Biotin

Clinical Studies
References


Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin that helps with energy metabolism, fatty acid and nucleic acid synthesis and acts as a coenzyme in the metabolism of protein, fats and carbohydrates. It may be beneficial in hair loss, brittle nails, diabetes, seborrheic dermatitis and malnutrition.

Published Clinical Studies
Biotin

• Brittle nails: response to daily biotin supplementation.
• Biotin for diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
• Marginal biotin deficiency during normal pregnancy.
• Biotin in metabolism and molecular biology.

Brittle nails: response to daily biotin supplementation.

Hochman LG, Scher RK, Meyerson MS.

Department of Dermatology, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, New York.

A recent study from Switzerland demonstrated a 25 percent increase in nail plate thickness in patients with brittle nails who received biotin supplementation. Analysis of all visits to a nail consultation practice over a six-month period revealed forty-four patients with this condition who had been prescribed the B-complex vitamin biotin. Of these, thirty-five who took daily supplementation were subjectively evaluated. Twenty-two of thirty-five (63 percent) showed clinical improvement and thirteen (37 percent) reported no change in their condition. The results of this small, retrospective study suggest a positive response to biotin in the treatment of brittle nails in some patients.

PMID: 8477615 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Biotin for diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Koutsikos D, Agroyannis B, Tzanatos-Exarchou H.

University of Athens, Aretaieon University Hospital, Greece.

Biotin in high doses was given for 1-2 years to three diabetic patients suffering from severe diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Within 4-8 weeks there was a marked improvement in clinical and laboratory findings. It is suggested that in diabetes may exist a deficiency, inactivity or unavailability of Biotin, resulting in disordered activity of biotin-dependent enzyme, pyruvate carboxylase, leading to accumulation of pyruvate and/or depletion of aspartate, both of which play a significant role in nervous system metabolism. Based on our good results, regular biotin administration could be suggested for every diabetic patient for the prevention and management of peripheral neuropathy although extensive randomised clinical trials are required.

PMID: 2085665 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Marginal biotin deficiency during normal pregnancy.

Mock DM, Quirk JG, Mock NI.

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, 72205, USA. mockdonaldm@uams.edu

BACKGROUND: Biotin deficiency is teratogenic in several mammalian species. Approximately 50% of pregnant women have an abnormally increased urinary excretion of 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid (3-HIA), which probably reflects decreased activity of the biotin-dependent enzyme methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase. However, increased 3-HIA excretion could result from pregnancy per se (eg, from an effect of pregnancy on renal handling of organic acids). OBJECTIVE: We tested the hypothesis that biotin supplementation significantly decreases 3-HIA excretion in pregnant women with abnormally increased 3-HIA excretion. DESIGN: Twenty-six pregnant women with increased 3-HIA excretion were studied in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial; 10 women were studied during early pregnancy (6-17 wk gestation) and 16 women during late pregnancy (21-37 wk gestation). Urine samples were collected before and after 14 d of supplementation with 300 microg (1.2 micromol) biotin/d or placebo. RESULTS: In the early-pregnancy group, 3-HIA excretion decreased (P < 0.006) by 11.7 +/- 3.6 mmol/mol creatinine (mean +/- SEM) in the 5 women who received biotin supplements, whereas 3-HIA excretion increased by 1.6 +/- 0.6 mmol/mol creatinine in the 5 women who received placebo. In the late-pregnancy group, 3-HIA excretion decreased (P < 0.002) by 7.1 +/- 1.2 mmol/mol creatinine in the 8 women who received biotin supplements, whereas 3-HIA excretion increased by 0.9 +/- 1.8 mmol/mol creatinine in the 8 women who received placebo. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that the increased excretion of 3-HIA seen frequently in normal pregnancy reflects reduced biotin status. The conclusion that marginal biotin deficiency occurs frequently in the first trimester further raises concern about potential human teratogenicity.

Publication Types:

• Clinical Trial
• Randomized Controlled Trial

PMID: 11815321 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Biotin in metabolism and molecular biology.

McMahon RJ.

Center for Nutritional Sciences, Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611-0370, USA. mcmahon@ufl.edu

Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin required by all organisms by virtue of its essential role in carboxylation reactions. Although the metabolism and role of biotin in intermediary metabolism are well established, biotin remains one of the most poorly understood water-soluble vitamins in terms of nutritional requirements and responsiveness to physiological and pharmacological states. Significant advances in the understanding of biotin nutriture have been recently accomplished through the description of the kinetics and regulation of biotin transport and improved methods for biotin status assessment. Additionally, the potential role of biotin in the regulation of gene expression has been strengthened through description of altered gene expression during biotin deficiency and through newly described enzymatic activities of the enzyme biotinidase. Given mounting evidence of suboptimum biotin status, a more complete understanding of these aspects of biotin should lead to a greater appreciation of the ways in which biotin aids in the maintenance of health.

Publication Types:

• Review
• Review, Tutorial

PMID: 12055344 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

References

1. Coggeshall JC, Heggers JP, Robson MC, et al. Biotin status and plasma glucose in diabetics. Annals New York Academy of Sciences, 389-92.
2. Keipert JA. Oral use of biotin in seborrhoeic dermatitis of infancy: a controlled trial. Med J Aust 1976;1:584-5.
3. Koutsikos D, Agroyannis B, Tzanatos-Exarchou H. Biotin for diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Biomed Pharmacother 1990;44:511-4.
4. Brewster MA, Schedewie H. Trimethylaminuria. Ann Clin Lab Sci, Jan.-Feb. 1983; 13(1):20-4.
5. Henry JG, Sobki S, Afafat N. Interference by biotin therapy on measurement of TSH and FT4 by enzyme immunoassay on Boehringer Mannheim ES 700 analyzer. Ann Clin Biochem 1996;33:162-3.
6. Zempleni J, Helm RM, Mock DM. In vivo biotin supplementation at a pharmacologic dose decreases proliferation rates of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and cytokine release. J Nutr 2001;131:1479-84.
7. Mock DM, Quirk JG, Mock NI. Marginal biotin deficiency during normal pregnancy. Am J Clin Nutr 2002;75:295-9.
8. Camacho FM, Garcia-Hernandez MJ. Zinc aspartate, biotin, and clobetasol propionate in the treatment of alopecia areata in childhood. Pediatr Dermatol 1999;16:336-8.
9. Lininger SW. The Natural Pharmacy. 1st ed. Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing; 1998.
10. Debourdeau PM, Djezzar S, Estival JL, et al. Life-threatening eosinophilic pleuropericardial effusion related to vitamins B5 and H. Ann Pharmacother 2001;35:424-426.
11. Said HM. Biotin: the forgotten vitamin. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002;75:179-80.
12. Mock DM, et al. Disturbances in biotin metabolism in children undergoing long-term anticonvulsant therapy. J Pediatr Gastroentereol Nutr 1998;26(3):245-50.
13. Krause KH, et al. Biotin Status of Epileptics. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1985;447:297-313.
14. Bonjour JP. Biotin in human nutrition. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1985;447:97-104.
15. Said HM, Redha R, Nylander W. Biotin transport in the human intestine: inhibition by anticonvulsant drugs. Am J Clin Nutr 1989;49:127-31.
16. Hochman LG, Scher RK, Meyerson MS. Brittle nails: response to daily biotin supplementation. Cutis 1993;51:303-5.
17. Zempleni J, Mock DM. Bioavailability of biotin given orally to humans in pharmacologic doses. Am J Clin Nutr 1999;69:504-8.
18. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Choline (2000). Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2000. Available at: http://books.nap.edu/books/0309065542/html/.