Advice for Biotin Use? - Hair Problems Message Board

sunshine0806 · 01-07-2007, 08:01 PM

So, I've read how good biotin is for growing and strengthening hair. My question is: how much is too much? What is the ideal dose? I've heard that once you get over a certain point, the rest is useless and just execrated - but I don't know what that point is. I just started taking 2000mg daily. I know it will probably also increase body hair growth, which I don't want but will deal with - it doesn't grow more hair on the body though, does it? I have a few hairs here and there that I deal with, but don't want more than that.

Anony1 · 01-07-2007, 08:30 PM

I had a bad reaction to Biotin. I broke out in hives and had trouble breathing. IIRC, I was taking 1000.

sunshine0806 · 01-08-2007, 12:50 PM

I'm sorry about your bad experience, Anony. I'll be on the lookout for any strange symptoms, though nothing yet.

Audrey-B · 01-09-2007, 12:37 AM

My container of Biotin said to take one tablet per day and each tablet is 300mcg. You mentioned body hair, well i've never taken that much biotin that i noticed anything unusual, but did recently read a comment somewhere on this board about one person who said they noticed all over hair growth so stopped with the biotin.

Personally i've never found the biotin to do much. I found out after approx 6 yrs that i was actually very, very low in iron which can cause loss of hair. I didn't lose it in one particular spot, just all over uniform, thinning out.

A lot of things can cause hair loss, anything from medication, hormones, genetics, thyroid, diet, lack of certain vitamins/minerals, stress, pregnancy. Hair will grow back after certain conditions are overcome, but unless you find out exactly why you are losing the hair in the first place it's kind of pointless to be buying products which you might not need.

Your best bet is to get a total blood test so you can see whether it's hormonal, thyroid or diet. With thyroid the doctors usual do a very basic blood test when it should be a very detailed one. I wish my previous doctor had explained things better so that i could have atleast addressed my iron deficiency. I'm now going to visit a specialist in hair and scalp just to verify that it's not only the iron but possibly due to something else.

sunshine0806 · 01-09-2007, 10:24 AM

Audrey - Sorry, I meant I've been taking 2000 mcg daily, not mg. My bottle says to take one tablet, 1000mcg, daily. Though, I know biotin comes in as high a dose as 2500, so I take two pills daily. I'm not experiencing hair loss; I'm taking biotin to get stronger, thicker hair. Also, faster growing hair would be nice, too. I've lost some volume, but it's been over a few years time. I think part of it is heredity - it is normal to lose thickness as early as your 20's. My mom has pretty thin hair. I'm 25, and I'm also already getting some gray hairs. I've heard that biotin will slow the graying process, but I'm doubtful of that - haven't heard any real evidence to back up that claim. I also wear my hair back a lot and color it at least every 8 weeks - that's taken a toll on my already dry hair. I'm hoping to make it stronger and more resilient. I know that the supplement only affects the new growth and it will take some time, but any improvement is worth it to me.

It may've not worked for you because 300mcg is not a very high dose. Someone posted here that it takes 5mg (5000 mcg) daily to see a real improvement. I'm not ok with taking that much, though. I've heard that biotin is very hard to overdose on as your body just expells the excess, but I'm taking an anti-depressant, and I want to be careful not to take anything that will interfere with its effectiveness. So far, I haven't noticed any side effects.