What is Vitamin B7 | Causes of vitamin H Deficiency

What is Vitamin B7 | Causes of vitamin H Deficiency | What are the Symptoms of Vitamin B7 deficiency | Side effects of biotin

Biotin serves as a catalyst in a chemical reaction called carbon dioxide fixation, which attaches carbon dioxide to other molecules. The first step in carbon dioxide fixation is binding to biotin. Then the carbon dioxide molecule is attached to the appropriate acceptor site on another molecule. Biotin’s role in process makes it an important ingredient in carbohydrate metabolism.

The formation of an important intermediate factor in the energy-yielding citric-acid cycle (also known as the Krebs cycle) is dependent on a biotin-containing enzyme. Also, biotin is needed for the synthesis of fat from carbohydrate and the metabolism of fatty acids with an odd number of carbon atoms.

What are the Causes of Vitamin B7 (Biotin) or Vitamin H?

Deficiency of this vitamin causes dermatitis especially of extremities, pallor of skin and mucous membranes.

There is increase in blood cholesterol.

Deficiency does not occur normally but may be induced either by feeding raw egg white which contains an antivitamin avid in which forms a non-absorbable complex with biotin

Deficiency of biotin causes muscular weakness, pains, pins and needles (pricking of the skin), lassitude, and lack of appetite.

It may cause eczema, dandruff, hair loss and seborrhoea.

Other common problems, which may occur, are skin disorders, heart abnormalities, lung infections, anaemia, extreme fatigue, confusion, mental depression, and drowsiness.

Detection of biotin deficiency can be made from blood samples using the ability of biotin to displace radioactive biotin bound to avidin. It can also be measured directly by chromatographic techniques.

What are the Symptoms of high intake of Vitamin B7 (Biotin) or Vitamin H?

Biotin is not known to be toxic. Oral biotin supplementation has been well tolerated in doses up to 200 mg/day in people with hereditary disorders of biotin metabolism.

It has been claimed that supplemental biotin can reverse loss and graying of hair

Deficiency of Vitamin B7/Vitamin H (Biotin) may cause:

swollen and painful tongue that is magenta in color (glossitis)
exhaustion
hair loss
muscle pain
loss of appetite
depression
dry scaly skin
cracking in the corners of the mouth (cheilitis)

Who are not advised to take Vitamin B7 (Biotin) or Vitamin H?

Pregnant women and nursing mothers should avoid supplemental doses of biotin greater than the adequate intakes (AI) recommended by the Food and Nutrition Board, unless their physicians prescribe higher doses. The AIs are 30 micrograms/day for pregnant women and 35 micrograms/day for nursing mothers.

The use of biotin for the treatment of a biotin-responsive medical condition requires medical supervision.

Biotin is contraindicated in those hypersensitive to any component of a biotin-containing product.