As I’ve gotten older I have started to lose my hair. It’s not a unique experience. In fact, 1 in 3 women complain about hair loss or thinning hair past the age of 40 as perimenopause starts to creep in and our oestrogen levels begin to decline. It might be the most pressing health problem we ever face in our lives, but it has caused me very real anxiety and worry as I have aged. Unfortunately, as many women often do, the symptoms of being an older woman often seem insignificant especially in the backdrop of the world’s recent problems, so I rarely speak about it. 

But it’s a journey that many women go on and worry about so it is important to talk about our experiences and what we have learned. Personally, I tested a few anti-hair loss products but none of them were really effective until I researched Biotin supplements. Also known as Vitamin H (for Hair), and often presented as a miracle pill, I read countless articles citing this Vitamin B based food supplement as a way to solve my hair loss problems. But does it really work?

What is it?

Biotin is a water-soluble B vitamin otherwise known as Vitamin B7. Water-soluble means that our bodies don’t store it, so we have to ingest it from foods like eggs, nuts, whole grains, bananas, mushrooms and organ meats (liver/kidneys). 

Biotin plays an important part in helping us convert food into energy. It also plays a vital role in the health and strength of our hair, skin and nails. A deficiency can cause hair loss or rashes on the skin. And though biotin deficiencies are reported to be quite rare, one study of 541 female patients indicated that a biotin deficiency was found in 38% of the women complaining of hair loss. 

This might explain the growing popularity for biotin supplements from people hoping to reap the benefits of this special vitamin. 

Is there science behind Biotin supplements?

Our hair, skin and nails are made up of a protein called keratin. Biotin reacts with enzymes and produces amino acids that are needed to “improve the keratin infrastructure” in your body, making your hair healthier, skin more elastic and nails stronger. There is still limited research on whether biotin has benefits on healthy hair, but several studies have been done on people who are suffering from hair loss or brittle nails. 

A review of case reports and clinical trials using biotin supplementation for hair and nail growth reported that in all cases with patients that had an underlying condition of poor hair and nail growth, there was evidence of improvement after ingesting biotin. So while science may still be debating whether biotin can really make healthy hair, skin and nails even healthier and stronger, studies have found that those that suffer from hair loss and brittle nails can reap the benefits of biotin supplementation.

How should I get my biotin?

You can get all the biotin you need from food, but we know it can be hard to stay on top of finding, cooking and eating the ‘right’ types of food all the time. 

The Naturality Lab’s Biotin capsules are Vegetarian, Vegan, Non-Dairy, Gluten-Free, high concentration and high quality - making them the perfect natural biotin supplement for you. 

Sources: Patel D P, Swink S M & Castelo-Soccio L (2017) A Review of the Use of Biotin for Hair Loss. Skin Appendage Discord; Trueb R M (2016) Serum Biotin Levels in Women Complaining of Hair Loss. Int J Trichology;