Hair represents a considerable aspect of our appearance. Hair color, style, and length are all topics that people often discuss as they try to figure out what look will be best for them. While cutting hair is easy to do, growing it back obviously takes a lot more time. We already know that frequently cutting our hair won’t help it grow longer, but is there another way to help increase hair growth? While a healthy diet, good hair care, and low stress levels all contribute to healthy hair growth, biotin has recently become a popular choice for accelerating the process. This vitamin B supplement is said to help hair and nails grow quicker and also help hair from falling out. So, is growing longer hair as easy as taking an extra daily vitamin, or is this remedy too good to be true?
A health and fitness website, Live Strong, explains:
“Biotin is a B-complex vitamin that can be found in both supplement and food form […] Food sources with the most significant amounts of biotin include nuts, egg yolks, soybeans, and fish.”
Available in the vitamin section of most drug stores, biotin is an easily accessible vitamin. But while it is easy to find, will it live up to its standards? For those who have a biotin deficiency, doctors might suggest taking the supplement; however, the supplement is often taken by people who just want to give their hair, skin, and nails an extra boost. Live Strong states “Biotin is vital to cell proliferation, which is why it is a valuable tool in hair growth. When ingested, biotin reacts with cell enzymes and plays a vital part in producing amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein,” and, therefore, will facilitate hair growth. Additionally, one of Dr. Mehmet Oz’s websites, Sharecare, states that “Biotin may help boost hair growth. Although it’s weak, there is some evidence that biotin affects keratin, the protein in hair, skin, and nails,” Stacy Wiegman, Pharm.D explains.
So, if you are looking to grow your hair quicker, biotin may just do the trick. Additionally, for those of us who feel we are losing an excess amount of hair, biotin might also be the answer. Medline Plus, a medical informational website, states that “there is some preliminary evidence that hair loss can be reduced when biotin is taken by mouth in combination with zinc.” While taking biotin as a supplement will boost the vitamins in our body, it is important to remember that the foundation of having healthy hair and skin lie in maintaining a healthy diet and taking care of our bodies.
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Verdict: Truth. Biotin can help with hair growth; however, it is important to note that everyone’s body might react differently to vitamins. It is important to speak with your doctor before taking a biotin supplement to make sure that it is safe for you to use. Additionally, be sure to ask your doctor how much biotin is safe for you to ingest daily. Once your doctor gives the OK, give biotin a try for growing longer hair faster.
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I take supplements for general health. I don’t just single anything out because you need the WHOLE SHE-BANG in order to attain true health!
I always took vitamins but started shedding so much less hair a few months after I started taking biotin.