Biotin, referred to as Vitamin H, is part of the Vitamin B complex group which was discovered by the deficiency symptoms created through consuming large amounts (about 30 percent of the diet) of raw eggs. Avidin, a protein and carbohydrate molecule in the egg white, binds with biotin in the stomach and decreases its absorption. Cooking destroys the avidin, so the only concern about this interaction is with raw egg consumption. Otherwise, biotin is one of the most stable of the B vitamins.

It is hard to obtain enough biotin from the diet. Luckily, our friendly intestinal bacteria (lactobacillin) produce biotin. Biotin is needed for fat production and in the synthesis of fatty acids. It also helps incorporate amino acids into protein and facilitates the synthesis of the pyrimidines, part of nucleic acids, and therefore helps the formation of DNA and RNA.

Biotin forms part of several enzyme systems and is necessary for normal growth and body function. It helps in the synthesis of fatty acids, in energy metabolism, and in the synthesis of amino acids and glucose. Promotes normal health of sweat glands, bone marrow, male gonads, blood cells, nerve tissue, skin, hair.

Vitamin H is used in cell growth, the production of fatty acids, metabolism of fats, and proteins. It plays a role in the Kreb cycle, which is the process in which energy is released from food. Biotin is also indicated for healthy hair and skin, healthy sweat glands, nerve tissue, and bone marrow, and assisting with muscle pain. Vitamin H not only assists in various metabolic chemical conversions, but also helps with the transfer of carbon dioxide. Biotin is also helpful in maintaining a steady blood sugar level.

Although a shortage of Biotin is very rare, it can happen and may result in dry scaly skin, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, mental depression as well as tongue inflammation and high cholesterol, alopecia, anemia, anorexia, dry scaly dermatitis, fatigue, glossitis, hypercholesterolemia, loss of taste, myalgia, nausea, pallor, panic, skin disorders, sleepiness, smooth and pale tongue.

Bodybuilders and athletes consuming raw eggs should be careful of not running into a biotin shortage, since raw eggs contain avidin, which binds with the biotin, making it impossible to be absorbed by the body. Long-term users of antibiotics may also have to look at their biotin levels.

Biotin is present in cheese, beef liver, cauliflower, eggs, mushrooms, chicken breasts, salmon, spinach, brewer's yeast, nuts and can be manufactured in the body should a small shortfall occur.

Biotin should be taken with the B-group vitamins, but Vitamin C, Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), Vitamin B12 and sulfur are good companions to it. A tricologist wil sometimes add biotin to the diet of a patient suffering from alopecia, to help with severe hair loss, but it must be in the right quantities to satisfy the inter-dependence of other nutrients,such as those found in hair, skin and nail supplements.

It seems that biotin may affect hair color, together with PABA, folic acid and pantothenic acid. Some research had varying results with biotin supplements in returning hair to it original color. This has proved only successful to a limited degree and only when natural vitamins were used, as the synthetic vitamins did not influence the results very much.