How Long Does Biotin take to Work?

With the current generation obsessed with hair volume, nothing would do better than biotin. So it’s no wonder the supplement is increasingly popular. However, biotin is not only good for your hair; it’s also a key remedy for healthy skin, eye health, nervous system, liver and nails.

Does biotin make you prettier? Unfortunately, nothing proves that vitamin supplements can change your hair, skin or nail appearance. But it is one of the few non-toxic vitamins you can use.

What is biotin?

Biotin, a water-soluble vitamin, breaks down carbohydrates, fats and proteins. It is also crucial for strengthening your skin, hair and nails, among many other important functions.

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Your body is also responsible for producing biotin by bacteria in the gut, although it needs to be ingested as well from your diet. However, some groups of people, such as breastfeeding mothers, chronic alcohol addicts, anyone experiencing malnutrition, and people under certain medications, are at a high risk of losing biotin. In such cases, the best these persons can do is take biotin from supplements to maintain the optimal level for normal body functionality.

How long does biotin take to work?

Biotin, like any other vitamin, has no specific effect time. Instead, different factors determine how long it would take to work and your reason for taking the vitamin. For instance, it can affect your hair and nail growth for months, although it needs lots of consistency for visible results.

If you are taking it for energy support, metabolism and many other interior body functions, biotin may take anywhere from 30 to 90 days. However, it also varies from one individual to another since the human body has different absorption and metabolism rates.

How do you know biotin is working?

The first few weeks of taking biotin might not seem to be effecting any changes, but with consistent usage, you may notice changes gradually. You may, therefore, notice changes in your hair volume from the third month of using biotin, while in other people, it may go as far as four months before seeing any results.

Many other results you may check for include:

Boost in the overall body energy

Biotin deficiency comes with fatigue feelings and many other effects. But once the vitamin kicks in the body, you’ll notice you have a bit more energy and feel less fatigued.

Stronger nails

Biotin plays a key role in strengthening your nails. So one of the signs that it is indeed working as expected is if you notice your nails are more brittle and less likely to break.

Healthier skin

Biotin also plays an essential role in the general health of your skin. This means as soon as it's effective, your skin will look less dry and more radiated.

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However, you must remember that each of these results will only be visible three to four months after you start taking biotin.

How long can you stay on biotin?

Biotin’s solubility means it is hardly stored in the body. Instead, it is excreted through urine. This means there is no specific time frame to stop the intake. In addition, it is a non-toxic vitamin, so you can take it for a long time.

However, it’s good to know that despite being non-toxic, a high dosage of biotin can be quite risky for your body. So you may want to consult with a doctor before starting your biotin intake.

Ideally, you can also stop taking biotin when you have achieved your desired effects. For instance, if you are using it for hair growth, you should check the volume in 90 or 120 days and then compare it with when you started it.

Why you should not exceed the recommended dosage for biotin intake

It’s possible to overdose on biotin if you need fast results that you are not seeing yet or if you no longer need it but don’t want to waste the product. So, according to the National Institute of Health and Care Research, biotin has no evidential toxicity.

However, the problem arises when your doctor needs to take some tests to diagnose your body. Excessive biotin can affect other lab results, so the doctor could miss something important. Advisably, in such a case, the best you can do is be vocal enough and talk out about your biotin overdose so that when making their diagnosis, the doctors can be ready for possible abnormalities or hidden effects in your results.

How to take biotin supplements?

Biotin supplements are available in different forms, from capsules, biotin gummies, tablets and in liquid form. Here are some tips to guide you on how to enjoy your biotin intake.

Stick to the recommended dosage

Biotin doses vary depending on the available milligrams per dose. So, it is best to take the vitamin in the recommended dosage for total effectiveness.

Be consistent

You want to be consistent with your biotin intake if you need actual and fast results. As much as it may take a while to see any effects, consistency is a key factor for positive results.

Take with meals

The human body varies from individual to individual, and so is the absorption rate of biotin to your bloodstream. This means the faster the absorption, the faster the results, so it is best to take biotin with your meals for immediate absorption. Whether it’s a tablet, capsule or liquid, this way, you can be sure of immediate absorption into the body.

Consult a professional doctor

It’s possible to use biotin and fail to see any results. In such a case, you’d want to speak to a healthcare provider who can run some checks on you for possible underlying conditions that might be hindering biotin effects on you. But, of course, this also means you’ll be directed to buy a safe and appropriate supplement.

Final Wrap

It's important to note that biotin is not a quick fix, so you won’t expect it to work overnight. You need to be consistent while allowing sufficient time for its effects to kick in. Remember, it's between three to four months, after which you can switch the supplement if you don’t have any visible changes.