Does Biotin Help With Hair Loss?

If you’ve spent any time researching hair loss solutions, you’ve probably come across more than a handful of remedies that include biotin. But what does the research say about its effectiveness for hair growth? Does biotin help with hair loss?

While it’s not a miracle cure for balding, there is some evidence that getting enough biotin in your diet could slow hair loss and support the hair growth cycle.

Below, we’ll dive into the research on biotin for hair loss, outlining what the benefits are, how much you need daily, whether a deficiency can lead to hair loss, if there are any potential risks of taking biotin, and more.

Biotin is a B vitamin also known as vitamin B7. Experts sometimes refer to it as vitamin H, or a coenzyme.

Like all B vitamins, biotin helps your body metabolize food. This means it turns carbohydrates into energy your body can use and breaks down proteins and fats.

Limited research suggests it may offer hair health benefits, including:

• Treating biotin-deficiency-related hair loss. If you’re deficient in biotin and also seeing signs of hair loss, addressing the deficiency might correct hair problems.

• Managing brittle hair. People with extremely brittle or uncombable hair can sometimes see their hair become more manageable with biotin supplementation.

• Boosting keratin production. Unlike many other supplements for hair loss, research shows biotin plays a role in keratin production. (Keratin is the protein that makes up your hair.)

See our blog on biotin versus keratin for hair loss for more insight.

Biotin is essential for healthy hair, but research on its effectiveness for hair growth in people without a deficiency is limited. 

While low levels of biotin can lead to hair thinning, most people get enough from their diet, and supplementation is likely only helpful if you’re truly lacking.

Dr. Knox Beasley agrees, saying, “Biotin is an important factor in hair growth, and for patients who have a deficiency, this can be a simple and very effective treatment.”

But let’s take a closer look at the research. 

One 2016 study published in the International Journal of Trichology found that 38 percent of people complaining of hair loss were actually biotin deficient. However, the researchers concluded that biotin supplementation should not be used unless a biotin deficiency is suspected, in which case, it may be useful.

Another study published in the journal Dermatology Research and Practice found that biotin supplements helped boost hair growth. A total of 60 women took part, with 30 taking the supplement and 30 getting a placebo. After 90 days, the supplement appeared to decrease hair loss and increase hair growth.

It’s important to note, though, that the supplements used in this particular study also contained additional ingredients that may have influenced the results. Specifically, the study looked at the effects of a supplement containing biotin, a marine protein complex, and zinc, among other ingredients. 

The study was also funded by the company that makes the supplement used in the study. Though this doesn’t negate the findings, it is worth pointing out.

Okay, what other scientific evidence is available?

A double-blind study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology suggests that biotin can help folks with thinning hair by speeding up the hair growth cycle.

Finally, in a review published in 2017, biotin supplements were found to reverse hair loss in some people. However, the researchers were quick to note that supplementation might not benefit “healthy” individuals without biotin deficiencies.

So, what are the right amounts of biotin? For adults, the adequate intake (AI) is 30 micrograms (mcg) per day.

Adequate intake is different from a recommended daily allowance (RDA). It tells you the amount that’s probably ideal for most people. AI is used when there’s not enough research to determine an RDA for a specific nutrient.

While intakes vary, it’s estimated that most Americans get around 35 to 70 mcg per day of biotin, which is plenty.

Biotin either comes from your own body (through the natural action of intestinal bacteria) or from consuming biotin-rich food.

A balanced diet for hair will include biotin-rich foods like these: 

FYI: Cooking depletes biotin levels, so plant sources of biotin are best eaten raw if you’re concerned about increasing your intake of biotin naturally.

Still, most people can get enough biotin just by eating a variety of foods in their diet. If you’re trying to boost your consumption or are worried about nutritional deficiencies, you can also include biotin gummies in your daily routine.

Your body needs biotin, but the chances you’re lacking this vitamin are low. On average, just one out of every 140,000 people has a biotin deficiency.

So, since hair loss is pretty common, this tells you biotin deficiency isn’t a common cause of hair loss. Further, experts don’t see a widespread need to up your biotin dosage with supplements.

But biotin deficiency does happen. If you suspect you are lacking in this particular vitamin, consulting a healthcare professional is a good step to take. They can determine whether or not you’re deficient with a simple blood test.

Who Might Have a Biotin Deficiency

You’re more likely to have a biotin deficiency if you:

• Regularly eat raw egg whites

• Have alcohol use disorder (AUD)

• Are malnourished

• Have a gut health condition, like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

• Have the genetic disorder biotinidase deficiency (BTD)

• Take anti-seizure medications

• Take retinoids

• Have had your stomach surgically removed

• Are pregnant or breastfeeding

A note on raw egg whites and hair thinning: You would have to eat raw egg whites daily for a very long time to see biotin deficiency as a result.

An easy solution? Cooking egg whites prevents the protein avidin from blocking biotin absorption.

Signs of Biotin Deficiency

Again, you’re unlikely to be biotin deficient. But if you aren’t getting enough biotin, symptoms of biotin deficiency include:

• Dry, scaly skin rash around the mouth, nose, eyes, or genitals

• Brittle nails

• Swollen, painful tongue

• Loss of appetite

• Depression

• Insomnia

• Hair loss

One final note: While biotin has proven benefits for hair growth in people with biotin deficiencies, it doesn’t affect female or male pattern baldness (also known as androgenetic alopecia). This type of baldness is hormonal and genetic — and it can’t be treated with vitamins.

This doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea to supplement with biotin. Just don’t expect it to regrow your hairline and reverse genetic hair loss.

Research supports the idea that, in people who are biotin deficient, supplementation yields healthy hair growth results.

Although biotin deficiency probably isn’t the cause of your hair loss, taking a biotin supplement might still benefit you.

Biotin isn’t known to be toxic, so taking a biotin supplement is unlikely to negatively affect your liver or other organs. Data also show that people can safely consume biotin at much higher levels than the daily recommended amounts without creating any health problems.

However, while biotin doesn’t have many potential interactions, it’s still worth talking to your healthcare provider before starting a supplementation routine — especially if you currently take prescription medication.

One critical fact to remember is that biotin is a water-soluble vitamin that needs to be taken orally to be effective as a hair loss treatment. This means that the biotin you see in some hair products, like shampoo, is unlikely to have any real effect on the thickness and strength of your hair.

Because biotin is a water-soluble vitamin, our body can typically excrete any excess you get from food and supplements through urine.

But too much biotin can sometimes lead to side effects like:

• Insomnia

• Excessive thirst

• Increased urination

There are no reported cases of serious complications from taking high doses of biotin.

Still, people with diabetes should be cautious with biotin supplements because they might impact blood glucose levels. Biotin can also affect lab test results, in particular thyroid hormone panels.

If you’re taking other supplements with biotin, be aware that alpha-lipoic acid and vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) can prevent your body from properly absorbing biotin — and biotin can prevent the absorption of these supplements, too.

Biotin is a key factor in keratin production, but what can biotin actually do for hair? Here’s what to keep in mind about biotin for hair growth:

• Biotin deficiency can lead to hair loss. It’s unlikely — though not impossible — that your hair loss is the result of a vitamin B7 deficiency.

• Hair loss is just one sign of a biotin deficiency. Think you could be lacking this essential B​ vitamin? Consider whether you have additional symptoms like dry skin or insomnia.

• It can help to talk to a healthcare professional. If you’re worried about biotin deficiency or hair loss, consult a healthcare professional online or see a dermatologist in person.

• Biotin overdose is unlikely. You can safely increase your biotin intake through foods rich in biotin and with supplementation. Since this nutrient is water-soluble, your body can typically easily excrete large doses.

• Biotin probably won’t help your hair grow unless you’re deficient. Does biotin thicken hair or boost hair regrowth? Unfortunately, there isn’t much evidence that biotin helps grow or preserve hair in folks with normal levels of this vitamin.

If you’re struggling with hair loss, consider FDA-approved, science-backed hair loss treatments like finasteride. 

This prescription medication works by inhibiting the production of 5α-reductase, an enzyme that converts your body’s testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is linked to hair loss.

Another option is minoxidil, a vasodilator that encourages blood flow (and, with it, nutrients) to the areas on your scalp that need it most.

We’ve covered both of these options in more detail in our guide to minoxidil versus finasteride, including the science behind how they both work for hair loss.