Does biotin cause high blood sugar?

Biotin is vitamin B7 that is one member of the family of B Vitamins. It has a wide ranging affect for metabolism in humans and other organisms. It has great relation for using amino acids, carbs and fats. It’s also called Vitamin H.

Biotin is great recommendation for strong hair and nails in a human body. No wonder it’s found in many cosmetic products for hair and skin. It’s a water soluble vitamin and does not get stored in the body. So it’s outsourced from different foods to complete biotin replenishment for a human body. Remember that bacteria in the intestine can make biotin to fulfil the body needs. 

For academic interest, the word biotin comes from Greek word “bios” (means, to live) and “in” (a suffix in organic chemistry). 

1. Biotin – necessary for human body

For a human body, biotin is a need for functioning of enzymes that is called carboxylases. They are integral for metabolic functions, and producing fatty acids plus glucose.

1. Deficiency of biotin

Pregnant women and people with high consumption of alcohol can develop its deficiency. Otherwise, it’s a rare phenomenon someone with deficiency for biotin.

Raw egg can also get you a deficiency in biotin. White of an egg contains avidin, that is a protein that binds to biotin thus preventing its absorption in the body. It’s interesting that cooking an egg will dysfunction avidin. So it becomes healthy for human consumption.

1. Can biotin cause high blood sugar?

Type2 diabetes

In people with type 2 diabetes, biotin seems to have little effect on blood sugar levels. However, there is evidence that a combination of biotin and chromium can help people with diabetes. It will help people having trouble controlling blood sugar through prescribed medication.

For type-2 diabetic patient’s biotin is found to have lowered inflammation in injury. On the other hand it improved their levels of glucose and triglyceride.

Study case

A clinical trial showed that 43 patients with type 2 diabetes had lower serum biotin levels than stable people without diabetes. After two months of supplementation with a quantity of 3 mg biotin, three times a day, glucose levels were found normal. 

Furthermore, five participants who took biotin for four years retained their benefits.

In another study, type-2 diabetics were given 15 mg of biotin per day for 28 days. This dose reduced elevated triglyceride levels but had little effect on glucose or insulin levels.

Another study states that there was a long-term treatment with high-dose biotin. It minimized symptoms of diabetes-related nerve pain in the people.

Controlling glucose

Biotin and chromium are believed to have a synergistic influence.

Placebo-controlled trials showed that taking 600 micrograms of chromium plus 2 mg of biotin a day improved blood glucose regulation, triglyceride levels, and other lipid levels.

Biotin aids in the digestion of glucose.  Biotin in high doses has been proposed as a way to counteract some of the harmful effects. Like chronic low insulin level on glucose metabolism.

Type1 diabetes study case

In a study case, people with type 1 diabetes were given 16 mg or biotin per day x 7 days. This saw their fasting sugar level drop y by 50%. 

This encouraged the doctors who went a step ahead and gave people a biotin dosage of 2-4 mg per day. Dose intake was based on their body weight. Nonetheless, after three months people saw the positive change in blood sugar management and blood lipid levels in a placebo controlled experiment.

Some doctors advise taking 16 mg of biotin a day for a few weeks to see if blood sugar levels drop. Biotin can also help to relieve pain caused by diabetic nerve injury, according to neuropathy case studies. 

1. Optional daily allowance

Biotin may be taken between 30 and 100 micrograms per day for adults. You can get biotin from egg yolk, organ meats like liver and kidney. In dry fruits like nuts, almonds, pecans etc. further you can find it soybean, legumes, nut butters, whole grains and cereals, bananas and mushrooms etc.

Biotin may be inactive by food processing methods like frying, but fresh or less-processed forms of these foods produce more active biotin.

1. Health Benefits and functions of Biotin

Biotin plays a great role in the body and that includes most prominent functions like:

Fragmenting macro-nutrients

Biotin is an essential for converting food into energy by supporting a variety of enzymes involved in the breakdown of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

Biotin is used in the following processes:

• Gluconeogenesis: is a procedure for producing glucose from non-carbohydrate foods, such as amino acids. And, biotin-containing enzymes assisting throughout this process.
• Amino acid break-down:  This a process where biotin-rich enzymes will participate in the metabolism of several important amino acids, including leucine.
• Fatty acid synthesis: here, biotin will assist enzymes that may be activating reactions. These reactions are vital for productions of fatty acids.

Supporting nail health

Deficiency of biotin may cause brittle nails that quickly snap and break away. Don’t worry, start taking biotin supplements that will help remove this deficiency. 

Changing one's diet and other lifestyle factors can help improve nail hygiene.

Cradle Cap (Seborrheic Dermatitis)

This scaly scalp syndrome is common in infants, for not getting sufficient biotin. Nor this syndrome can be overcome by Biotin supplements, whether in formula or breast milk. Breastfeeding mothers should consult a doc before taking vitamins, herbs and supplements. 

Diabetes

Biotin has been observed with having effects on type2 diabetics. It is primarily due to combination of biotin and chromium. Biotin needs a great study to understand if it has more benefits for diabetic and other conditions.

Peripheral Neuropathy

Biotin supplements have shown positive results on certain patients with peripheral neuropathy. This condition comes from diabetes or kidney failure.  

Peripheral neuropathy can affect your feet, wrists, limbs, thighs, arms, etc.  It’s a great news for patients with such conditions that biotin can help them fight such diseases. Furthermore, you can get symptoms like limb numbness, burning, discomfort, fatigue, etc. and difficulty in walking. 

Reviving Taste Buds

Some studies suggest that biotin may help in restoring your taste sense.  This may be possible by taking supplementary diet of 10-20 mg of biotin to produce such effects. Nonetheless, more search is still going on to find out what more health benefits biotin can give.

Increasing hair health

Diets have big impact on the wellbeing of your skin and hairs. Eggs, Brazil nuts, and fatty fish, for example, are all good for healthy hair and their hygiene.

Biotin is great for hair products that appear to promote cleaner, stronger hair. Hair loss may be caused by a lack of biotin, indicating that the vitamin is essential for hair growth. An addition of zinc with biotin via oral intake, can improve hair life and health.

Supporting pregnancy and breastfeeding

Women who are pregnant or lactating require a lot of biotin. Low biotin levels are normal during breastfeeding. This can be possible despite the rarity of biotin deficiency.

In reality, it's estimated that half of all pregnant women in the United States have a moderate biotin deficiency. 

As per health experts pregnant women are more likely to have this deficiency as body breaks down the vitamin, quickly. This results for a pregnant woman getting more biotin, from her diet or from supplements.

Biotin is important for embryonic growth and that makes it a crucial nutrient during pregnancy.

1. Decreasing blood sugar in people with diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder marked by high blood sugar levels and decreased insulin activity. Biotin deficiency can cause significant problems with blood sugar control. 

According to some facts, people with diabetes have lower blood biotin levels. So, the supplements containing biotin and chromium picolinate help prevent insulin resistance.

We have also tested biotin supplements to see how they may affect blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. This evidence is mixed. Some studies show that combining biotin and chromium picolinate can aid in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Enhancing skin health

Researchers did not fully understand biotin's functions for preserving healthy skin. As far as biotins are concerned, their deficiency can cause skin problems such as red, scaly rashes. It can help get you with psoriasis. 

The vitamin's impact on the skin maybe because of its role in fat metabolism. This is vital for preserving healthy skin. It can hamper people having low biotin levels. 

There's no proof that biotin can improve skin health in individuals who don't have a deficiency.

Over dosage of biotin

Overdosing of biotin is like taking more than the prescribed amount or what you get from cooking.

So, may have seen reports about people taking a high dose of biotin supplements, resulting in negative effects. Most people get enough biotin from their regular diet. Until your doctor tells you otherwise, you shouldn't take biotin supplements.

Its worst side effect can create false positives in lab tests for your thyroid disease. 

Conclusion

Every day your body produces enough biotin on its own, which comes from the food you eat, every day. As a result, you can only take biotin supplements if your doctor recommends it otherwise don’t. 

Some people need biotin regularly because of certain health conditions. They should not miss out on their daily dose.

In view of all data, info, research there’s no credible evidence that may confirm that biotin can cause high blood sugar. There are certain case studies which show that biotin has been helpful in reducing the blood sugar level. Biotin, on a small scale, has benefits for lowering blood sugar levels for both, type1 and type2 diabetics.