Biotin, from the Greek word “bios, meaning “life”, is a water-soluble B vitamin that helps the body metabolize carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. It’s also essential for cell growth, the synthesis of proteins, fetal development, muscle tone, and healthy skin and hair.
Working with other B-vitamins, biotin (also known as Vitamin H) helps the body with the breakdown of the food you eat into useable energy. Most diets are sufficient in biotin, with natural sources including butter, cheese, milk, nuts, soybeans, corn, green peas, lentils, meat, fish, poultry, and whole grains. The body also manufactures its own biotin, through bacteria in the intestines.
Supplementation with biotin has been shown to promote healthier skin and nail growth. You may have seen “Hair, Skin, Nail” supplements on store shelves””they contain high levels of biotin. A Swiss study showed that nail thickness increased by 25 percent in individuals who supplemented with biotin for six months.
Other research has shows that biotin may help promote healthy blood sugar levels. It supports enzymes involved in fatty-acid synthesis, which may help the body use glucose to synthesize fats (lowering blood glucose level). It also stimulates a liver enzyme, glucokinase, which helps convert glucose into glycogen (helping to remove glucose in the blood). Further studies need to be conducted, however, to determine biotin’s role in improving insulin response for diabetic patients.