Biotin

Biotin doses compared with the NRV

The EU nutrient reference value for biotin is 50 µg. Supplements are sold at many times that amount, so the % NRV on biotin labels runs into the thousands.

Check how the daily dose is made up. One of our 5000 µg tablets is meant to be split, with half a tablet (2500 µg) as the daily dose.

Biotin alone or in a hair formula

In a combined formula each nutrient has its own line and % NRV on the label. If you also take a separate zinc or selenium product, add the amounts together. Combined formulas for hair, skin and nails are collected on a separate page: hair vitamins.

Biotin in food and in supplements

The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements lists organ meats, eggs, fish, meat, seeds, nuts and some vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, among the food sources of biotin. It also notes that raw egg white contains avidin, a protein that binds biotin and stops it being absorbed; cooking the egg prevents this. Supplements contain D-biotin, the same form found in food.

Reading a biotin label

Look for three lines: the biotin in µg per daily dose, its % NRV, and the number of capsules or tablets that make up the dose. In a combined formula, check the % NRV of every other nutrient too. Some labels say vitamin H or vitamin B7 instead of biotin; it is the same vitamin.

Biotin and laboratory tests

The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements points out that high biotin intakes can interfere with some laboratory tests that use biotin-streptavidin technology, giving falsely high or falsely low results. If you are due for a blood test, tell the doctor or laboratory that you take biotin.

EU health claims for biotin

Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 permits these statements for products that provide at least 15% of the NRV per daily dose:

• Biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal hair.
• Biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal skin.
• Biotin contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.

The wording of the claims is the same whether a product contains 300 µg or 5000 µg.

How long a pack lasts

Most biotin products in this category are one capsule or tablet a day, so a pack of 100 lasts 100 days. The exception is the split tablet: 60 tablets taken as half a tablet a day last 120 days. Compare the price per day rather than the pack price.

Questions

Is biotin the same as vitamin B7?

Yes. Biotin, vitamin B7 and vitamin H are names for the same vitamin. Supplements use the D-biotin form.

How should I take biotin?

Take the daily dose on the label, usually one capsule or tablet, with a glass of water. Biotin dissolves in water, so it does not need a fatty meal, and the time of day is up to you. If your product is the split tablet, break it along the score line and keep the second half for the next day.

Which dose should I pick?

All doses in this category are well above the NRV. NIH ODS notes that no upper limit has been set for biotin, but that is not a reason to exceed the label. Choose by dose, format and price per day, and stay within the daily dose on the label.

Can I take biotin with a B-complex?

Many B-complex products already contain biotin. Add the biotin from both products and keep to the daily doses on the labels. Our B-complex products list the biotin amount on the label.

Capsule or tablet?

Both contain the same D-biotin. Tablets can sometimes be split; capsules cannot.

Is biotin suitable for vegans?

The biotin itself is not of animal origin, but a capsule shell can be gelatin. If this matters to you, look for the vegan mark on the label.

Sources

• Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex XIII (reference intakes)
• Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 (permitted health claims)
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Biotin fact sheet
• EFSA: Health claims

Content reviewed by Inese Kalniņa, dietitian.

2026-07-26