From the Guidelines
Biotin (Vitamin B7) is not proven effective for treating hair loss in people with normal biotin levels. While biotin supplements are often marketed for hair health, scientific evidence supporting their use for hair loss is limited and primarily anecdotal, as noted in a review of micronutrients in alopecia areata 1. Biotin supplementation is only likely to help with hair loss if you have a true biotin deficiency, which is rare in people consuming a balanced diet. Biotin deficiency can cause hair thinning, but most hair loss is caused by other factors like genetics, stress, hormonal changes, or medical conditions.
The science behind this is that biotin helps produce keratin, a protein essential for hair structure, but simply having more biotin doesn't necessarily lead to more hair growth when levels are already adequate. For most hair loss cases, FDA-approved treatments like minoxidil, finasteride (for men), or addressing underlying medical conditions would be more effective approaches. Additionally, there's no established upper limit (UL) for biotin toxicity, and no adverse effects have been shown for oral administration of pharmacological doses of biotin up to 5 mg/day for prolonged periods 1. If you're concerned about hair loss, consulting with a dermatologist for proper diagnosis and treatment is recommended before starting any supplement regimen.
From the Research
Effectiveness of Biotin for Hair Loss
- Biotin is a popular nutritional supplement for treating hair loss due to its role in maintaining healthy skin and hair 2.
- However, there is limited data on the frequency of biotin deficiency in patients complaining of hair loss and the value of oral biotin for treatment of hair loss that is not due to an inborn error of biotin metabolism or deficiency 2.
- A study found that biotin deficiency was present in 38% of women complaining of hair loss, but the custom of treating women complaining of hair loss with oral biotin supplementation is to be rejected unless biotin deficiency and its significance for the complaint of hair loss in an individual has been demonstrated 2.
Clinical Efficacy of Biotin Supplementation
- There is a lack of clinical evidence supporting the efficacy of biotin supplementation for hair growth and quality improvement 3.
- No clinical trials have been conducted to investigate the efficacy of biotin supplementation for the treatment of alopecia of any kind, nor has there been any randomized controlled trial to study its effect on hair quality and quantity in human subjects 3.
- The use of biotin supplements to improve hair quantity or quality is not routinely recommended due to the lack of clinical evidence 3.
Specific Cases Where Biotin May Be Effective
- Biotin deficiency can occur in adults receiving long-term total parenteral nutrition, and supplementation with biotin can result in gradual regrowth of healthy hair 4.
- In patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, biotin supplementation had a low efficacy in preventing hair loss, with only 23% of patients reporting a remarkable decline in hair loss 5.
- However, in patients with acne vulgaris treated with isotretinoin, the addition of biotin to the treatment decreased telogen and increased anagen hair rates and helped to maintain skin hydration 6.