Essential Vitamins & Minerals 01 of 33

BIOTIN

(Vitamin B7,Vitamin H)

Estimated Minimum Daily Requirement

30mcg to 100mcg

Along with other B vitamins, biotin helps convert food to energy and is required for the synthesis of carbohydrates, proteins, and fatty acids. Biotin is especially important for healthy skin, hair, and nails.

The types of food that contain the best source of biotin are cheese, kidneys, salmon, soy beans, sunflower seeds, nuts, broccoli, and sweet potatoes. Biotin deficiency is rare, and supplements are unnecessary. Humans can become biotin deficient through long term use of antibiotics or by regularly eating raw egg whites, witch contain avidin, a protein that blocks the body's absorption of biotin.

Because breast milk only contains a small amount of biotin, infants who are breast-fed can suffer biotin deficiency, although this is uncommon. Signs of biotin deficiency include a scaly, oily skin rash; hair loss; nausea; vomiting; muscle pain; loss of appetite; a red inflamed tongue; and fatigue. A toxic level for biotin has not yet been revealed by researchers.