Vitamin H or vitamin B7 is known as Biotin. Chemical formula of biotin is CLOHI6N203S. Biotin is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin. It is composed of a tetrahydroimidizalone ring fused with a tetrahydrothiophene ring. Aveleric acid substitute is attached to one of the carbon atoms of the tetrahydrothiophene ring. Biotin is a cofactor in the metabolism of fatty acid, leucine and gluconeogenesis.

Importance of Biotin:

  1. Aids in the utilization of
    • Proteins
    • Nutrients
  2. Helps in cell growth
  3. Aids in fatty acid production
  4. Sweat glands health is improved
  5. Promotes
    • Male sex glands
    • Bone marrow
    • Skin and hair
    • Nerve tissues
    • Cures baldness of hair
  6. Premature gray hair is controlled
  7. Type 1 and type 2 diabetic sugar level is reduced.

What is the use of biotin?

Biotin is quite needed for cell growth, production of fatty acids and also in the metabolism of fats and amino acids. Citrus acid cycle is the process in which biochemical energy is produced during aerobic respiration. Biotin is used in the citric acid cycle. In various metabolic reactions and in transferring carbon dioxide, biotin is involved, biotin is recommended for strengthening hair and nails. Biotin is present in the product of hair and skin.

Bioavailability of Biotin:

Bioavailability of biotin is variable depending upon the type of food we consume. Half of the biotin in food is known to be biologically available. 20 to 40% bioavailability of biotin is found in most of the grain and you can get biotin easily in corn.

You can get dietary biotin in 2 different ways

  1. Prolonged intravenous feeding and not giving biotin supplementation
  2. Eating white part of the egg regularly for long period.

A protein avidin is present in white egg which binds biotin and prevents its absorption. When you boil the egg then avidin is denatured and not able to prevent the absorption of dietary biotin.

Biotin deficiency is quite rare for healthy people since the daily requirement of biotin is not very high. Adequate amount of food provides biotin. The intestinal bacteria synthesize a small amount of biotin. So the human body scavenges it and recycles it from the body wastes. In cooked eggs, the avidin is denatured and entirely it becomes non-toxic to the body.

Deficiency Symptoms:

Biotin deficiency is generally very rare. If there is deficiency of biotin then muscular pain, grayish skin color, extreme exhaustion, loss of appetite may occur in your body.

General Biotin Deficiency Symptom

If there is Biotin deficiency then there comes

  • Fungal infections
  • Fine and brittle hair
  • Hair loss and total baldness of hair
  • Dry skin
  • Rashes near the mouth.

If Biotin deficiency is continued then the following neurological symptoms can be found:

  1. Changes in mental status.
  2. Mild depression.
  3. Muscular pain in the body.
  4. Hyperesthesia.

Some more symptoms due to deficiency are red rashes around the eyes, mouth, nose and genital areas. Neurological symptoms includes lethargy, tingling of extremities, hallucination etc. Biotin deficiency in the face is facial rashes along with an unusual fat distribution.

Factors of Biotin Requirement:

The marginal biotin status level is not yet known exactly. The low level of biotin is needed generally for major population of people. Partial gastrectomy patients have low level of biotin in their urine and plasma. Burn patients, epileptic’s persons and athletes have low level of biotin.

Biotin is required during pregnancy and lactation of a woman. Smoking accelerates the biotin catabolism in women. Hair problems are due to biotin deficiency and often biotin supplements are recommended as a natural product. In both children and adults, it gives the problem of hair loss. Biotin deficiency may lead to loss of eye lashes. Shampoos containing biotins are available.

What Is Biotinidase?

Biotinidase is an enzyme which catalyzes the small proteins and releases biotin from amino acid and lysine. If biotinidase deficiency is found then biotin deficiency will be there.

What is HCS?

HCS is an enzyme which catalyzes biotin to all the four carboxylase enzymes. Its deficiency leads to the less formation of the all carboxylases. Normal blood needs 40 to 100 mg of biotin per day and they are given by high-dose supplementations.

Take care to maintain Biotin in your body and avoid Biotin deficiency symptoms.

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