How long before biotin starts to work?
You’ve probably heard about the “magic” of biotin for hair growth. Maybe you’ve got a friend or seen a TikTok influencer who swears by it. But does taking biotin for hair loss actually work? And if so, how long does it take to see results?
Even though some people may claim to see changes within seven days, any potential impact of biotin supplements typically takes months.
In this piece, we cover the basics of biotin — from what it is to how much you should take, as well as who might benefit from taking biotin supplements. We also examine whether the science supports the hype and which alternatives show the most promise.
Reviewed by Addie Ganik, MD, FAAD
What is biotin and how can it help hair growth?
First, let’s clarify what biotin actually is: Biotin is a water-soluble B vitamin, also known as vitamin H or vitamin B7. It’s an essential nutrient found in various foods.
Because it’s water-soluble, biotin is easily flushed out of your system, so regular intake through your diet or supplements is important for maintaining healthy levels.
B vitamins, including biotin, help convert dietary proteins, fats, and carbohydrates (i.e., food) into energy. Biotin, in particular, is vital for healthy hair and nails as it contributes to keratin production, a protein that provides structure and strength to your hair, nails, and the outermost layer of your skin.
In addition to supporting hair and nail health, biotin may help boost metabolism and keep skin healthy.
Biotin deficiency
If you’re experiencing hair breakage, thinning hair, alopecia (hair loss), or brittle nails, low biotin might be a contributing factor. That said, true biotin deficiency is rare. Biotin is present in a wide variety of foods, so individuals with a fairly balanced diet are unlikely to experience a deficiency.
People with biotin deficiency can experience a number of symptoms, these include:
Hair loss
Dry skin
Fatigue
Dry eyes
Insomnia
Depression
Skin rashes
There are several potential causes of suboptimal biotin levels or biotin deficiency. These include:
Nutrition. The body doesn’t naturally produce biotin, which is why eating a balanced diet with biotin-rich foods is so important. Malnutrition or inadequate dietary intake can lead to a biotin deficiency or suboptimal levels of biotin.
Medications. Long-term use of some meds, including antibiotics and anticonvulsants like carbamazepine, phenytoin, and phenobarbital, can lead to lower biotin levels. Anticonvulsants can increase the breakdown of biotin in the body, reducing its availability. Additionally, since normal intestinal bacteria produce some of the biotin used by the body, prolonged antibiotic use can disrupt these bacteria, thereby affecting biotin production.
Pregnancy. Pregnant women may have a higher risk of biotin deficiency. Increased biotin metabolism during pregnancy can lead to a gradual decline in biotin levels, which may result in deficiency. For this reason, most prenatal vitamins contain biotin.
Chronic alcohol consumption. Excessive alcohol intake can interfere with biotin absorption and utilization. Alcohol also affects the gut bacteria, which can reduce the biotin produced by intestinal bacteria.
Excessive raw egg consumption. Raw egg whites contain avidin, a protein that binds to biotin and prevents its absorption. Consuming large amounts of raw eggs over time can result in biotin deficiency due to the reduced bioavailability of biotin.(this is not an issue for cooked eggs because heat destroys avidin).
Inherited enzyme deficiencies. These are rare genetic conditions that manifest in childhood.
If you are concerned that you may be at risk for low biotin levels, you can boost your intake with a supplement like our Hims & Hers Multivitamin Gummies.
Or, you can connect with a healthcare provider to talk about your hair, the potential reasons it could be thinning or damaged, and the available options for treating hair loss — such as medications like minoxidil. We’ll share more info on alternative options in a bit (there are other essential hair vitamins worth knowing about, too).
How long does biotin take to work?
Research suggests that biotin supplementation may only benefit hair growth in people with a biotin deficiency or specific conditions, like brittle nail syndrome or uncombable hair syndrome. The research is limited, but so far there is little evidence to suggest that biotin supplementation improves hair growth in people with adequate biotin levels.
Whether you believe you might be at risk for a biotin deficiency, or just want to try biotin to see if it improves your hair health, it’s important to understand that any potential benefits will not appear quickly. You won’t notice results within a week. Realistically, you are unlikely to see biotin results after 1 month, either.
It takes about two to six months of regular biotin use to get noticeable improvement in hair health and growth; this is in cases where a biotin deficiency exists. If a deficiency isn’t the issue, you are unlikely to see any significant improvements over time.
Why does it take this long? Like most biological processes, hair growth takes time.
On average, hair grows about half an inch a month and about six inches per year. Therefore it takes time to note any benefits to the hair shaft in terms of strength and thickness.
The moral of the story? Whether you’re taking biotin tablets or not, patience is key when it comes to hair growth.
How much biotin to take for hair growth
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)regulates dietary supplements differently from prescription medications. This means they don’t evaluate supplements for safety or effectiveness before they’re marketed and sold. While the FDA does establish Daily Values (DVs) for many vitamins and minerals, it does not set a DV for biotin (DVs are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume, or not to exceed in a day). This means there is no widely accepted recommended daily dose. However, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) does provide a recommendation of what is an adequate daily intake to avoid a deficiency. For adults aged 19 and older, this amounts to 30 micrograms (mcg) of biotin per day. In most cases, you can meet that recommendation through your daily diet.
While there aren’t representative estimates of biotin intakes in the United States, the NIH reports the average biotin intake from foods in other western populations is about 35–70 mcg/day.
The good news is that consuming biotin in amounts well above the recommended daily adequate intake is generally considered safe, and adverse effects are unlikely.
And again, because biotin is a water-soluble vitamin, your body can’t store it. That means you need to consume it consistently to maintain an adequate level. Popping a supplement every few days will not do the trick.
Just keep in mind that taking in more biotin than your body needs might not provide any additional benefits for your hair.
Biotin side effects
Biotin is generally well tolerated by most people. Even at very high doses (50 mg/day) there have not been reports of any significant adverse effects. That said, it’s important to note that while no major side effects have been reported, biotin supplementation may cause interference with certain lab tests, particularly heart health and thyroid function tests, causing incorrect results. For this reason, it’s very important that you let your provider know if you are taking biotin.
Of course, it’s always a good rule of thumb to consult your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement. They can ensure that the supplement won’t interfere or negatively interact with any medications you are taking or any medical conditions you may have.
Alternatives to biotin for healthier hair
There are various reasons you might have trouble maintaining healthy hair, including nutritional deficiencies, hormonal changes, and even hairstyling practices. If you’re experiencing hair loss, a healthcare professional can help determine the root cause and then develop an appropriate treatment plan for your specific needs.
In the meantime, here are some other ideas and steps you can consider to support your hair health.
Other dietary supplements for hair growth
Some other vitamin and mineral supplements that may promote hair strength include:
Collagen. While the evidence isn’t definitive, some research suggests that supplementing with collagen — a naturally occurring protein in the body that also exists in supplement form — may support thicker, healthier hair.
Vitamin D. , Vitamin D plays a key role in the hair growth cycle. Low levels of vitamin D have been associated with some forms of alopecia (hair loss). But there isn’t enough research to say whether taking vitamin D supplements to correct a deficiency can help promote hair growth.
Vitamin E. Vitamin E’s antioxidant properties help protect cells from oxidative stress, which is linked to some forms of alopecia. One small study indicates that supplementing with tocotrienol (a form of vitamin E) might help stimulate hair growth.
Lifestyle changes for healthier hair
While supplements might offer some benefits, improving your hair health often requires reevaluating your habits and making some adjustments, like:
Eating a nutrient-rich diet and staying hydrated. Eggs, legumes, dark leafy greens (like spinach), and dairy products all contain high levels of biotin and other essential nutrients that may restore hair health. Read more about foods for healthier hair in our complete guide.
Changing up how you style your hair. Using hot tools improperly or too frequently can lead to hair damage. Try using blow dryers, straighteners, and curling irons less often and take steps to prevent heat damage. Wearing your hair in looser hairstyles is another way to avoid one form of alopecia known as traction alopecia (or ponytail hair loss) that’s caused by pulling on the hair roots as happens with tight ponytails. Styling with the right hair care products can also help add volume and body if you’re feeling like your hair is lacking fullness.
Reducing stress. Some hair thinning and loss is caused by a condition called telogen effluvium, which happens when a physical or severe emotional stress disrupts the hair’s growth cycle. It’s usually temporary and resolves itself when the underlying stressor is addressed. Easier said than done, but working on stress reduction is never a bad idea.
Hair loss medications
If you meet with a healthcare professional, such as a dermatologist, they can assess your hair loss and determine if you’re a good candidate for one of the following medications:
Minoxidil. If you’ve noticed your hair starting to thin, hair growth medications such as minoxidil may slow hair loss and help with regrowth of hair. Your healthcare provider might recommend using it in the form of liquid minoxidil drops, minoxidil foam or oral minoxidil, depending on your medical history, hairstyling practices and preference.
Finasteride. Finasteride is an anti-androgen that has been proven to slow hair loss and help stimulate hair regrowth in some types of hair loss. It’s approved for use in men with hair loss, but is sometimes used off-label in postmenopausal women. It is typically not prescribed to women of childbearing age as it can cause birth defects in male babies. In addition to oral finasteride , there are topical compounded treatments which contain finasteride, such as this finasteride & minoxidil spray, which is prescribed, primarily, to postmenopausal women.
Spironolactone. This prescription medication is FDA-approved for heart failure and high blood pressure but is often prescribed off-label to women with some forms of hair loss. Spironolactone acts as an anti-androgen and can reduce hair loss in women with female pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) by blocking androgen receptors.
The takeaway: Does biotin really work after 1 week?
We love fast results — who doesn’t? But while biotin can work to bolster hair health if you have a deficiency, it’s important to manage expectations; you won’t see results in just one week.
Over time, however, you may start to see some positive changes. Here’s what to keep in mind:
If you choose to supplement with biotin, stay consistent with taking it daily since biotin can’t be stored in your body.
The NIH indicates that a daily intake of 30 micrograms for adults 19 years of age and older is adequate. While ingesting more than that amount is generally safe, even at doses up to 10mg/day (10,000mcg), high doses can interfere with certain lab tests, such as thyroid and cardiac tests.
It’s worth noting that there isn’t conclusive research showing that biotin promotes hair growth if you’re not deficient but there are other steps you can take to promote a healthy and fuller head of hair. You might consider changing some of your habits or reaching out to a healthcare provider to discuss whether hair loss treatments with proven efficacy, such as spironolactone and minoxidil, may be appropriate for you.
Regardless of how you move forward, try to keep your timeline expectations in check. A biotin supplement is not a miracle pill, and you won’t see changes overnight.
Related: What to Know About Rosemary Oil for Hair Growth
Related: What Medications Cause Hair Loss in Females?
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This article originally appeared on ForHers.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
