Biotin

Some food helps your body work.

This is called biotin. It is in many foods. You can find it in meat and eggs. It is also in salmon.

Biotin helps your cells. It helps your body use food for energy. It helps you grow well. It is hard to not get enough of it. Most people get plenty from their meals. Do you like eating eggs?

Biotin is a special part of the B vitamin group.

It is found in every living cell. Biotin helps the body turn food into power. It helps with fats, sugars, and proteins.

You can find biotin in many foods. Beef liver has a lot of it. Whole eggs and salmon are also good sources. Even sunflower seeds have some. Biotin is very stable. This means cooking food does not destroy it.

Inside your body, biotin works as a cofactor. A cofactor is a helper for enzymes. Enzymes are parts of cells that make changes happen. Biotin helps five different enzymes in humans. These enzymes help make fatty acids. They also help make sugar.

Sometimes, people have trouble using biotin. This can happen because of a genetic disorder. One kind is called biotinidase deficiency. This is when the body cannot recycle biotin. Without help, this can be very serious. Doctors can treat this with biotin pills.

Most people get enough biotin from their meals. It is very rare to not have enough.

Biotin is a very important part of the B vitamin group.

It is found in every single living cell. This tiny nutrient is also known as vitamin B7 or Vitamin H. It is a white, needle-like solid when it is isolated. Biotin is essential because it helps living things stay healthy. It works by assisting many different parts of the body. Without it, our cells could not do many important jobs.

Biotin works as a cofactor for five specific enzymes in humans. A cofactor is a helper that makes an enzyme work better. These enzymes help with many things like making fatty acids. They also help with making sugar through a process called gluconeogenesis. Biotin helps move carbon dioxide during these important chemical reactions. It also plays a role in how our genes are expressed. This helps keep the structure of our cells stable.

Our bodies get biotin from the food we eat every day.

Beef liver is a very strong source with 31 micrograms per 100 grams. Whole eggs provide 10 micrograms, and pink salmon provides 5 micrograms. Even roasted sunflower seeds have 3 micrograms of this vitamin. Biotin is very stable at room temperature. This means that cooking your food does not destroy it. Most people in Western countries get enough biotin from their meals.

In the body, biotin goes through a careful path to be used. First, digestive enzymes break down the proteins in your food. An enzyme called biotinidase then frees the biotin in your small intestine. From there, a transporter called SMVT helps move it into the liver.

Some biotin is even made by bacteria living in your large intestine. Once the body is done using it, the extra is sent out through urine. This way, the body keeps its levels just right.

It is very rare for people to not have enough biotin. However, some people have a genetic disorder called biotinidase deficiency. This happens when the body cannot recycle biotin properly.

In the United States, doctors began screening newborn babies for this in 1984. This testing helps find the problem very early. People with this condition can take biotin as a daily supplement. This treatment helps them stay healthy for their whole lives.

Biotin is a vital micronutrient belonging to the B vitamin group. It is also known by the names vitamin B7 or vitamin H. This substance is found within every living cell. When scientists isolate biotin, it appears as a white, needle-like crystalline solid. It is a heterocyclic compound, which means it has a ring structure. Specifically, it contains a sulfur-containing tetrahydrothiophene ring fused to a ureido group. A C5-carboxylic acid side chain is also attached to this ring. This unique chemical structure allows biotin to perform essential tasks in living organisms.

In the human body, biotin acts as a cofactor for several enzymes. A cofactor is a molecule that helps an enzyme function correctly. Biotin specifically serves as a coenzyme for five different carboxylase enzymes. These enzymes are responsible for carboxylation reactions, which involve carrying carbon dioxide. Biotin helps with the catabolism of amino acids and fatty acids. It also aids in the synthesis of fatty acids and a process called gluconeogenesis. This is how the body creates glucose. Furthermore, biotinylation of histone proteins helps maintain chromatin stability and gene expression.

To use biotin, the body must first absorb it from food. Biotin in food is usually bound to proteins. Digestive enzymes break these proteins down into smaller pieces called peptides. An intestinal enzyme called biotinidase then frees the biotin in the small intestine. Once free, it is absorbed. The transport across the jejunum is faster than across the ileum. A transporter called the sodium-dependent multivitamin transporter, or SMVT, moves biotin into the liver. Interestingly, the microbiota in the large intestine can also synthesize biotin. This bacteria-made biotin is often in a free form that the body can absorb.

Humans require different amounts of biotin depending on their age and life stage. The US National Academy of Medicine sets adequate intakes, or AIs, for these needs. For infants aged 0 to 6 months, the AI is 5 μg/day. For children aged 4 to 8 years, it is 12 μg/day. Adults aged 19 and older require 30 μg/day. Pregnant females also need 30 μg/day, while lactating females need 35 μg/day. In Europe, the EFSA sets slightly different values. They recommend 40 μg/day for adults and 45 μg/day for those who are breastfeeding.

We obtain biotin from many different types of food. Beef liver is a very rich source, providing 31 μg per 100 g. Whole eggs provide 10 μg per 100 g. Pink salmon canned in water provides 5 μg per 100 g. Pork chops and hamburger patties each provide 4 μg per 100 g. Even roasted sunflower seeds provide 3 μg per 100 g. Biotin is very stable at room temperature. It is not destroyed by the process of cooking. Most people in Western populations consume between 35 and 70 μg/day.

While biotin deficiency from diet is rare, some people have genetic disorders. One common disorder is biotinidase deficiency. This occurs when a person lacks the enzyme needed to recycle biotin from biocytin. Without this recycling, the body cannot use its biotin stores effectively. Another condition is multiple carboxylase deficiency, which involves defects in enzymes like holocarboxylase synthetase. These defects prevent cells from using biotin for chemical reactions. In the United States, doctors began screening newborns for biotinidase deficiency in 1984. This testing is vital because untreated deficiency can be fatal.

Managing biotin levels involves both natural processes and medical care. When we eat biotin, the body absorbs what it needs. Any extra is eventually excreted into the urine. Biotin can be broken down through two different metabolic pathways. One path creates bisnorbiotin, while the other creates biotin sulfoxide. For those with genetic deficiencies, lifelong dietary supplements are necessary. For profound biotinidase deficiency, doctors may prescribe 5 to 20 mg of biotin per day. This treatment can help resolve symptoms like seizures within hours or days.