You may well have already heard of biotin, which has been hailed as a miracle solution for male hair growth but it’s unlikely that you will know exactly what the vitamin can do. Biotin is a soluble B vitamin, which is essential for helping your body to metabolize protein and carbohydrates, and also plays a key role in the health of your hair and skin. One of the known biotin benefits is that it can help to grow thicker and stronger hair.
Most men can get all of the biotins they need on a daily basis from having a healthy, balanced diet. Biotin rich foods it is essential to ensure you include in your diet are liver, egg yolks, almonds, and raw vegetables such as spinach, mushrooms, and cauliflower.
If you don’t have a balanced diet, or you don’t enjoy many biotin-rich foods on a regular basis, then biotin is a perfectly safe supplement for both men and women to take to improve the quality of their hair and skin health, provided it is taken in the right doses. These hair gummies from Yumi Nutrition are a tasty way to get your daily dose of biotin. Here we examine the benefits of biotin for male hair growth, particularly if you are struggling with thinning hair:
Biotin Benefits for Men Hair Growth
Hair loss is a very common problem for men, particularly as we age. In fact, noticeable hair loss in some form affects over 40% of all men over the age of 35, and this figure increases to 65% in men over the age of 60, and an incredible 80% of men over the age of 80.
If you are experiencing hair loss, then you will be aware that there are many different reasons for the condition to develop. Identifying yours is one of the best ways of ensuring you target an appropriate treatment.
While biotin can encourage hair growth, the supplement won’t be as effective for all types of hair loss. For example, if your hair loss is a result of a biotin deficiency then introducing a biotin supplement to your diet is likely to have an immediate and restorative effect. An easy to spot a telltale sign that you are suffering from a biotin deficiency is that your nails are thin, brittle, and break very easily. However, the condition is relatively rare.
However, if your hair loss is a result of more common male pattern baldness then there is no scientific evidence to suggest that adding extra biotin to her diet will help to treat the root cause of the problem. This is because the root causes of male pattern baldness are genetic and hormonal, which cannot be reversed with a vitamin supplement.
Struggling with male pattern baldness? This doesn’t mean that it’s a bad idea to add a biotin supplement to your diet. Biotin will help to improve the strength and condition of your existing hair, which will create the illusion of hair that is thicker and fuller.
Double-blind studies have shown that biotin is effective at helping men with thinning hair to speed up and increase the rate of their hair growth. This will minimize the impact of your regular shedding and will certainly make your hair look fuller and healthier. What’s more, because biotin is non-toxic, it won’t cause any damage to your organs if you choose to take it, meaning that you have nothing to lose in giving it a try!
Biotin Side Effects for Men
It is important to note that while biotin supplements are safe, it is possible to ingest too much biotin and this could have negative and serious side effects on your overall health and wellbeing. Some of the side effects of taking too much of the supplement include:
- A red and itchy rash appearing on your body, particularly on your throat and chest. A fast-spreading rash or skin allergy could have a potentially life-threatening impact because in very rare cases it could lead to the respiratory disorder Anaphylaxis. As a result, if you experience a rash when taking biotin then it’s important to stop taking the supplement and seek medical advice immediately.
- Some users also experience nausea, particularly when they first begin taking biotin. Your initial mild nausea should diminish or disappear over time but, if it doesn’t, it could well be a sign that you are taking too much biotin.
- Taking too much biotin can also lead to raised blood glucose levels. One of the effects Biotin has on your body is to increase the number of fatty acids it contains and these acids, in turn, are turned into glucose. Normally this is not a problem but if you suffer.
- Finally, other less serious and relatively uncommon side effects to look out for include: increased thirst and dry mouth, disturbed sleep patterns and increased need to urinate.
So how much is too much? Well, the general daily recommended dosage of biotin is 2.5 mg (or 2,500 mcg) if you wish to receive the benefits of the supplement without any unwanted side effects. Any supplement boasting higher quantities of biotin than this should be approached with caution.
When taking biotin, always ingest it with plenty of water. Because biotin is a water-soluble vitamin, this will help to reduce your risk of experiencing any adverse side effects
Conclusion
It is perfectly safe for men to take biotin supplements to encourage hair growth and prevent hair loss, provided you are careful to take the correct dose. While the supplement can’t reverse the impact of male pattern baldness, Biotin has very real, and fully researched, benefits in improving hair growth rates, as well as in making your hair look and feel stronger and healthier.
As a result, if you have thinning hair then there is indeed no harm in adding a biotin supplement to your diet for its hair growth benefits.
