If you have ever researched methods of accelerating beard growth, you’ve probably heard about the possible effects that biotin can have on facial hair.
Women’s hair loss treatments have included biotin for many years, but now, research is looking into how the substance can improve men’s beards.
We should note that maintaining an impressive beard involves more than biotin supplements.
You will need to prioritize a full beard care regimen that takes care of your skin and hair follicles.
However, looking at your biotin intake can help you focus not just on hair products, but on the nutrition you take in too.
We’ll cover more about the effects of biotin and hair growth in this post, including what biotin is, how much you should take to accelerate hair growth and possible side effects that may occur.
Biotin: The Basics
Biotin is a natural substance that’s also called vitamin B7. Your body creates this vitamin naturally within the small intestine.
You can also find it in certain foods, like seeds, eggs, and bananas. Egg yolks, in particular, contain roughly 10 mcg of biotin in each serving.
However, they are quite high in cholesterol, so don’t overeat eggs in pursuit of increasing your biotin intake.
Biotin is also related to the creation of keratin. This is a protein that produces healthy nails, skin, and hair.
Biotin stimulates hair keratin production and may increase how fast your hair follicles grow.
For this reason, biotin may make your head hair and nails stronger, and may affect your beard growth.
Bear in mind that while biotin might improve your hair, skin, and nail condition, there is not overwhelming research that states applying it topically has any results.
You will need to consume biotin for it to have any effects, so biotin-infused hair care products may not be as useful as they maintain.
Biotin Intake For Hair Growth
It’s advised that adults aged over 19 should get in 30 mcg of biotin every day.
The majority of this should come from food, but supplements can contain amounts between 2mcg and 5mcg.
The FDA doesn’t specify how much biotin is right for a person, so various manufacturers may recommend different amounts., depending on the brand you choose.
Remember to talk to your doctor before you start taking any new supplements, particularly if you take any prescription medication or have underlying health issues.
Vitamins and supplements can affect how your body works, so the wrong substance may lead to severe side effects.
Biotin deficiencies aren’t common, but you can have your doctor test for the deficiency and see what their dosage recommendations are.
Can You Take Too Much Biotin?
Biotin is water soluble, so if you consume too much, your body will excrete the excess substance through your urine.
Biotin doesn’t tend to produce severe side effects, but you should avoid taking it without proper research beforehand.
Keep an eye on how much you take each day, in both supplement and food form.
This will help you avoid consuming too much and experiencing symptoms like high blood pressure, kidney issues, and skin rashes.
All supplements that you take will be filtered through your system. Biotin can affect many of your body’s functions.
The risks of supplements, including the ones that encourage beard hair growth, can be greater than the supposed benefits.
Always research your supplements before taking them and ensure that they are tested and safe for consumption.
What Type Of Biotin Works Best For Growing A Beard?
If you want to take biotin, try looking for vitamin B complex supplements.
These will contain eight types of B vitamins that support different functions, including red blood cell growth and fatty acid production.
Make sure that you look at your sleep patterns and your diet too.
These two elements have the largest impact on hair growth, which you can fix easily if they aren’t up to standard.
Your hair follicles keep working while you sleep. Getting between eight and nine hours of sleep every night is key to hair loss prevention and beard growth.
Don’t just focus on your biotin intake either. Make sure that your diet is balanced and that you are getting the right nutrients.
Everyone has different food requirements which are based on height, weight, and physical activity level.
It’s best to talk to a qualified nutritionist or doctor about your recommended eating habits, instead of getting faulty information online.
Should I Try Biotin Supplements Or Biotin Shampoos?
Biotin needs to be ingested to affect keratin quality, so shampoos aren’t likely to generate visible results.
Studies have shown that biotin intake can enhance keratin production.
However, there isn’t a lot of research that suggests biotin shampoos or beard growth supplements work (on individuals that don’t have chronic medical conditions which affect nail and hair health).
While some biotin hair care products might improve beard and scalp hair texture, they won’t be able to undo hair loss or encourage hair growth in bald areas.
Biotin intake is important to maintain healthy hair, but you will also need to prioritize other elements, like your sleep quality, nutrition, and stress levels.
Potential Side Effects Of Biotin
The advantages and disadvantages of biotin will vary in different people.
If you consume an adequate intake through supplements or diet, there is little risk of serious side effects.
On the other hand, taking too much can lead to kidney and digestive issues. Never take larger doses of biotin in an attempt to speed up beard growth.
People with diabetes should also be careful, as increasing vitamin consumption can affect one’s blood sugar.
Make sure that you notify your doctor before making changes to your diet or biotin consumption.
Time It Takes For Biotin To Work
Most men will need to ingest biotin supplements for a minimum of 90 days before any results are visible.
Bear in mind that these results are subtle, especially at first. They won’t be able to make drastic changes to very patchy beards or reverse hair loss.
However, biotin supplements can make visible differences as part of a well-thought-out beard care regimen.
The Bottom Line
There’s no absolute research that suggests biotin can make big differences in beard growth.
However, biotin is linked to the production of keratin and may increase the rate hair follicles grow.
As thinning hair and impaired hair growth are linked with biotin deficiencies, increasing biotin intake may help beard growth in some individuals.
It’s best to prioritize biotin consumption over biotin shampoos, as these products aren’t likely to make a difference.
If you do want to take biotin supplementation or plan on increasing your intake of biotin-rich foods, always notify your doctor before, as they may advise against it.
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