Biotin‘s Role in Hair Growth: Experts Weigh In โon Supplement Benefits and Potential Risks
New York – Whileโ frequently enough touted for its hair and nail-strengthening properties, the benefitsโ of biotin supplementation are nuanced and depend heavily on individual โขneeds, dermatologists say. Recent research and expert opinions suggest biotin may only โbe effective for those โwith a confirmed biotin deficiency, and excessive intake can evenโค interfere with medical test results.
Small clinicalโข trials have indicated biotin supplements may improve hair thickness and growth,and can also strengthen brittle nails by improving their firmness,thickness and hardness. However, Dr. Amy McMichael, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and professor of dermatology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, emphasizes that โbiotin supplements โlikely won’t strengthen โnails or โboost hair growth if a person isn’t already deficient in the vitamin.
“If you’re facing brittle,โข easily broken nails, biotin supplements may be used as a short-term treatment,” McMichael saeid. “But,โ if you areโข considering taking any kind of supplement for nailโฃ or hair โhealth, always have a conversation with your board-certified dermatologist frist.”
Biotin, aโฃ water-solubleโข vitamin, โขis generally considered safe, as excess amounts areโค excreted throughโฃ urine, according to registered dietitian Samar Hemeida. โHowever,โ Hemeida โcautioned against overconsumption. “There โis too much of a good thing whenโฃ it comes to biotin,โ becuase it can prevent you from accurately diagnosing other important issues,” she said, adding that it may interfere with certain laboratory tests.
Because of โthis very reason, McMichaelโฃ now recommends patientsโค avoid biotin supplementationโ unless a deficiency is โproven by โa physician.
“For that reason, โขweโ now recommend โฃto patients to really not take biotin โunless they areโ biotin-deficient, โคand that is proven by โขtheir physician,” McMichael said.