Does Biotin Cause Weight Gain?

As beneficial as health supplements such as biotin can be, they can still affect the body in several unique ways, with some promoting weight gain.

If you’ve ever had to lose weight in the past, you most definitely don’t need us to keep going on and on about how stressful it is and how much time and effort it takes.

With obesity levels recently peaking at an all-time high, and with more and more people suffering the ill effects of obesity, health experts are concerned about future generations.

We all know that junk food, alcohol, sugary drinks, and processed foods can cause weight gain as they’re loaded full of fat, sugar, and calories, but what about health supplements?

Biotin, for example, is renowned for its health benefits, but there have been instances where people have reported that Biotin has caused them to gain weight.

But what is biotin, what are the many health benefits it provides, and most importantly, does biotin cause weight gain?

What Is Biotin?

Weight gain is a complex topic and is one which has plagued the modern human race for decades upon decades now. We know that unhealthy foods and drinks can promote obesity.

Biotin is a member of the B vitamin family, B7 to be precise. Just to add to the confusion surrounding biotin, however, some people refer to it as vitamin H.

Whatever you want to call this member of the B complex family, however, one thing you need to be aware of is the fact that biotin plays a key role in the functioning of a healthy metabolism.

Biotin plays a vital role in the body as it helps it convert food into fuel which the body uses for energy.

Biotin is a water-soluble essential vitamin. As it is essential, this means that the body is unable to synthesize it naturally, but still needs it. This means that it must come from dietary sources such as whole foods and supplements.

Not only is Biotin a key ingredient when it comes to the functioning of the body, but it is also an ingredient found in healthy and beauty supplements and cosmetics.

Its name has Greek origins as it is derived from the Greek word ‘Biotos’ meaning ‘sustenance’ or ‘life’.

B vitamins ensure that your hair, nails, and eyes remain healthy and biotin is no different.

We’ll get to the many health benefits of biotin a little later on, but take it from us, it’s hugely beneficial for the body. Whether or not it does promote weight gain, however, remains to be seen.

While there are plenty of foods naturally containing Biotin, including oily fish, offal, whole eggs, sweet potatoes, avocadoes, nuts, and seeds, you can also supplement with biotin.

Experts have found that supplementing with biotin can provide additional health benefits that you simply would not get from eating biotin-rich foods alone.

How Much Biotin Should You Consume?

Well, we’re getting to that and will be answering in more detail much later on. Before we address the possible weight-gaining effects of biotin, however, we first need to look at the recommended daily intake for this member of the B vitamin family.

When talking about recommended daily intakes for biotin, we need to consider the fact that these are not guidelines, and every person is different.

A 5ft, 100-pound 80-year-old woman, for example, will not need as much biotin as a 6ft 2 inch, 270-pound 35-year-old man.

Because different people require different amounts of biotin, we can very roughly ascertain the fact that we need between 30mcgs (micrograms) and 100mcgs of biotin per day.

The good thing about biotin is the fact that it is water-soluble, which means that any excess biotin left over that the body does not need, or cannot use, will instead pass through the body and be excreted via your urine.

As far as we are aware, there are no toxicity-related symptoms associated with excess biotin.

Just to give you a rough idea of how much biotin is in certain foods, one egg yolk contains around 53mcgs of biotin.

That means that to meet your recommended daily intake, just one or two egg yolks per day are all that will be needed.

Are Biotin Supplements Necessary?

This next section is going to cause quite a stir and is bound to trigger many a debate.

Because we need such a relatively small amount of biotin each day, and considering biotin-rich foods do not need to be consumed in large quantities to give you what you need, why would biotin supplements be required?

While we need around 33mgs – 100mcgs per day, if you read the label of biotin supplements, you’ll see that biotin supplements can provide an enormously large amount compared to what we need.

Typically for example, you’ll find that they provide as much as 5000mcgs, which is far more than the 100mcgs max, that we need!

While there are no serious adverse side effects associated with biotin supplements, people still experience minor side effects, and considering we need so little, surely that means that biotin supplements are not required?

It is possible to suffer from a biotin deficiency, though this is extremely rare. People who drink egg whites sometimes suffer from a biotin deficiency, as well as people who drink a lot of alcohol, who smoke, and who use recreational drugs.

A biotin deficiency can result in hair loss, elevated LDL cholesterol levels, an irregular heartbeat, a skin rash, stunted nail growth, dry skin, and a weakened immune system.

What Are The Health Benefits Of Biotin?

Whereas biotin supplementation may not always be necessary, ensuring that you are getting enough biotin each day is.

Here’s a look at several of the most prominent health benefits of biotin.

Energy Production

One of the most obvious and prevalent health benefits associated with biotin is the production of energy within the human body.

When people talk about B vitamins and metabolism, one of the main reasons why B vitamins play such a key role in the production of energy is down to biotin.

Biotin enables the body to convert the food that we consume into energy, which it then uses to fuel itself. As well as needing energy for physical tasks such as exercising, we need energy just to survive.

Every single biological, physiological process that takes place within the body needs energy, which is where biotin enters the fold.

Without enough biotin, much of the food that we consume would go to waste and would be utilized far less effectively than it would in the presence of biotin.

Not only does this B vitamin fuel the body and keep our metabolisms functioning at their best, but it also enables the body to function healthily, just as it should.

Stabilizes Blood Sugars

Another of the possible health benefits associated with biotin is that it may help to regulate and stabilize blood glucose levels.

People suffering from a biotin deficiency are also at risk of hypoglycaemia, caused by unstable blood sugar levels, and if not addressed, this could potentially be very serious.

In a series of studies conducted on animals, health experts and officials have found that biotin could potentially help to regulate blood glucose levels and prevent blood sugar levels from spiking too high after consuming carbohydrates.

This can be very beneficial for people suffering with type-2 diabetes.

The benefits don’t stop there however, as in the case of type-1 diabetes, which is considered much more serious, biotin supplementation has been found to potentially protect the kidneys and prevent kidney damage caused by unstable blood glucose levels.

Before you get too excited or too carried away however, we need to point out that research is still ongoing, and that there is more research required before we can say for certain that biotin helps protect the kidneys and prevent kidney damage brought on by type-1 diabetes.

The results so far, have been very positive indeed.

Pregnancy Benefits

As well as everyday folk, research has also pointed to the fact that biotin could very well provide substantial benefits to pregnant women, for a whole host of different reasons.

Some women who are with children may find themselves suffering from a biotin deficiency. When this occurs, it can leave them susceptible to a whole host of different health issues and ailments.

There are also studies which have been conducted over the years, which have pointed to the fact that biotin can assist with foetal growth and development, which means that it could help babies to grow and develop healthily.

The thing to remember, however, is that you should NEVER exceed your recommended dosage of biotin while pregnant.

Too much biotin could harm the baby’s development which is of course the last thing you will want. Unless specifically stated otherwise by your doctor, you should therefore not supplement with additional biotin if you are with a child.

Healthy Skin, Hair, And Nails

If you need the ingredients list on certain cosmetic and beauty products, including facial moisturizers, shampoos, and conditioners, you’ll find that biotin is often listed as one of the key ingredients.

The reason why so many cosmetic and beauty products list biotin as one of their key ingredients is because it can help to promote healthy hair, skin, and nails.

People with a biotin deficiency often find that their hair becomes thin and lifeless, or that it begins to fall out entirely. On top of that, their skin becomes pale and dry, and their nails become hard and brittle and barely grow.

Just to add to the list of issues plaguing people affected by biotin deficiencies, they also often find that they experience a red rash on the skin, which not only looks unsightly but also often itches.

Biotin helps the skin to grow, to feel softer, to become thicker and fuller, and to look shiny and healthy.

Add to that, the fact that it can also promote healthy nail growth and can help moisturize and soften the skin, giving it a nice healthy glow, and it’s easy to see why biotin is such an important vitamin in the world of beauty and cosmetics.

May Promote Hair Growth

This next benefit has not yet been confirmed, but early study results are looking extremely promising.

In several instances, biotin has shown great promise when used as a treatment for hair loss in men.

Now, we already know that biotin can promote healthy hair growth and can leave the hair looking fuller and shinier, but some experts believe that it could help regenerate new hair follicles and can therefore help men to re-grow their hair after using it.

After three months of use, one study found that biotin provided a substantial increase in male hair growth, helping to not only replace lost hair, but helping new hair follicles to grow back thicker, stronger, and healthier.

Just remember that male pattern baldness can be caused by a whole host of different things, and just because one person experiences healthy hair growth when upping their biotin consumption, that doesn’t mean that it will suddenly help bald men to re-grow their hair.

Interestingly, the hair growth that was noted did not come from men who suffered from hereditary male pattern baldness, but rather from alopecia.

What Are the Possible Side Effects Of Biotin?

Before we can look at does biotin causes weight gain, we first need to take a look at some of the possible side effects associated with too much biotin.

As healthy and as beneficial as this member of the B vitamin family can be, there are still several possible health risks and complications associated with biotin, that we need to be aware of.

While there are no proven side effects associated with biotin use and consumption, there have been instances where excess biotin consumption has resulted in negative side effects such as insomnia and trouble sleeping, digestive issues, and even potentially disrupting the natural production and secretion of insulin.

Another reported side effect of biotin, is the fact that biotin has been reported to have caused an increase in a person’s appetite, and has also affected satiety levels and caused food cravings.

These could very well have something to do with whether or not biotin causes weight gain but don’t worry, we’ll get to that shortly.

If you are taking any medication or have any underlying health issues make sure you consult a medical expert before you use any biotin supplements.

Does Biotin Cause Weight Gain?

If you read online and check out certain forums, social media groups, and pages, you’ll find that some people have complained about the fact that biotin may cause weight gain. They have claimed that, since supplementing with biotin, they’ve not only struggled to lose weight, but they have gained weight as well. But is this the case?

The truth of the matter is that no research or evidence proves that biotin causes weight gain. Despite this, however, people are adamant that biotin can cause them to gain weight, and we think we know why.

Though not proven, some users of biotin have reported feeling hungrier than usual, and who have found it harder to fill themselves up when eating.

Not only that, but when hunger has kicked in, they’ve craved sugary foods and unhealthy junk foods, rather than healthy and natural foods.

Though these are not widely recognised side effects, if you use biotin and you begin to notice an increase in appetite, and food cravings, or if you struggle to fill yourself up, stop using the supplement for a while and see how you feel afterwards.

Final Thoughts

So, does biotin cause weight gain?

Well, not necessarily, although some people have found that biotin supplements have caused them to feel hungrier and crave unhealthy foods.

If you are worried about biotin causing you to gain weight, the best thing you can do is stop taking the supplement and focus on getting biotin from whole foods instead.

As mentioned previously, biotin supplementation is not necessary in 99% of people’s cases, so if you are watching your weight, maybe think about giving biotin supplements a miss for a while.