TLDR:

Biotin supports your skin, hair, and eyes. It also has a role in things like pregnancy.If you wanted to get it naturally, you can find biotin in egg yolk, nuts, and mushrooms. 

Biotin is a common ingredient featured in products used daily, like shampoo and skincare. It goes by a few names, so you may see it labelled as vitamin B7 or vitamin H as well. If you fancy a more medical view on biotin, then this article from the US Institute of Medicine makes for a pretty comprehensive read. 

So biotin is one of the eight B vitamins’. This group of vitamins are all water soluble and act as coenzymes, meaning they help enzymes in the body perform more efficiently and help you convert food into energy. It's also a crucial nutrient during pregnancy, as it’s important for embryonic growth. 

Because it is a water soluble vitamin our bodies don’t store it so keeping it topped up through supplementation or diet is the best practice! It's available from various foods, including eggs, fish, seeds, bananas, and nuts. There is a lot of discourse and studies that show food-processing techniques (like boiling) can cause the biotin to be less effective, so some people feel raw or less-processed versions of these foods can contain more biotin.

That being said, don’t worry too much about that kind of stuff – a good amount of fruit and veg as part of a balanced diet is always going to be better for you than stressing out about how everything you eat is cooked.

As we always say, if you are concerned about these things, then it is always good to speak to a professional!

As we always say, if you are concerned about these things then it is always good to speak to a professional!

Cold hard facts

The European Food Safety Authority are pretty strict when it comes to what you can claim a vitamin or mineral does for the body.
As it relates to biotin, this is what can be said.

• Biotin contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
• Biotin contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system.
• Biotin contributes to normal macronutrient metabolism.
• Biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal hair.
• Biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal mucous membranes.
• Biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal skin.
• Biotin contributes to normal psychological function.

Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to biotin pt.1 
Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to biotin pt.2