Biotin is one of the essential vitamins, and it has a variety of important functions in the human body. For a time, it was mainly thought that biotin supplements were for women, but that’s not true! Biotin for men is just as effective of a supplement, and it brings the same benefits as it brings for women.
I believe that it is important to figure out your own wellness journey, and, with my background in medicine and fitness, I want to help however I can. The human body is really good at eating a wide variety of foods, and making sure that you are getting enough vitamins and minerals in your diet is a great way to give your health just a little boost.
There are so many supplements on the market, and, in this article, I hope to help you decide whether a biotin supplement is right for you. Biotin helps with a lot of important processes in the body, and a biotin deficiency can cause problems in your gut and with your hair. I believe that figuring out whether this supplement is right for you is a great step in your own wellness journey. This article will discuss:
- What is biotin
- Essential nutrients and your body
- 9 reasons biotin is great for men
What is Biotin?
Biotin (more commonly known as vitamin B7) is an essential vitamin that takes part in a variety of important processes within the body. Depending on your diet, you might not be getting enough biotin each day, which can lead to a biotin deficiency. Biotin has two major effects on the body: hair strength and digestion.
Hair Growth
Anecdotally, many people experience increased hair growth and strength while consuming biotin supplements. At this point, there is not enough clinical research to verify the exact relationship between biotin and hair growth, but the initial results are promising. Getting enough biotin can increase the health of your hair, and biotin as an ingredient in supplements and topical products has grown in popularity in the recent past.
There is no evidence supporting healthier hair growth when biotin is applied topically, for example, as an ingredient in shampoo. The body is able to digest and process nutrients much better and more efficiently when they are ingested, as in with a supplement. In terms of biotin supplements, Dr. Emil Nutrition’s Multi Collagen Plus has a large dose of biotin as well as collagen and vitamin D, two other excellent additions to your daily routine.
Collagen
Along with your daily dose of biotin, multi collagen plus has, well, collagen in it too! Collagen is an amazing nutrient that helps the body stay strong through all ages. There are four major types of collagen in this supplement, and although there are over a dozen types of collagen, the four major ones make up over 99% of the body’s collagen. Here’s a peek into what the four main types of collagen do for the body:
- Type I. This collagen is made of densely packed fibers that provide structure to skin, bones, cartilage, connective tissue, and teeth. The reason it makes up so much of the body’s collagen is that it is used in just about every part of it!
- Type II. This collagen is made of loosely packed fibers that cushion your joints.
- Type III. This type supports the structure of your muscles, organs, and arteries.
- Type IV. This type is found in the layers of your skin, helping form barriers between each layer.
So, while the biotin in this supplement is helping bring your hair back to its maximum luster and keeping an eye on the efficiency of your digestive system, (more on that later) the collagen is helping your bones, joints, and connective tissues maintain their strength and ensure that they are doing all that they are supposed to be doing. But collagen isn’t the only bonus nutrient in this supplement!
Vitamin D
Vitamin D plays a major role in our body, and, interestingly, it isn’t even technically a vitamin! Vitamins are key nutrients that we cannot produce on our own. Instead, we absorb and take vitamins from the foods we eat. Vitamin D is different. When we are basking in the sun, the star’s rays incentivize vitamin D production in our skin. Since we can produce it, vitamin D isn’t a vitamin!
Vitamin or not, it plays a huge role in our overall well-being, and for those who do not get enough sun, a vitamin D supplement can provide a lot of benefits. Vitamin D supports our immune system, can help regulate our moods, and might even support weight loss! There is a lot to this faux vitamin.
Now, back to the star of the show: biotin. The same benefits that biotin presents to our hair also affect our nails. Adequate biotin consumption can also strengthen nails, making them sturdier and less prone to break or otherwise become compromised.
Foods rich in Biotin
As a true vitamin, we cannot produce biotin on our own. Fortunately, there are a wide variety of foods that contain biotin. Biotin occurs in many foods across multiple food groups. Biotin-rich foods include:
- Eggs
- Fish
- Meat
- Seeds
- Nuts
- Sweet Potatoes
Biotin’s prevalence in such a wide variety of foods across multiple food groups makes it easier to get enough during your day. The recommended daily intake of biotin is around 30 micrograms (mcg). Eggs, which are the second richest food in biotin (behind beef liver, which is not for everyone), contain 10 mcg per egg, making it a great source of biotin. While eating three eggs, a cut of steak, or a few handfuls of nuts isn’t too hard, it is easy to not hit the recommended amount each day. If you see possible symptoms of a biotin deficiency, like rashes, weak hair, and weak nails, a biotin supplement could be right for you!
Biotin and Digestion
In the digestive system, biotin works with enzymes to break down macromolecules like fats and carbohydrates. There is no easy way to test for biotin levels in the body, resulting in symptomatic diagnoses of biotin deficiencies. A biotin deficiency can cause rashes and weak hair, and some people see a radical reduction in symptoms when they start taking a biotin supplement or build their diet around getting enough biotin.
Fortunately, it is rare for biotin consumption to have any negative side effects on the body. It is an essential vitamin, after all! Some report rashes and digestive, kidney, and insulin problems as a result of consuming too much biotin. Scientists are currently studying the long-term effects of biotin supplements.
Essential Nutrients and Your Body
Biotin is one of the 13 essential vitamins that our bodies need to keep moving at maximum health. Now, there is no need to rush to get a multivitamin with all 13 essential vitamins, or radically change your diet to ensure that you are getting plenty of vitamins and minerals. Our bodies are really good at making do with what we feed them, so if you are feeling good and doing good, there is no need to enact serious change on your wellness routine.
That being said, if you are feeling effects linked to a vitamin deficiency, or are unhappy with another part of the wellness in your body and mind, checking your nutrient intake is a great way to see if they have any positive effects on your health. One amazing part of supplements is that there is no pressure to continue taking them if there isn’t any change in your wellness. That could be indicative of the fact that your body was cool with your vitamin intake and that the root of that problem lies somewhere else.
Everyone’s wellness journey is unique, and each path is a combination of almost too many factors to count. As you embark upon finding the right path to take, it is important to find out what areas in which to focus your efforts.
Summary: 9 Reasons Biotin is Great for Men
This post has waxed extensively about vitamins, minerals, biotin, collagen, and vitamin D, but let’s return to the super supplement that’s on all our minds: biotin! Before you go, here's a quick summary of why biotin is great for men.
Digestive Health
Biotin helps digestion, working with the system to break down and absorb the nutrients from carbohydrates and fats. This supplies more energy to the body when it needs it most!
Hair Health
Strong, lustrous hair benefits from biotin consumption from a supplement that can turn your thinning hair into the mane it once was!
Nail Health
Brittle nails are no more with the addition of biotin into your diet. Brittle nails can cause a lot of pain and problems in daily life, and they can corrupt normal tasks. A lot of daily activities become more challenging when nails can break easily.
Extra Benefits
These three are the major benefits for men, but research suggests that biotin might have a few extra tricks up its sleeve.
- Muscle Repair. Along with its other benefits, biotin’s anti-inflammatory nature helps prevent problems that can complicate the healing of tissues and muscles. After workouts, our muscles go through periods of repair, and biotin helps ensure that repair goes without issue.
- Anti-Inflammatory. Biotin is an anti-inflammatory, making it a great supplement to minimize problems and issues with inflammation. Inflammation comes from a wide variety of sources, and having blanket protection helps immensely in recovery.
- Reduced Blood Sugar Levels. Biotin helps in the body’s insulin production, making sure it is steady and strong through all times of the day.
- Strengthens Immune System. Biotin helps produce white blood cells in the body, which are the primary defense force when foreign invaders enter and try to do harm.
- Protects Neurons. The brain uses biotin when it forms the myelin sheath, which coats the neurons and ensures that they can fire with efficiency and safety. The brain’s neural network is compromised without the myelin sheath.
- Promotes Heart Health. Biotin helps stimulate blood flow within the heart, and the regular flow of blood can strengthen the heart and act as a preventative measure when it comes to heart problems.
Those are our nine reasons that biotin for men, and is a great part of anyone’s wellness routine. Biotin is awesome because it comes in so many common foods, and it is easy to get in supplement form as well. You should always consider your options when deciding where to take your wellness journey. Supplements are great because of how easily they can be added to a routine. They can be taken with every meal with a bit of water without affecting appetite, energy, or any part of your daily routine.
The benefits will show themselves over a longer period of time. The ability to start and stop supplements also takes some of the risks out of adding them to your wellness routine! If you take a supplement and don’t see any significant change, then you can turn your focus somewhere else to get the results that you are looking for.
You should consult a licensed health care professional before starting any supplement, dietary, or exercise program, especially if you are pregnant or have any pre-existing injuries or medical conditions.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases.
