Vitamin Links
Vitamin Articles
Biotin – A general overview
Biotin is a water soluble B complex vitamin. Biotin is composed of an ureido ring fused with a tetra hydrothiophene ring. Biotin is very essential for the cell growth, production of fatty acids and the metabolism of fats. It also plays a vital role in the citric acid cycle. This is the process by which the bio chemical energy is generated during respiration. Biotin helps to transfer the carbon-di-oxide and helps to maintain a steady blood sugar level.
Biotin not only assists in these cycles, but also helps a lot in strengthening hair and nails. It is found in many cosmetic and health products, but the experts are not sure whether the biotin is absorbed or not.
What are the symptoms and problems caused due to biotin deficiency?
Biotin deficiency is extremely rare, because the intestinal bacteria usually produce excess of biotin for daily requirements. Pregnant women may have biotin deficiency, possibly because of accelerated biotin catabolism. Research has shown that the persons who are consuming alcohol are running biotin deficiency. Biotin deficiencies can also be caused due to the consumption of raw egg whites over very long periods, which can range from a few weeks to years.
The initial symptoms of biotin deficiencies may include dry skin, greyish skin colour, skin rashes, loss of appetite, seborrhoeaic dermatitis, fine and brittle hair or total hair loss and muscle pain. If even after these symptoms are shown and left untreated, it can lead to neurological symptoms. They may include depression, changes in the mental status, hyperesthesia, parenthesis, lethargy, numbness and hallucination.
Biotin is necessary for hair growth and normal skin maintenance. If there is a biotin deficiency, it can lead to hair loss in both children and in adults. If not treated properly, it may lead to permanent baldness. This can also progress to show very severe symptoms. These symptoms may include loss of eye lashes and the eye portions become brownish. There are also hereditary disorders which can cause the high demand of biotin. Other way is the lack of biotinidase inhibits the release of biotin from dietary protein. Another important cause for biotin deficiency is the consumption of raw egg white.
The raw egg white contains a protein called avidin, which strongly binds the biotin and prevents its absorption. When the egg white is boiled, the avidin becomes absolutely non- toxic and hence does not do any harm. During pregnancy, the rapidly dividing cells of the developing foetus require biotin greatly for the DNA replication, hence increasing the demand for biotin. Certain types of liver disease can also increase the demand for biotin. Biotin requirements are very small. 5 to 10 mg of biotin a day would be more than sufficient for our body.