VITAMINS: Biotin (Vitamin H)

Functions of Biotin
Deficiency of Biotin
Clinical uses of Biotin
Recommended dose of Biotin
Food sources of Biotin
Toxicity of Biotin
References

Biotin (Vitamin H)

Functions of Biotin

Aids in the utilization of protein, folic acid, Pantothenic acid, and Vitamin B-12.
Promotes healthy hair.

Deficiency of Biotin

Thinning of hair, loss of hair color, and eventually complete loss of hair.
Scaly, red rash distributed around the openings of the eyes, nose, mouth, and perineal area.
Central nervous system abnormalities such as depression, lethargy, hallucinations, and paresthesias. In infants, the neurologic findings include hypotonia, lethargy, and developmental delay, as well as a peculiar withdrawn behavior. In patients on total or near total intravenous feeding, an unusual distribution of facial fat coupled with the rash and hair loss produces a distinct appearance called "biotin deficiency facies."

Clinical uses of Biotin

Biotin is routinely provided to individuals receiving total intravenous feeding.
Biotin is incorporated into almost all nutritionally complete dietary supplements and infant formulas.
Biotin (in larger doses), is used to treat inborn errors of metabolism. Marginal states of biotin deficiency may develop during normal pregnancy, possibly due to accelerated biotin breakdown. Marginal status has also been detected in patients taking anticonvulsants; these anticonvulsants appear to accelerate the rate of biotin breakdown and interfere with biotin absorption.

Recommended dose of Biotin

Food sources of Biotin

Biotin is widely distributed in food stuffs, but the amounts are small relative to other vitamins. Biotin deficiency is rare in the absence of total intravenous feedings without added biotin or the chronic ingestion of raw egg white.

Toxicity of Biotin

Oral and intravenous doses up to 200 mg have not produced frank toxicity in human subjects.

References

Mock, D.M. (1996) Biotin. In: Present Knowledge in Nutrition (Ziegler, E.E. and Filer, L. J., eds.), 7th ed., pp. 220-235. International Life Sciences Institute Press, Washington, DC.