Vitamin B7, also called biotin, is often used to strengthen hair and nails. It is vital part of a healthy metabolism and creating important enzymes. Biotin is also called Vitamin H (for hair).
B7 Sources
“Many systems benefit from biotin including the skin, nerves, digestive tract, metabolism and cells,” said Dr. Sherry Ross, OB/GYN and Women’s Health Expert at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. “Foods that contain biotin are liver, cauliflower, salmon, soy flour, bananas, carrots, yeast, wheat germ, whole-grain cereals, whole wheat bread, dairy products, nuts, eggs, Swiss chard and chicken,” said Ross. Bacteria in the small intestines also make biotin, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Health benefits
Biotin is vital to many body functions. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, vitamin B7 is used by the body to metabolize carbohydrates, fats and amino acids. It is also vital for the normal growth of fetuses. Many people take biotin supplements to increase the health of their skin, hair and nails. B7 may also be helpful in the treatment of diabetes. A study by Alpha Therapy Center found that a treatment that combines chromium picolinate and B7 improves glucose metabolism in patients with type 2 diabetes. High doses of biotin were also found helpful in the treatment of peripheral neuropathy, a symptom of diabetes.
Dosage
Those who don’t get enough of this vitamin can have very noticeable symptoms. “Deficiency can cause confusion, nausea, muscle pain, skin changes and hair loss,” Dr. Kristine Arthur, an internist at Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, told Live Science. Other symptoms include swollen and painful magenta colored tongue, dry eyes, cracking in the corners of the mouth, fatigue, loss of appetite, insomnia and depression, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. There are no official recommended daily allowance guidelines for B7. The Mayo Clinic recommends 30 to 100 mcg per day for adults. There is also no known dosage of biotin that could cause toxicity in the body, resulting in overdose…….
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