From luxurious hair oils and masks, to spas dedicated entirely to scalp health—it’s certainly the era of healthy tresses. Amid our hair-care culture, there’s lots of buzz around the best biotin supplements and other vitamins to promote healthy hair, skin, and nails. But can a megadose of biotin really lead to Rapunzel-like growth and length?
Well, the answer isn’t so clear-cut. “Biotin is essential for hair and nail growth; biotin deficiency, in fact, can lead to hair loss and brittle nails,” says Carmen Castilla, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. However, it’s pretty uncommon to have a biotin deficiency, and “there is no strong scientific evidence to support the idea that biotin supplementation improves hair or nail growth in individuals who are not biotin deficient.” biotic hair growth
That said, if you are deficient—which, albeit uncommon, isn’t impossible (in fact, it’s pretty common during pregnancy)—then a biotin supplement may be able to help. Most importantly: Chat with your doctor before adding any new supplement to your regimen. If you do get the go-ahead, below, we’ve gathered information on the benefits of biotin, how to use it properly, and the eight best supplement options to try.
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Biotin, a.k.a. vitamin B7, is your body’s energy converter, turning carbs, fats, and proteins into fuel, says Hernandez. “But unless you’re truly deficient or consuming raw eggs (this blocks biotin absorption), popping extra biotin via supplementation may not be necessary.”
That said, for individuals who don’t get an adequate amount of biotin in their diets or have a deficiency for any reason, supplementation may be a helpful way to bridge the gap. Although most data suggests that nutritional biotin deficiencies are pretty rare, approximately half of healthy pregnant women may have marginal biotin deficiency.
There are some instances of hereditary biotin deficiencies, and “these can cause severe medical issues and are typically diagnosed in infancy,” says Castilla. “Certain medications can lead to relative biotin deficiencies as well—most commonly anti-seizure medications.”
Biotin is essential for hair and nail growth, and that simple fact is likely why it’s become such a buzz-worthy beauty supplement. “But the science isn’t as clear-cut,” says Hernandez. “While it can help in specific cases, like brittle nail syndrome or certain types of alopecia, the evidence for its overall benefits is mixed.”
Most people get an adequate amount of this key vitamin through their diets alone, and for healthy people without a biotin deficiency, “supplements are unlikely to grow your hair longer or make your nails stronger, despite the marketing hype,” she says. But for anyone experiencing hair loss or thinning, brittle nails, or similar issues, it’s worth asking your doctor if supplementing with biotin, or any other vitamin, might be the right choice for your body.
Adults need 30 micrograms (mcg) of biotin daily to reach adequate intake, and the average diet provides 35 to 70 mcg, explains Hernandez. This important vitamin is naturally found in a wide variety of foods like eggs, dark leafy greens, fish, avocados, sweet potatoes, legumes, and nuts and seeds.
Most biotin supplements contain at least 2,000 mcg—well over the daily requirement—and some supplements have doses upwards of 10,000 mcg. While these can be beneficial to some individuals, it can be unnecessary for others.
Of course, everyone’s individual needs are different, and it’s important to keep that in mind for anyone considering supplementation, says Lee.
In general, it’s best to get biotin by eating a well-balanced diet. However, for those who need to supplement for any number of reasons, Hernandez says that magnesium biotinate is the superior choice. “It’s 40 times more soluble than D-biotin; it absorbs better, works faster, and is safe for boosting biotin levels,” she says.
As for powder versus capsules versus gummies, there isn’t any major difference when it comes to absorption, but most nutritionists will recommend opting for a capsule or unflavored powder over gummies, to minimize unnecessary added sugar in your diet.
While several studies have found no adverse effects of 10,000 to 50,000 mcg of biotin per day, it’s important to note that biotin supplementation, especially at high doses, can interfere with certain blood work and lab testing. “Most commonly affected tests are thyroid tests and heart attack marker tests. Biotin can interfere with blood marker tests commonly used to diagnose a heart attack, potentially affecting your doctor’s ability to make an accurate diagnosis,” says Castilla.
What’s more: In some cases, when people take excessive amounts of biotin unnecessarily, “that B7 actually starts to wipe out your vitamin B5 production, which leads to more oily skin and breakouts,” says Lee.
Most importantly: “Really tune into your body and pay attention to your own individual needs, then lean into that,” says Lee.
Consider what purpose this supplement will serve in your well-being journey. Are you trying to support healthy nail growth? Address hair loss? Bridge a nutritional gap? From there, look for a biotin supplement that has the proper dosage and complementary ingredients necessary to support your health goals.
As with any supplement, there are some key factors to consider when choosing the best biotin, says Hernandez. For one, look for third-party testing and a decent amount of clinical research to back them.
And remember: Just because you’ve seen your favorite influencer post about it, that doesn’t mean biotin is the best choice for you. “It doesn’t make sense for someone who generally has thick, strong hair and nails to just take biotin,” says Lee, adding that there’s rarely a one-size-fits-all magic pill, and the important thing is to pay attention to the clues your body is giving you (whether that’s thinning hair or brittle nails) and chat with your doctor to determine the best plan for your health.
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