Biotin and Hair Loss

Biotin also known as vitamin H or B7 is a water soluble vitamin. Biotin performs several vital functions such as it boost (catalyzes) the rate of metabolism to synthesis fatty acids and other substances.

Why biotin is necessary for healthy hair growth?
Biotin takes part in cell growth, synthesis of amino acids and fatty acids. There are hundreds of causes of hair loss but each cause ultimately targets hair follicles. A hair follicle is tubular cavity through which hair a hair shaft arises. Each hair follicle gives rise to a single hair shaft.

As biotin takes part in cell growth of epithelial and other types of cells, lack of biotin will essentially affect the growth of epithelial tissues. Most of follicle structure is built on epithelial cells and lack of vitamin H or B7 will result in distortion of hair follicles.

Biotin Prevents Diabetic Hair Loss:
Diabetes is a disease in which your body either does not produce insulin or does not utilize insulin properly to convert sugar or starch into energy. Your hair follicles are susceptible to higher sugar level within blood. Due to diabetes, hair follicles are destroyed and receding hair loss occurs. Biotin helps prevent from diabetes as it stimulates insulin activities.

How biotin (vitamin H or B7) deficiency occurs?
Although deficiency of vitamin H or biotin is rare, it is one of the leading causes of hair loss. Most often your biotin intake is sufficient and but you lack proper amount of enzymes that process it. Biotin works in conjunction with several other enzymes.

Proteins that rapidly strongly bind with vitamin H may also cause acute deficiency of biotin. Egg white contains a protein called avidin that strongly binds with biotins available in the intestine or produced by the intestinal bacteria. Thus, avoid taking too much egg white to prevent from biotin deficiency.

Symptoms of Biotin Deficiency Hair Loss:
Symptoms are somewhat similar to other types of baldness and hair loss, but, in its acute deficiency, patient may loss eyebrows and eyelashes. In conjunction of hair loss, nail deterioration is also common. Both genders at any age can develop this type of hair loss. Patients with biotin deficiency also complain loss of appetite and gastric problem. But these are not essential symptoms.

Conclusion:
Biotin is a water soluble vitamin known as vitamin H or vitamin B7. It takes part in cell growth and synthesis of fatty acids. Epithelial cells need more biotin than others cells as they are very delicate and vulnerable to damage. Each epithelial cell replaces with a new epithelial cell after its specific age. Hair follicles are made up of epithelial cells which need efficient biotin and efficient amount of its processing enzymes. Therefore, most herbal skin care tonics contain biotin as it boost rate of cell growth.