Biotin Hair Treatment

The supplement industry has widely popularized the use of biotin, a B vitamin, as a remedy for hair loss. Despite the popularity of supplements and shampoos containing biotin, there is no evidence to support its use as a treatment for thinning hair, except in people who have been diagnosed with biotin deficiency.

Biotin Deficiency

• According to the National Institutes of Health, biotin supplements are effective in treating acute deficiency of the compound. Biotin deficiency is extremely rare, but symptoms may include hair loss and brittle nails.

Folk Use

• Biotin is commonly used in modern folk medicine as a remedy for male pattern baldness, brittle hair, alopecia areata, dandruff and other conditions affecting hair health. These uses are unsupported by scientific evidence.

Use in Shampoo

• Because of biotin's popularity as a hair-loss remedy, it is frequently included in shampoos and conditioners. B vitamins are not well absorbed through the skin, so biotin shampoos cannot address biotin deficiency.

Considerations

• While biotin supplementation is unlikely to result in improved hair growth, its use is generally harmless. Biotin has no known side effects or drug interactions.

Dosage

• The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for biotin, according to the U.S. Food and Drug administration, is 300 mg daily. This dose is sufficient to treat most cases of biotin deficiency.