Biotin is often cited as a natural remedy for thinning hair or hair loss. Using biotin for hair growth, however, is generally only effective under certain conditions. You can use biotin for hair growth if the thinning or loss of your hair is caused by a biotin deficiency or a diet that is not well-balanced. Circumstances of hereditary hair loss may not benefit from increasing biotin intake, however, and an alternate treatment may be necessary.
If your hair is thinning or does not seem as healthy as it once was, you should examine your diet for nutritional value. B vitamins such as biotin are easy to include in an every-day diet by simply eating a wide variety of whole, healthy foods. Common whole foods that contain biotin are eggs, nuts, cheese, and dark green vegetables such as chard.
Some diets, particularly vegan diets that do not include animal products or diets that rely heavily on processed foods, can be deficient in B vitamins, and therefore result in thinning hair. Supplements of biotin are readily available in drugstores for those who are unable to incorporate enough of the vitamin into their diets naturally. Taking supplements or eating more biotin for hair growth can help stop thinning hair and encourage hair health. The human body has a very high tolerance for biotin, so it is unlikely that you will consume too much by adding a supplement to your diet if you take it as directed. Even if your diet is naturally rich in B vitamins such as biotin, adding a supplement may increase the growth and health of your hair.
Physically consuming biotin for hair growth is the best way to see results. Hair products that claim to restore hair health because they contain biotin will not be as effective as swallowing biotin supplements, because the vitamin is not readily absorbed into hair. If you want to use biotin for hair growth, choose to incorporate more into your diet.
Unfortunately, if your diet is not lacking in B vitamins such as biotin, the results you see will probably not be as pronounced. Most people, even if they eat balanced diets, can expect their hair to grow faster or stronger by adding more biotin, but if the cause of hair loss is hereditary, not dietary, increasing biotin for hair growth may not produce the desired outcome. If your hair loss is genetic or a side effect of medications or other treatments, alternatives to biotin will typically be more beneficial.
