Biotin Foods: 12 Nutrient-Packed Picks for Hair, Skin, and Energy

Biotin — sometimes called vitamin H or vitamin B7 — is an important nutrient for your eyes, liver, skin, hair, and brain function. It’s a water-soluble vitamin, meaning that your body doesn’t store what you get for later, so you need a continuous supply. 

Fortunately, there are lots of biotin-containing foods, some of which you probably already eat. This makes it easy to get enough biotin, and is why biotin deficiency is super rare. 

So, what foods contain biotin, and how much do you need? We’ve covered everything biotin does for your body, including 12 foods high in biotin, plus whether you should consider adding a biotin supplement to your routine. 

Nutritionally, biotin helps break down the protein, fat, and carbs you eat into fuel your body can use for everyday functions. 

How does this work? It acts as a coenzyme, which means it teams up with enzymes in your body to kickstart chemical reactions. 

When you eat carbs, biotin helps convert them into glucose (sugar), your primary fuel source. It helps digest fats into more usable fatty acids to support hormone production, and it helps process amino acids from protein, which are central to muscle growth and repair.

While biotin’s part in macronutrient breakdown supports healthy hair, skin, and nails, the nutrient also has another job — helping your body produce keratin, the main protein that makes up your hair and nails.

It also supports healthy skin by helping your body maintain a strong barrier, which can reduce dryness and irritation.

Finally, biotin plays a role in brain function. Since it helps convert food into energy, it keeps your nervous system fueled and firing properly, which translates to better focus, sharper thinking, and possibly fewer frustrating brain-fog moments. 

Many people born with an inherited biotinase deficiency (which prevents biotin from being properly recycled and used by the body) have neurological and skin symptoms — unless they treat the deficiency with biotin supplements.

How Much Biotin Do You Need?

Most adult men need about 30 micrograms (mcg) of biotin per day, which is fairly easy to get through a balanced diet. 

But your goal might go up if you’re: 

• Dealing with certain health conditions

• Recovering from injury

• Eating a diet low in biotin-rich foods

Heavy alcohol use and smoking can also affect how much you need. Why? Alcoholism prevents your intestines from properly absorbing biotin. And smoking speeds up the breakdown and turnover of biotin. 

While true biotin deficiency is rare, it’s still worth making sure you’re hitting your daily target — especially if you’re chasing better energy, stronger hair, or healthier skin.

What foods have biotin? Keep reading to find out. 

Egg yolks are one of the richest food sources of biotin, offering around 10 mcg per yolk. That’s one-third of your daily needs right there.

Most of the biotin is concentrated in the yolk because it’s rich in fat and nutrients, while the egg white actually contains a protein called avidin that binds to biotin and can block its absorption if you eat the egg raw. 

Eating cooked eggs is safer, and it also breaks down avidin, making the biotin more available. Enjoy egg yolks scrambled with some veggies, soft-boiled, poached, or in a breakfast sandwich.

Salmon is best known for its omega-3 fatty acids and protein content, but it’s also a good source of biotin. In a three-ounce serving of cooked salmon, you can expect around 4 mcg of biotin. 

Try salmon grilled, roasted, or air-fried and add it to salads, wraps, stir-fries, and protein bowls, or serve it alongside some cooked broccoli and brown rice for a filling meal. 

Almonds are more than just a solid snack — they’re a good source of biotin, offering about 1.5 mcg per quarter-cup or handful.

Along with biotin, almonds contain healthy fats, protein, and the antioxidant vitamin E, making them a great all-around choice for supporting skin health, brain function, and energy. 

Munch on them raw, roasted, tossed into oatmeal or a salad, mixed into a homemade trail mix, or blended into almond butter. 

Sunflower seeds may be tiny, but don’t let that fool you — they provide just under 3 mcg of biotin per quarter-cup. 

Like other nuts and seeds, they also contain healthy fats, fiber, protein, and vitamin E, important for your hair, skin, brain, and immune health. 

Toss shelled sunflower seeds onto your salad, mix them into granola, or add them to your oatmeal or yogurt. You might also enjoy tahini, which is a paste made from sesame seeds that can be used in dips and sauces. 

Sweet potatoes aren’t just for holiday casseroles — they’re also a solid source of biotin, providing around 2.4 micrograms per half-cup cooked. That’s roughly eight percent of your daily needs, wrapped in a naturally sweet, fiber-rich package. 

Along with biotin, sweet potatoes deliver beta-carotene (which your body turns into vitamin A), helping support skin health and vision. Plus, the complex carbs and fiber in sweet potatoes give you steady energy without the crash. 

Roast them, mash them, air-fry them into fries, or toss them into a grain bowl.

Though the amount of biotin depends on its size, one avocado may meet up to 20 percent of your daily needs. 

Avocados also contain potassium, fiber, healthy fats, and antioxidants, which are important for supporting heart health, hair and skin, hormone production, and overall well-being.

Mash them into homemade guacamole, use them in place of mayo on a sandwich or wrap, put them on your enchiladas, or even toss them into smoothies. You can even blend them into chocolate pudding. 

Walnuts don’t just look like little brains — they support brain health and give you a helpful dose of biotin, too, with about 1 mcg per quarter-cup. 

These nuts are also a source of the omega-3 fat ALA, which is a precursor to EPA and DHA, as well as protein, fiber, and antioxidants like vitamin E. 

Walnuts are especially great for men looking to support cognitive function, reduce excess inflammation, and keep their hair and skin in top shape. 

Crush walnuts and toss them into oatmeal, add them to pancake or muffin batter, or blend them into homemade pesto in place of traditional pine nuts. You can also simply grab a handful on the go. 

While it only provides around 0.5 mcg of biotin per half-cup cooked, spinach is low in calories and high in nutritional value. It also contributes iron, fiber, folate, and vitamin C. 

Add spinach to your breakfast scrambles and omelets, smoothies (blueberries make a great blended duo with leafy greens), pasta, sandwiches, or grain bowls.

Whether you prefer overnight oats or a warm bowl of stovetop-cooked oatmeal in the morning, oats deliver about 0.2-0.6 mcg of biotin per cup cooked. 

They’re also a good source of soluble fiber, especially a type called beta-glucan, which has been extensively studied for its heart health benefits (like lowering high cholesterol levels).

If you’re not an oatmeal fan, try tossing oats into waffle batters, using them to top muffins, or blending oats into oat flour to use in baking. 

Most men wouldn’t list liver as a favorite food, but if you’re looking for a heavy dose of biotin, it probably holds the title as the best per serving. 

In a three-ounce serving of cooked liver, you’ll find 27-35 mcg of biotin, which is essentially your entire day’s requirement. 

Beef or chicken liver is also high in iron, vitamin A, and vitamin B12, making it a powerful food for energy, red blood cell production, and even testosterone support. 

If you’re new to cooking liver in your kitchen, it’s often prepared by sautéeing it with onions, blended into pâté, or snuck into meatloaf or burgers. Or, you might prefer ordering it first at a restaurant where it’s been expertly prepared. 

Legumes like beans, peas, peanuts, and lentils are full of biotin — offering 1.5 to 2.5 mcg per half-cup cooked, depending on the type. 

These nutritional powerhouses also contain a hearty mix of fiber, protein, and iron to support heart health, digestion, blood sugar management, and energy stability. 

Add legumes to chili, burritos, grain bowls, salads, pasta dishes, or soups and stews in the Instant Pot for an easy biotin boost that works as hard as you do.

Both brewer’s yeast (a byproduct of brewing beer often used in baking) and nutritional yeast (made for food and seasoning use, deactivated and dried) contain biotin. The amount varies by brand. 

However, fortified nutritional yeast tends to contain more, coming in at around 4 mcg per two-tablespoon (12-gram) serving. The same serving size of active dry yeast provides 2.4 mcg of biotin. 

Getting enough biotin is important, but getting a ton (like through a high-dose supplement) isn’t necessarily better. 

In fact, taking too much biotin might cause side effects like skin rashes, insomnia, excessive thirst, or digestive issues. 

Sometimes, megadose biotin supplements can even interfere with blood test results, like heart health and thyroid markers, possibly leading to inaccurate diagnoses.

Instead, taking a foods-first approach is safer and usually supports adequate biotin levels for most men. Plus, biotin deficiencies are incredibly rare. 

Still, if you’re interested in trying biotin supplements to see if they help improve hair growth, brittle nails, or dry skin, it’s best to first speak with a healthcare provider for personalized medical advice.

Our Biotin Builder Gummies provide 300 mcg per gummy. They also contain some vitamin B12, B6, folic acid, and vitamin D. 

Biotin plays a central role in energy metabolism, brain function, and the health of your hair, skin, and nails. Getting enough of it is important — but most people don’t have a problem with adequate biotin intake. 

Let’s recap what we know about high biotin foods:

• Biotin helps break down fats, protein, and carbohydrates in your diet into nutrients your body can use. It also helps your body produce keratin, improve your skin barrier, and support mental clarity.

• Get plenty of biotin from eating a variety of foods. Legumes, nuts, seeds, egg yolks, dark leafy greens, and beef liver all contain biotin.

• Biotin supplements may be beneficial for those who don’t eat enough biotin in their diet. But most people don’t have a true biotin deficiency. 

Have more questions about your hair health? Explore our men’s hair care resources. For personalized guidance from a licensed healthcare provider on issues like hair loss, start by taking our free online assessment.