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Biotin deficiency - signs, effects and prevention
- The body can not produce biotin itself, but we absorb it via the food.
- Biotin is necessary for various body functions such as nervous system, metabolism, skin and hair.
- Biotin deficiency therefore leads to a variety of symptoms.
- Biotin deficiency can be cured by adding vitamin B 7.
contents
- How does biotin work??
- Who is threatened by biotin deficiency??
- symptoms
- The "Egg White Injury"
- Biotin deficiency in pregnant women
- Biotin for prevention
- When do we talk about biotin deficiency??
- How is biotin deficiency??
- Identify biotin deficiency yourself?
- treatment
- Prevent biotin deficiency
- Which foods contain a lot of biotin?
- Biotin capsules for the beauty?
How does biotin work??
Without biotin we can barely convert fatty acids, amino acids and glucose. So when we absorb fat, proteins and carbohydrates with food, they can not be converted into the "fuel" for the body and the brain without biotin. Biotin also plays a vital role in building hair and skin. Hence the old name: Vitamin H.
Biotin dissolves in the water, it flows with the blood, and we excrete the excess amounts with the urine. So there is no biotin storage in the body and we have to keep feeding the vitamin again and again.
Biotin is essential for fat metabolism and for protein and carbohydrate balance in the body. It is also an important vitamin for skin and hair - hence the name vitamin H. (Image: Микола Ковальчинськи / fotolia.com) Who is threatened by biotin deficiency??
Biotin deficiency rarely occurs. An increased risk exists in people who take long-lasting remedies for convulsions or antibiotics and people who suffer from digestive diseases such as Crohn's disease or the Leaky-Gut syndrome. It also often affects people who generally suffer from malnutrition and inadequate nutrition through inadequate or one-sided diets.
senior citizens
Older people often eat less. You should therefore take special care to absorb enough biotin. Especially older people often do not notice a biotin deficiency, because their guiding symptoms such as dry skin and hair loss or physical exhaustion are also typical manifestations of the aging body.
athlete
If you do a lot of sports and / or stress, you need more biotin to repair the cells. If there is still a lack of sleep and mental stress, the need increases even more and it is easy to a lack of the vitamin.
Cigarettes and alcohol
Smoking lowers biotin levels, alcohol interferes with digestion. Both drugs thus lead to a higher need for biotin.
If you do a lot of sports or are stressed out, you need more biotin to repair the cells. If there is still a lack of sleep and additional mental stress, the demand increases even more and there is a slight lack of vitamin H. (Image: Robert Kneschke / fotolia.com) symptoms
The first external symptoms of a biotin deficiency are dry skin, brittle hair, hair loss and thinning hair. Hair is discolored. There are also problems with digestion, poor performance, cognitive complaints, anemia, mental instability and lack of appetite. Increased infections as a result of the weakened immune system may also indicate biotin deficiency. Often sufferers suffer from depression, associated with insomnia. A red skin rash can form around the eye, mouth and genitals. Visual disturbances occur and the urine changes its smell. As proteins are no longer transformed, muscle pain such as sore muscles, muscle cramps, nerve damage, and neuronal pain, prickles in the limbs, often accompanied by numbness.
Longer-term biotin deficiency is serious: permanent psychological damage can be the result, as well as permanent hearing loss. Developmental disorders sometimes occur in children; pregnant women may have birth defects of the newborn.
Although physical development is complete in adults, the organism must regenerate and protect the cells and metabolism. Because biotin acts on the whole organism, the described symptoms affect different parts of the body: blood, tissue, brain, skin, hair and nerves.
blood pressure
A lack of biotin leads to low blood pressure. If their blood pressure is already too low, the waste can cause the brain is not supplied with oxygen: they lose consciousness.
body tissues
Vitamin B 7 controls cell growth. Without biotin, the tissue weakens and / or changes.
hair
Biotin plays a vital role in the growth and growth of hair and nails. If it is missing, the hair structure crumbles, hair becomes brittle, thin and fall out. Nails become brittle and tear. The hair is bleaching out.
Biotin plays a vital role in the growth and growth of hair and nails. If it is missing, the hair structure crumbles, hair becomes brittle, thin and fall out. (Image: DDRockstar / fotolia.com) skin
Biotin is the vitamin for skin and hair. Without vitamin B 7, the skin becomes pale, reddening and shingles, swells, itches and can hardly ward off infections. Wounds heal slower. The mucous membranes also dry up and become inflamed.
immune system
A biotin deficiency has a negative effect on the immune system. Fungi and bacteria can easily invade and cause disease.
capacity
Biotin deficiency leads to a general decrease in performance, both physically and mentally: Affected feel chronically exhausted, knocked off and demotivated. Mentally, this often goes hand in hand with depressive moods.
The nervous system
Long-term biotin deficiency suffers the nervous system - it comes to paralysis and seizure-like convulsions.
Metabolic activity
Biotin contributes to the formation of metabolic enzymes. If it is missing, then nutrients are no longer sufficiently implemented. A sudden and rapid weight loss is the result.
Symptoms in children
In children, the symptoms are different than in adults, since biotin participates in cell division and thus affects the development of the body. In embryos, infants and toddlers, a biotin deficiency is much more dangerous than in adults. Genetic biotin deficiency is closely related to autistic behavior. Infants who suffer from severe biotin deficiency can hardly develop mentally or physically.
Like adults, children get metabolic disorders if they lack biotin. The disorders of the nervous system also lead to cramps in children, but can also delay the development in the adolescent body. Hair and skin show the same symptoms as in adults.
Caution: In embryos and small children biotin deficiency can also lead to permanent hearing loss and poor eyesight.
In children, the symptoms are different than in adults, as the development of the body is affected. For example, in embryos and infants, biotin deficiency can lead to permanent hearing loss and poor eyesight. (Image: Robert Przybysz / fotolia.com) The "Egg White Injury"
Biotin was discovered when researchers investigated a disease that occurred after eating raw eggs. The victims suffered from hair loss, skin rash and nerve disorders. In the liver, the scientists found the substance known today as biotin. In uncooked eggs avidin, one of the proteins in the protein, binds the vitamin B 7 and the body empties out.
Biotin deficiency in pregnant women
Every second pregnant woman has low biotin levels. This is because the growing fetus has a high demand for vitamin B 7 because it is necessary for the division of the cells. Most of the women with low scores show no symptoms of a biotin deficiency. But beware: birth defects can occur. With a supply of vitamin supplements, the level rises quickly again.
Biotin for prevention
A balanced biotin level prevents brittle nails, at least when we take the effective therapies of horse hoof disease as a basis. It reduces the risk of diabetes, hair loss and heart disease, promotes wound healing and strengthens the nervous system.
When do we talk about biotin deficiency??
A lack of the "skin and hair vitamin" is gradual and therefore often goes unnoticed. At less than 0.1 micrograms per liter of body fluid, we speak of a biotin deficiency that requires medical attention. At less than 0.199 micrograms there is an undersupply that may need to be treated, at around 0.6 micrograms the biotin level is good.
How is biotin deficiency??
Biotin levels depend on nutritional content, individual needs, intake through the body and possible diseases. The body does not produce biotin, so we have to feed it. Biotin deficiency is often the result of one-sided diets, eating disorders such as bulimia or anorexia, and it occurs in bodybuilders who swallow raw eggs and thus bind the vitamin.
The daily requirement for adults is 30 to 60 micrograms, but increases by pregnancy, breastfeeding, exercise, physical activity, stress or smoking. In digestive complaints, the body does not absorb sufficient amounts of vitamin B 7, in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, a biotinidase deficiency genetically caused biotin is either poorly absorbed or insufficiently transported. Kidney weakness and excessive urinary frequency cause the body increasingly biotin excreted.
Unwanted consequences after pregnancy
Some women complain that after childbirth and breastfeeding their hair gets thinner. Cause is often an undersupply of biotin at this time. The good news: Even if the hair thinning or even fail, this can be reversed by balancing the biotin level.
Identify biotin deficiency yourself?
You can hardly recognize a biotin deficiency yourself. The symptoms can have various other causes, especially other deficiencies of minerals and vital substances. If you suspect a deficiency in biotin or other substances, then seek medical attention. In this case, both the blood and the urine is usually examined. If biotin levels in both body fluids are too low, that is a sure sign.
treatment
Biotin deficiency can be corrected by adding biotin. For this the doctor administers capsules, tablets or injections. Injections are only necessary if there is a severe shortage.
Prevent biotin deficiency
Biotin deficiency is relatively rare, as people who eat a well-balanced diet and do not suffer from specific illnesses consume enough vitamin B 7 to eat. Favorable are nuts, wholemeal cereals, vegetables, yeast, seafood and offal. Avoid raw eggs, also in the form of egg white. Reduce smoking. Cigarette smoke causes more biotin to be eliminated from the urine. A healthy lifestyle also prevents biotin deficiency. Relax, sleep well, and do not overload yourself physically.
Unlike other vitamins, Biotin has no overdose problem because B7 leaves the body with urine when it is not needed. In this respect, there are no problems if you take preventive biotin supplements.
Biotin deficiency is relatively rare in a balanced diet because eating enough vitamin B 7 is absorbed. Conveniently z. Nuts, wholemeal cereals, vegetables, yeast, seafood and offal. (Image: airborne77 / fotolia.com) Which foods contain a lot of biotin?
Biotin is particularly present in dry yeast, soybeans, oatmeal, walnuts, wild rice, spinach, cauliflower, avocado, mushrooms, tomatoes, raspberries, bananas, milk, beef liver and kidneys, and egg yolks.
Biotin capsules for the beauty?
In recent years, the market for biotin capsules has boomed to make hair shine and strengthen nails. This is not wrong: Biotin helps if the hair becomes brittle and loses its shine or fails. But do not believe in the quack promise from the miracle cure. Your hair does not shine with additional biotin beyond the normal level - for a simple reason: With Biotinkapseln compensate for an existing biotin deficiency. However, excess vitamin B 7 does not make for even more gorgeous hair or even nicer nails, but leaves your body on the toilet. (Dr. Utz Anhalt)
Specialist supervision: Barbara Schindewolf-Lensch (doctor)