Biotin

What is biotin?

Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin from the B group and is also called vitamin B7 or vitamin H – the H comes from the German words for skin and hair. It is found in foods such as eggs, nuts, oats and liver.

Biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal hair and normal skin. It also contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism. These are the authorised claims – and we do not promise more.

Strengths and forms

• Low strength: about 300 to 600 µg per serving.
• High strength: 2500 or 5000 µg, or 10 mg (10,000 µg) per serving.
• Drops and fast-dissolving tablets: liquid and finely adjustable, or melting in the mouth.
• Combinations: biotin in multivitamins, with collagen or with alpha-lipoic acid.

Watch the unit: 1 mg equals 1000 µg.

Our range

• Pure: Life Extension Biotin with 600 µg, Holland & Barrett Biotin with 300 µg, Osavi Biotin with 2500 µg, Doctor's Best, NOW Foods, Swanson, Jarrow Formulas and Allnutrition with 5000 µg each, plus NOW Foods Biotin Extra Strength and Natrol Biotin with 10 mg.
• Drops and fast-dissolving: Allnutrition Biotin Drops, Natrol Biotin Fast Dissolve in strawberry and NeoCell Beauty Biotin.
• Combinations: OstroVit Biotin Plus, Essensey Multivit for Her + Biotin, NeoCell Grassfed Collagen Peptides with vitamin C and biotin, and alpha-lipoic acid with biotin from Jarrow Formulas (also in R form) and Life Extension.

What to look for

• Amount: µg or mg per serving – the range is wide. Follow the dose on the label.
• Combinations: if you already take a multivitamin, check how much biotin it contains.
• Lab tests: biotin can affect certain blood tests. Before a blood test, mention that you take biotin.
• Medicines: if you take medicines or are pregnant, ask your doctor first.

Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied diet.

Frequently asked questions

Is biotin the same as vitamin B7?

Yes. Biotin, vitamin B7 and vitamin H are different names for the same vitamin.

What does 5000 µg mean?

That is 5 mg of biotin per serving. Always compare amounts in the same unit.

Biotin drops or tablets?

Drops let you adjust the amount finely, while tablets and capsules are precisely portioned and handy on the go.