The bottom line. There's no strong evidence to support using biotin for hair growth or to prevent hair loss in people without a deficiency. Because hair thinning and poor hair growth are sometimes associated with a biotin deficiency, correcting a deficiency can help restore hair growth in some people.
It takes months to see results on biotin. According to The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology (source), biotin takes around 90 days to begin to work. Contrary to some of the claims you may have heard, biotin is not an overnight remedy that will magically give you 5 inches of hair growth in 24 hours.
You've probably seen biotin on the ingredient lists of prenatal vitamins or hair growth supplements. This B vitamin (it's also known as vitamin B7) can help strengthen the development of hair follicles, particularly if hair is damaged or lacking strength.
This owes to the vitamin's role in keratin production ( 2 , 3 ). As such, biotin supplements and biotin-added hair products are commonly advertised to support healthy hair growth or promote thicker, voluminous hair.
Telogen effluvium is the type of stress most likely linked to hair damage. This type of stress makes your follicles go dormant, so hair that's in the middle of a growth cycle may break off. You might notice old hair fall out, too. Managing your stress may result in healthier hair.
While data on beard growth in particular is limited, several studies suggest that biotin supplements can improve hair thickness in people with conditions affecting hair growth, such as alopecia, though beard hair is not specifically mentioned ( 1 , 5 ).
No toxicity of excess biotin intake has been described. “It is a B vitamin, so it is difficult to overdose on it—most people will urinate out what they do not need,” says Johnson. “With that said, I suggest not taking more than the daily recommended dose of 30-100 mcg per day for an adult.”
Hair grows from a root at the bottom of a follicle under your skin. The blood in your scalp goes to the follicle and supplies oxygen and nutrients to the hair root, which helps your hair grow. As your hair grows, it will push through your skin and pass by an oil gland.
Minoxidil (Rogaine).
Products with minoxidil help many people regrow their hair or slow the rate of hair loss or both. It'll take at least six months of treatment to prevent further hair loss and to start hair regrowth.
While biotin is added to some shampoos that claim to reduce hair loss, there is no evidence that this works. Consuming foods rich in healthy vitamins and minerals will help with overall hair health. The best natural sources of biotin are meat, eggs, fish, seeds, nuts, and vegetables.
Mayo Clinic states that 10,000 mcg is a safe dose, as no adverse side effects have been noted to date. Reassuringly, even “mega doses” of 300,000 mcg found no side effects in neurological research.
However, doses of up to up to 10 milligrams a day are safe, according to Mayo Clinic. As long as you do not take more than two servings of biotin 5,000 mcg per day, you are unlikely to experience adverse reactions.
I'll take biotin capsules every day and I can start seeing a difference in as little as two weeks and the longer I take them the stronger and healthier my nails get.
Vitamins and supplements can have a negative effect on some medications and medical conditions. There are currently no known adverse side effects of biotin when taken as prescribed by a doctor or through normal dietary intake.
Here's what you need to know about the impact hair-growth vitamins have on your entire body. Drum roll please.... Yes, they could. "Just like a skin supplement wouldn't just target your face, hair-growth supplements are going to affect all hair follicles, whether on your head, face, or legs," Crysler says.
The best time to take biotin is in the morning, with a full glass of water. Biotin is best taken on an empty stomach 1 hour before eating or 2 hours after your last meal. You should aim to take biotin at the same time each day to stay on track.
What is the best biotin dosage for hair growth? The OZiva Plant-Based Biotin 10000 is the best biotin tablet for hair growth.
Recommended dosage
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not have a daily recommended dietary allowance for biotin. However, according to estimates, an intake of 30 micrograms (mcg) may be adequate. The average intake of biotin in Western countries, excluding the United States, is an estimated 35–70 mcg per day.
Thinning hair can grow back depending on what caused it to thin in the first place. Individuals who experience thinning hair due to nutrient deficiencies, stress, pregnancy, and other non-genetic reasons could experience regrowth. If you're experiencing new hair loss or hair thinning, it's best to consult your doctor.
Dosage, Preparation, and Safety
Still, people who support its use often recommend taking 2 to 5 milligrams (mg) of biotin in supplement form daily in order to strengthen hair and achieve results.
It depends. “If a follicle has closed, disappeared, scarred, or not generated a new hair in years, then a new hair wouldn't be able to grow,” Fusco says. But if the follicle is still intact, yes, it is possible to regrow the hair—or to improve the health of the existing thinner hairs.
Yes. In many cases, receding hairline is indeed reversible. The right treatment for you depends on the cause. “For androgenic alopecia, minoxidil (Rogaine) is the only FDA-approved medical treatment for both men and women,” Krejci says.
In many cases, bald patches regrow by themselves without treatment. In particular, if there are just one or two small bald patches then many doctors would advise that you simply leave it alone at first. If the hair loss is not too bad then there is a good chance that your hair will regrow after several months.