequate biotin is required for healthy nails and hair, and biotin deficiency is known to be a factor in balding and the premature graying of hair. It has been claimed that, as part of an orthomolecular regime, it can reverse the graying of hair. When PABA and biotin are taken together in adequate amounts they can restore hair color. Biotin supplements will also effectively treat weak, splitting nails.

Biotin can be a valuable tool to combat yeast infections, which are notoriously difficult to eradicate. In their book The Yeast Syndrome, John Parks Trowbridge and Morton Walker describe how adequate levels of biotin can prevent Candida albicans from developing from its yeast-like state into fungal form, in which it sends out mycelium that further invade body organs.

Seborrheic dermatitis, or Leiner's disease, which is a non-itchy, red scaling rash affecting infants during the first three months of life, is also treated with biotin and other B complex vitamins.

Biotin has been used in conjunction with other nutrients as part of weight loss programs, as it aids in the digestion and breakdown of fats.

High doses of biotin are sometimes used by the allopathic medical profession to treat diabetes since it enhances sensitivity to insulin and effectively increases levels of enzymes involved in glucose metabolism. Biotin is also used to treat peripheral neuropathy , a complication of diabetes, and those with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, who suffer from metabolic deficiencies.

Biotin can be found in beans, breads, brewer's yeast , cauliflower, chocolate, egg yolks, fish, kidney, legumes, liver, meat, molasses, dairy products, nuts, oatmeal, oysters, peanut butter, poultry, wheat germ , and whole grains.

Preparations

The recommended daily allowance for adults in the United States is 30 mcg. Daily requirements are estimated at 30 mcg for adults and 35 mcg for women who are nursing. Supplementation ranges from 100-600 mcg per day, and can be obtained in the form of brewer's yeast, which contains biotin as part of the B complex, or as an individual biotin supplement.

Precautions

The body needs biotin on a daily basis since it is not stored to any great extent. Biotin requirements increase during pregnancy and lactation, and should be supplemented in anyone who is taking antibiotics. Certain individuals are at risk for biotin deficiency, including infants fed biotin-deficient formula or with inherited deficiency disorders, patients who are fed intravenously, and anyone who habitually eats a lot of raw egg whites, because they contain a protein called avidin, which prevents the absorption of biotin.

Mild deficiency

Because it is synthesized in the gut, deficiency symptoms of biotin are rare. However they may include weakness, lethargy, grayish skin color, eczema (which may include a scaly red rash around the nose, mouth and other orifices), hair loss , cradle cap in infants, muscle aches, impaired ability to digest fats, nausea, depression, loss of appetite, insomnia, high cholesterol levels, eye inflammations, sensitivity to touch, anemia, and tingling in the hands and feet.

Extreme deficiency

Symptoms of extreme biotin deficiency include elevation of cholesterol levels, heart problems, and paralysis. When extreme deficiency is a problem, the liver may not be able to detoxify the body efficiently, and depression may develop into hallucinations. Infants may exhibit developmental delay and lack of muscle tone.

Biotin deficiency could result in a loss of immune function, since animal experiments have shown that biotin deficiency resulted in a decrease in white blood-cell function. Because biotin is essential to the body's metabolic functions, any deficiency could result in impaired metabolism as well.

Overdose

There have been no reports of effects of overdose of biotin, even at very high doses, primarily because any excess is excreted in the urine.

Side effects

There are no side effects associated with biotin supplementation.

Interactions

Biotin works in conjunction with all the B vitamins, which are synergistic, meaning they work best when all are available in adequate amounts.

Raw egg white contains the protein avidin, which prevents absorption of biotin.

Sulfa drugs, estrogen, and alcohol all increase the amount of biotin needed in the body. In addition, anticonvulsant drugs may lead to biotin deficiency. Long term use of antibiotics may prevent the synthesis of biotin in the gut by killing off the bacteria which help the body produce biotin. Supplements of lactobacillus may help the body make sufficient amounts of biotin after long term antibiotic use.

Key Terms

Coenzyme

A non-protein organic compound that plays an essential role in the action of particular enzymes.

Lactobacillus

A bacteria present in the gut of healthy people.

Mycelium

Fine thread-like tendrils sent out by a fungus to seek nutrition, capable of invading body organs.

Peripheral neuropathy

Weakness and numbness of the nerves in the fingers and toes, which may progress up the limb--often a complication of diabetes.

Further Reading

For Your Information

Books

• Kenton, Leslie. The Joy of Beauty. Great Britain: Century Publishing Co Ltd., 1983.
• Trowbridge, John Parks, and Morton Walker. The Yeast Syndrome. New York: Bantam Books, 1986.

Other

• "Vitamins, etc." http://www.bookman.com.au/vitamins/biotin.html (August 1, 2000).

Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine. Gale Group, 2001.