Biotin, a must for normal metabolism.

Biotin is also known as vitamin B7, Co-enzyme R and vitamin H. The H stands for haut in German meaning "skin".

In 1927 Margaret A. Boas discovered that rats fed only egg whites developed skin rashes, lost their fur and became paralyzed. This was known as "egg white syndrome".

She later found a substance in liver that cured the syndrome and called it "protective factor x", later known as biotin or vitamin B7. It was found that avidin, a protein in raw egg whites, binds with B7 preventing its absorption, therefore causing a deficiency.

Biotin is found in virtually every food and is synthesized by bacteria in the intestines. It is a water soluble vitamin which needs replaced daily. There are also no known signs of toxicity.

What it does:

* Vital to metabolic functions
* Converts food into energy
* Carries out carboxylation (chemical and enzymatic reactions in the cell)
* Is part of regulating blood glucose levels
* Growth, maintenance and repair of tissues (muscle, nervous and bone marrow)
* Reduces surplus fat which is helpful for weight loss
* Helps in proper functions of the heart and reduces the level of cholesterol
* Synthesis of ascorbic acid, fatty acids and amino acids
* Is a must for normal metabolism of fat, carbohydrates and protein

It increases the body's immune system to fight a variety of diseases and yeast infections. Dr. John Parks Trowbridge , author of "The Yeast Syndrome" talks about how this nutrient helps inhibit the environment so candida yeast cannot change into its fungal form.

Biotin may also help with:

+ Strengthening and maintaining healthy hair

+ Taming unmanageable hair, especially in children

+ Hair turning gray

+ Baldness

+ Brittle nails

+ Dry, flaky skin

+ Mouth and nose rashes

+ Alleviating eczema and dermatitis

+ Increasing strength and stamina

+ Improving athletic performance

+ Easing muscle pain

+ Extreme exhaustion

+ Birth defects

+ Decreasing insulin resistance and improving glucose tolerance with Type 2 diabetes sufferers

+ Improvement with severe peripheral neuropathy in Type 1 diabetics

+ Alopecia (sometimes called spot baldness)

+ Parkinson's disease

+ Rett syndrome (a neurodevelopmental disorder similar to autism)

+ Vaginal candidiasis

+ Pancreatic function

Deficiency problems can occur from or with:

* Food processing* Alcohol consumption* Estrogen* Sulfa, drugs and
antibiotics (kills good bacteria)* Partial gastrectomy* Achlorhydria (low
production of stomach acid)* Burn patients* Epileptics* Elderly* Athletes
* Pregnancy and lactation* Crohn's disease* Ulcerative colitis

Vitamin B7 deficiencies can cause:

Fatigue
Depression
Pain in muscles
Hair loss
Anemia
Loss of appetite
Anorexia
Nausea
Paleness
Dermatitis
Dry scalp
Neurological disorders
Decrease in testosterone

Biotin needs intestinal bacteria and stomach acid enzymes to process efficiently. Serious complications without it can result in disease of the skin, intestinal tract and nervous system.

A study in "The Journal of the American Medical Association", took healthy people and placed them on a diet lacking biotin. In 10 weeks, they had severe symptoms of anorexia, depression, exhaustion, muscle pain and nausea. Symptoms disappeared quickly with proper supplementation.

Food sources for Vitamin B7:

Brewer's yeast and Royal jelly (both have the greatest amounts of biotin)
Organ meats-kidney and liver
Chicken, fish and pork
Barley and oats
Fortified cereals and bread
Corn, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and onions
Swiss chard, tomatoes, potatoes and mushrooms
Legumes, soy, wheat bran and avocados
Almonds, walnuts and nuts
Egg yolks, milk and cheese

You can still have egg whites without avidin as long as they are cooked or come pasteurized in containers. Egg white protein powders without avidin is also available.

Recommendation is 50 micrograms of Vitamin B7 as part of the B Complex. It is important to have a full spectrum of B vitamins. B7 needs to have B2, B6 and vitamin A to work properly.