The Power of Biotin
Ahhh, Biotin. If you’ve ever been even remotely interested in growing your hair out more quickly, adding shine to your strands, or even just getting your hair to a healthier place, there’s no doubt you’ve come across Biotin.
Though you’ve surely seen it in a wide variety of hair products, Biotin isn’t an ingredient used in haircare products alone; it’s known to help improve fine lines and wrinkles and encourage stronger and healthier nails.
But what is Biotin, exactly, and why does it seem like the magic ingredient for hair growth and skin health?
Your Body & Biotin
The word Biotin is actually derived from the Greek word “biotos”, which translates to “life” or “sustenance”, and Biotin functions as just that: sustenance. Biotin is formally known as vitamin B7, and it is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin that assists enzymes to break down and metabolize fats, carbohydrates, and proteins in foods.
In other words, Biotin helps your body convert food into energy. Biotin also plays a key role in gene activity regulation and cell signaling, which is a fancier way of saying it’s a vitamin that makes sure all of your body’s functions are operating normally. On a more surface level, Biotin has the power to keep your liver, nervous system, metabolism, digestive tract, hair, eyes, and skin healthy.
So, how does it work? To begin, Biotin is a vitamin found in foods, and it’s up to us to get enough of those foods to reap all the benefits of Biotin as our bodies do not produce it on their own. Most of the Biotin that exists in foods are bound to proteins. Our bodies break down this protein-bound Biotin, which is then released in our bodies and absorbed by the small intestine then stored in the liver.
It’s recommended that the adequate Biotin intake for both men and women over aged 19 is right at 30 micrograms daily and while Biotin deficiencies are not generally common, they can lead to hair loss and skin or nail problems.
Look to these foods which are rich in Biotin and can help make sure your body is getting all that it needs to keep your hair, skin, and nails looking healthy and strong:
- - Eggs (with the yolk!)
- - Beef Liver (probably not a fave but it has one of the highest concentrations of Biotin)
- - Salmon
- - Tuna
- - Sweet Potato
- - Pork Chop
- - Spinach
- - Broccoli
- - Legumes
- - Mushrooms
- - Cauliflower
- - Nuts snd Seeds
If you feel like you don’t incorporate enough of these foods into your diet or you’re really looking to jump-start healthier hair growth, Biotin supplements have been a popular option for many years now, though the National Institute of Health hasn’t deemed additional supplement intake as a guarantee for longer, healthier hair (or healthier skin and nails).
Biotin supplements don’t hurt, though, and you wouldn’t need to worry about taking too much Biotin; because it’s a water-soluble vitamin, any excess amounts of Biotin will pass through your body when you urinate.
Why Your Hair Should Care
Just like Biotin breaks down proteins in foods, it also helps metabolize the amino acids in our bodies that produce the hair-loving protein keratin. Keratin is comprised of 18 different vital amino acids that play an important role in hair growth, resiliency, and long-term hair health.
On an even larger scale, this family of structural proteins is found in many different parts of our bodies, from our skin and nails to even some of our internal organs. In terms of hair (that’s why we’re all here, right??), this important protein is produced through the multiplication of cells present beneath the scalp.
When our bodies are replete with Biotin, it makes way for more Keratin production, which in turn helps hair to grow and remain strong and healthy. So, in a way, it’s not exactly the Biotin itself that’s changing the game for your hair, but its ability to help produce more Keratin, which is the big gamechanger for hair.
The hairs on your head consist of 90% Keratin, and because this protein occurs in long chains, it aids in elasticity, hair strength, and allows hair to bend and fold without breaking. When your hair is lacking Keratin, however, hair is prone to breakage, thinning, and hair loss. Thankfully, our bodies naturally produce Keratin, and Biotin is sort of the secret weapon behind it, making sure we have enough to keep hair healthy and strong.
BOLDIFY & Biotin
We work hard with formulators and labs to source ingredients that are clean and safe, but perform like conventional hair growth products. We like to think of Biotin as our holy grail ingredient or our mild and non-toxic version of minoxidil; it’s the ingredient that encourages major hair regrowth and resilience but skips on the irritating chemicals and additives.
Biotin is included in our bestselling Hair Thickening Serum, which has been proven to help thicken hair over time and encourage new hair growth. It’s also in our Thickening Shampoo and Thickening Conditioner so that you’re covering all of your hair-boosting bases.
Biotin works in conjunction with some of our other clean ingredients like sage, coconut oil, and lemongrass extract, among others, to naturally stimulate hair growth, nourish the scalp, and thicken patchy or thinning hair.
To make sure we’re really going the extra mile in helping hair, we packed our Hair Gummies with Biotin as well as vitamin A and vitamin C, making it a potent daily supplement designed to encourage faster hair growth, protect against oxidative stress, and strengthen the hair follicles.
Overall, Biotin’s powerful properties lay the foundation for longer hair, and with regular use help to maintain locks that are resilient, thick, and healthy.
