The B vitamins are a group of eight water-soluble nutrients that play critical roles in energy metabolism. Still, while most of them are known for helping your body convert the food you eat into fuel, there’s one that typically falls into a category of its own: biotin.
Biotin is most well-known for supporting hair, skin, and nail health, but it offers much more. Whether for metabolism and blood sugar or immunity and hair growth, getting enough biotin in your life is essential to support optimal physiological function.
But like most other vitamins, when is the best time to take it? In this article, we’re covering the basics of biotin and when is the best time to supplement to optimize absorption.
What Is Biotin?
Most of us are familiar with biotin because of its role in hair, skin, and nail health. But there’s more to it than just that. Also known as B7 or vitamin H, biotin is part of the water-soluble B vitamins that play a significant role in energy metabolism.
Although few studies confirm the exact role of biotin in the body, a biotin deficiency typically manifests as neurological and dermatological issues, leading to the notion that it’s critical for tissue health and cognitive function 1. It’s also vital during pregnancy, as biotin is essential for embryonic development 2.
Biotin can be synthesized in the gastrointestinal tract; gut bacteria imbalances (i.e., dysbiosis) from poor diet, chronic stress, use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, or inflammatory diseases of the GI tract can interfere with biotin synthesis in the intestine and therefore lead to biotin deficiency 3, 4.
So, why is biotin so important?
Biotin serves as a coenzyme for five carboxylases in humans involved in several metabolic processes, including fatty acid, amino acids, carbohydrate metabolism, polyketide biosynthesis, urea utilization, and a host of other cellular processes 5.
It also serves as a cofactor for three important carboxylation reactions - the conversion of pyruvate to oxalacetate, acetyl-CoA to malonyl-CoA, and propionyl-CoA to methylmalonyl-CoA - which are essential for breaking down food into glucose, the primary source of energy for the brain and body.
As such, a biotin deficiency can impair energy metabolism and lead to symptoms associated with a sluggish metabolism, low energy, fatigue, weight gain, digestive disturbances, poor glucose control, and mood irregularities.
On top of that, sufficient biotin levels are needed for 6, 7:
- Keratin synthesis
- Embryonic growth and development
- Nervous system function
- Chromatic structure (DNA)
- Gene expression
Benefits Of Biotin
1. Supports immune function
Although biotin may not be the first nutrient you think of for immune health, it plays a pretty important role. Studies have shown that biotin is needed for the proper function of cells involved in the adaptive immune response, specifically T-cells and NK cells, but its role in the innate immune system isn’t clear 8.
It’s also required for the maturation and responsiveness of various immune cells, and biotin deficiency can lead to multiple carboxylase deficiency and increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines like TNF-α and interleukin-1β (IL-1β).
On top of that, low levels of biotin can compromise several immune functions, including 8:
- Antibody production
- Spleen cell count
- B lymphocyte and thymocyte maturation and function
- Cell proliferation
- Dendritic cell function
2. May support healthy hair and nails
If you’re looking for healthy tissues, biotin is usually the go-to. That’s because biotin’s role in protein synthesis, specifically in keratin production, means it’s an essential component of healthy nails and hair 9.
However, while there is some evidence that biotin can reduce hair loss and maintain nail health, more is seen with a biotin deficiency regarding hair and nails.
Evidence shows that up to six months of biotin supplementation can promote hair growth and reduce hair loss while improving hair volume and coverage, thickness, shine, and moisture 10, 11.
As for nail health, biotin’s role in energy metabolism and keratin production could positively impact nail health. And although biotin deficiency is relatively uncommon, symptoms often manifest as dermatological issues dry, scaly skin, rashes, and brittle nails 12.
3. Boosts metabolism
All metabolic processes rely on the presence of certain nutrients to perform their functions - and biotin is one of them. Because of its role as a cofactor for five essential carboxylases - propionyl-CoA carboxylase, methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase, pyruvate carboxylase, and two forms of acetyl-CoA carboxylase - that are involved in gluconeogenesis, fatty acid metabolism, and amino acid catabolism, biotin is essential for maintaining metabolic homeostasis 13. Insufficient biotin intake can disrupt these processes and lead to metabolic dysfunction.
4. Essential for pregnancy
For women of childbearing age or those who are pregnant, the body needs many nutrients. Typically, we hear about things like iron, folate, and omega-3 fatty acids, but biotin is essential for embryonic growth and development.
Some research suggests that low maternal biotin levels during pregnancy increase the risk of preterm labor or fetal growth restriction 14, which means supplementing with an excellent prenatal multivitamin is essential for promoting the proper growth and development of the baby.
5. Regulates blood sugar
Struggle with wonky blood sugar? Have you been diagnosed with pre-diabetes or diabetes? Biotin might come in handy. While blood sugar regulation involves more than just supplementation, research finds that biotin supplementation can lower blood glucose in people with insulin-dependent diabetes.
Compared to the control group, diabetics taking biotin had lower post-prandial glucose levels and better tolerance to glucose and insulin resistance 15.
Similarly, other studies find that biotin stimulates glucokinase activity, increases insulin production, and promotes better glucose uptake in muscle cells to reduce circulating glucose and regulate glucose control 16-18.
When Is The Best Time To Take Biotin?
So, when is the best time to take biotin for optimal benefits?
Although biotin is widely available in foods and can be consumed at any point during the day, if you’re opting for supplementation in something like Performance Lab NutriGenesis Multi to ensure you’re meeting your requirements, there is a recommended time to pop it back.
And while the biotin and the other B vitamins are water soluble, you might assume that you’ll reap maximum benefit by taking it on an empty stomach chased down with a glass of water but hold your fire.
Although that might be fine for some people because the B vitamins dissolve and absorb relatively easily, it doesn’t work for everyone. Taking B vitamins on an empty stomach can cause queasiness for some people, so incorporating them into your meal might be the best solution.
On the other hand, when should you take them during the day? Because of their role in nutrient metabolism and energy production, it’s generally recommended to consume B vitamins in the morning or mid-day and avoid supplementation at night, as it could interfere with sleep.
Either way, there’s no set time that biotin supplementation is ideal, but if taking your multi at night leads to restlessness and disruption, consider popping back your biotin first thing in the A.M. The B vitamins are a group of eight water-soluble nutrients that play critical roles in energy metabolism.
Still, while most of them are known for helping your body convert the food you eat into fuel, there’s one that typically falls into a category of its own: biotin.
Biotin is most well-known for supporting hair, skin, and nail health, but it offers much more. Whether for metabolism and blood sugar or immunity and hair growth, getting enough biotin in your life is essential to support optimal physiological function.
But like most other vitamins, when is the best time to take it? In this article, we’re covering the basics of biotin and when is the best time to supplement to optimize absorption.
References
- Saleem F, Soos MP. Biotin Deficiency. (Updated 2022 Mar 2]). In: StatPearls (Internet). Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547751/
- Perry CA, West AA, Gayle A, et al. Pregnancy and lactation alter biomarkers of biotin metabolism in women consuming a controlled diet. J Nutr. 2014;144(12):1977-1984.
- Bistas KG, Tadi P. Biotin. (Updated 2022 Jul 4). In: StatPearls (Internet). Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554493/
- Hayashi A, Mikami Y, Miyamoto K, et al. Intestinal Dysbiosis and Biotin Deprivation Induce Alopecia through Overgrowth of Lactobacillus murinus in Mice. Cell Rep. 2017;20(7):1513-1524.
- Tong L. Structure and function of biotin-dependent carboxylases. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2013;70(5):863-891.
- Knowles JR. The mechanism of biotin-dependent enzymes. Annu Rev Biochem. 1989;58:195-221.
- Zempleni J. Uptake, localization, and noncarboxylase roles of biotin. Annu Rev Nutr. 2005;25:175-196.
- Agrawal S, Agrawal A, Said HM. Biotin deficiency enhances the inflammatory response of human dendritic cells. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2016;311(3):C386-C391.
- Patel DP, Swink SM, Castelo-Soccio L. A Review of the Use of Biotin for Hair Loss. Skin Appendage Disord. 2017;3(3):166-169.
- Glynis A. A Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Study Evaluating the Efficacy of an Oral Supplement in Women with Self-perceived Thinning Hair. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2012;5(11):28-34.
- Ablon G. A 3-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the ability of an extra-strength marine protein supplement to promote hair growth and decrease shedding in women with self-perceived thinning hair. Dermatol Res Pract. 2015;2015:841570.
- Zempleni J, Wijeratne SS, Hassan YI. Biotin. 2009;35(1):36-46.
- Pacheco-Alvarez D, Solórzano-Vargas RS, Del Río AL. Biotin in metabolism and its relationship to human disease. Arch Med Res. 2002;33(5):439-447.
- Ichihara Y, Suga K, Fukui M, et al. Serum biotin level during pregnancy is associated with fetal growth and preterm delivery. J Med Invest. 2020;67(1.2):170-173.
- Reddi A, DeAngelis B, Frank O, Lasker N, Baker H. Biotin supplementation improves glucose and insulin tolerances in genetically diabetic KK mice. Life Sci. 1988;42(13):1323-1330.
- Wang ZQ, Zhang, XH, Cefalu WT. Chromium picolinate and biotin enhance glycogen synthesis and glycogen synthase gene expression in human skeletal muscle culture. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice. 2000;50:395.
- Dakshinamurti K, Cheah-Tan C. Biotin-mediated synthesis of hepatic glucokinase in the rat. Arch Biochem Biophys. 1968;127(1):17-21.
- Furukawa Y. Nihon Rinsho. 1999;57(10):2261-2269.
