biotin. It is a vitamin necessary for the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats obtained through food and for energy production. It is found in many foods and is synthesized in small amounts by intestinal bacteria in the body, so there is almost no biotin deficiency under normal circumstances. But why are so many people taking biotin? This is because biotin is required for the production of keratin that makes up hair, nails, and skin, so a deficiency in biotin can cause symptoms such as weakened, broken nails, or thinning of hair. Is that so? The popularity of biotin for hair health care for people suffering from hair loss is increasing. Can Biotin Really Help With Hair Loss?
◆ It may help hair growth, but the effect of biotin alone is insufficient.
Treatment for hair loss depends on the cause. In the case of androgenetic alopecia related to hormones (male pattern hair loss, female pattern hair loss), drugs that suppress the activity of hormones are essential, and drugs that help blood circulation in the scalp are used. In the case of alopecia areata related to autoimmune disease, steroids are used as a basis for blood circulation in the scalp to suppress inflammation of the hair follicles around where hair loss occurs. It helps to deliver proper nutrients and oxygen to the scalp and hair follicles by improving the blood circulation of the scalp for hair growth along with the treatment of the cause.
In this case, taking a supplement containing nutrients such as biotin can help hair growth by supplementing the delivery of nutrients. However, the cause must be treated together, and unless it is a genetic defect, it is difficult to see the effect by taking biotin alone. Looking at the results of a number of human application tests, the symptoms of nail breakage can be slightly improved by ingesting biotin alone, but there is very little evidence that it promotes hair growth or helps in the treatment of hair loss. Nevertheless, due to the ‘theoretical’ role of biotin, biotin is excessively used in dietary supplements for hair loss and scalp supplements.
◆ Recommended hair loss nutritional supplements for nutritional deficient hair loss due to extreme diet
Nutritional supplements for hair loss are very helpful for telogen hair loss caused by extreme diet, nutritional deficiencies associated with diseases, following childbirth, or severe stress. Hair loss in the telogen phase is characterized by the fact that as many of the hairs in the growth phase enter the telogen phase, the overall hair becomes thinner and a lot of hair falls out at once. Since hair is composed of protein, if protein intake is reduced due to an extreme diet or chronic disease, or if blood circulation in the scalp is impaired due to stress, it can have a direct adverse effect on hair health. In this case, a general protein supplement is good, but a hair loss nutritional supplement containing keratin, a component of hair, is more effective.
The representative ingredients of dietary supplements for hair loss include protein such as keratin, vitamin B group such as vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) and biotin, vitamin C, vitamin B group, and medicinal yeast rich in high-quality protein. Medicinal yeast removes the characteristic bitter taste of brewer’s yeast, and is generally considered to play the same role as brewer’s yeast. However, as medicinal yeast is a raw material for pharmaceuticals, the intake amount for efficacy is clear, but brewer’s yeast is a general food, and the intake amount to help hair health is unclear. Nevertheless, brewer’s yeast has been loved for a long time as a food that helps hair health because it is rich in vitamin B group and protein necessary for hair growth. In addition, vitamin B5 and vitamin C are necessary for the synthesis of collagen constituting hair, and vitamin C as an antioxidant helps to prevent hair damage from oxidative stress and is used as a component of hair loss nutrition.
◆ If you are going to have a diagnostic test, you should stop taking high-dose biotin.
Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin that does not have an upper intake limit. The absence of an upper intake limit also includes the fact that there are insufficient research data and no specific adverse reactions have been identified. However, due to individual differences, high-dose biotin may cause adverse reactions such as skin rash, and in rare cases, acne aggravates due to competition with pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) in the body. In particular, high-dose biotin may affect the results of many tests, such as heart attack diagnostic tests and thyroid hormone tests, and cause erroneous diagnosis. Therefore, if you are regarding to undergo a health checkup or diagnostic test, it is recommended to inform the medical staff whether or not to take a biotin supplement and to stop taking high-dose biotin.
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