What is vitamin B7 (Biotin) good for?
Vitamin B7, which you will more often than not see referred to as biotin, supports many aspects of your body's functions, including your nervous system, liver function and eye health, as well as skin and hair health. It also assists enzymes in carrying out their duties, and generally makes sure cells keep functioning as intended.
For skin & hair health
Regarding skin health in particular, research has shown that a deficiency in biotin can be linked to such skin conditions as dermatitis and acne. As for hair health, studies suggest that biotin supplements could help people with certain medical conditions that affect healthy hair growth, such as alopecia.
For cholesterol & blood sugar regulation
Studies have shown that biotin supplementation can help manage the symptoms of diabetes by reducing overall cholesterol and blood sugar levels. In an animal study performed in 2013, it was found that biotin may actually stimulate the secretion of insulin from the pancreas, contributing to a lowering of blood sugar, and research in 2016 found that biotin assists with glycemic control in people that are suffering from type 1 diabetes.
Furthermore, it is thought biotin has the potential to reduce nerve damage in people who have diabetes, and one small study in 1990 found that long-term high dose biotin supplementation for several years resulted in a noticeable improvement of symptoms.
When should I take vitamin B7?
Biotin, being one of the water-soluble B vitamins, is best taken on an empty stomach in order to maximize absorption. Factoring in biotin's involvement in metabolism and energy levels, the best time of day to take biotin would be first thing in the morning, before breakfast.
What does vitamin B7 combine well with?
Biotin with chromium, for metabolism and diabetes
Chromium and biotin are known to play an essential role in regulating how your body metabolizes carbohydrates.
Specifically, a study found that chromium picolinate combined with biotin managed to improve glucose metabolism in overweight to obese patients that had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
What are natural sources of vitamin B7?
If you are interested in achieving your daily vitamin B7 intake through your diet, rich sources of vitamin B7 include:
- Beef liver
- Eggs
- Pork
- Salmon
- Avocados
- Sweet potatoes
- Seeds
- Nuts
- Mushrooms
- Bananas
Vitamin B7 data sources & further reading
Last updated by Asklepios on 30th January, 2025