Oh yes, trust us, biotin does work wonders for hair growth! This water-soluble Vitamin B is a blessing for anyone looking to increase their hair growth naturally. While most of us get the required amount of biotin from our food, enough to use its hair growth benefits, people often need a certain extra amount of Biotin in their diet to reap its benefits.
So if you are wondering if you should take biotin to enhance hair growth, read on to know how it works, its daily recommended intake, sources of biotin like bamboo supplements with biotin, and other essential aspects. Let’s get started!
Relationship Between Biotin And Hair Growth
Although research is a little scarce regarding the effect of biotin on hair growth, the ones that have been conducted to date show a lot of promise. Researchers have shown that individuals who were given a slightly higher dosage of biotin through supplements and biotin-rich food reported improvement in their hair quality.
It has also been found to help increase follicle growth rate and stimulate keratin production in hair. Thus, it is often added in shampoos to reduce hair fall, improve its shine, and improve our hair quality by making it stronger.
Daily Recommended Intake
Since biotin deficiency is very rare, there aren’t any Food and Drug Administration guidelines over its RDA.
However, here are some of the widely-followed daily recommended doses for Biotin –
- Infants from birth to 3 years – 10-20mcg
- 4-6 years – 25 mcg
- 7-10 years – 30 mcg
- 10 and older – 30-100 mcg
This recommended dosage is subject to change. For example, pregnant or breastfeeding women need higher levels of biotin. Anyone with biotin deficiency will require higher doses of the vitamin.
So we always recommend talking to your doctor if you wish to take biotin separately. They will help you increase your daily intake safely by fixing the proper dosage for your body.
Sources Of Biotin
Biotin is quite widely available in the market both in the form of food as well as supplements. Let’s look at some of the best sources of this vitamin.
Biotin-rich Food
Most of our daily food contains a healthy amount of Biotin. So if you wish to increase your intake of vitamins, always opt for raw, minimally processed food. This ensures that the amount of Biotin in the food does not diminish and can be appropriately absorbed by your body.
Here are some great sources of biotin-rich food you can choose from –
- Mushroom
- Cauliflower
- Banana
- Whole grains
- Legumes like soybean
- Walnuts
- Peanuts
- Almonds
- Egg yolk
- Organ meat like kidney or liver
Biotin Supplements
If you cannot find any of the above-mentioned biotin-rich food, you can always take the help of supplements. These biotin supplements are widely available in tablet and capsule forms and are perfectly healthy when taken with food. So talk to your doctor, regulate your daily dosage, and start taking bamboo supplements with biotin!
Results
Let us be candid – it will take a little while to see any noticeable difference in your hair quality or growth. Thus, it is recommended that you keep taking your prescribed daily dosage consistently over 4-5 months to see some results.
If you choose biotin-rich food as your source for the vitamin, it will take longer as the amount of biotin present in these food sources is much lesser than that of supplements and thus take a lot of time to be absorbed properly by our body.
Other Benefits Of Biotin
Biotin is a very versatile vitamin. Not only is it beneficial for our hair, for growing its length, volume, and quality, but it is also great for improving our skin and nails. Research also shows that biotin is great for metabolism. It helps our body convert some essential nutrients into energy, thus improving our stamina.
Some other benefits of Biotin are also thought to include –
- Reduction of inflammation
- Improvement of cognitive function
- Lowering blood sugar
- Increasing HDL cholesterol
- Decreasing LDL cholesterol
While Biotin is a great vitamin, it does come with certain risks. Here are some of them.
Risks Of Biotin
Biotin, if taken excessively, can cause diarrhea, cramping, and nausea. But these problems arise primarily with an overdose of Biotin supplements, not with an excess of biotin-rich food ( since the amount of the vitamin in food is less anyway). So before you start taking supplements, always consult your doctor to get your recommended dosage, and remember to keep your intake within the specified limit.
Conclusion
Biotin is very beneficial not just for your hair but for your body fitness as well. So if you wish to include biotin in controlled portions in your diet with the help of bamboo supplements with biotin, go ahead and do it! So talk to your doctor today and start taking biotin to boost your hair growth along with your overall health!