Biotin is great for your hair and skin. But did you know too much of it can wreck your immunity?

We all want voluminous hair and strong nails. Our stressful lifestyle, though, proves to be a real hurdle. To overcome this hurdle, all you need is biotin! Touted to be a magic pill that can resolve all your beauty issues, biotin can help you boost your hair health and nail growth.

Recently, however, it has become a trend to take large doses of the vitamin with the intention of achieving results faster. Unfortunately, this actually creates health problems. Hence, it is important to know everything about the side effects of biotin before taking supplements. 

Biotin belongs to the family of vitamin B. Also known as vitamin H or vitamin B7, it is a water-soluble vitamin. Biotin is a component of enzymes in our body that help in breaking down fats and carbohydrates, converting them into energy. The thing is that our body doesn’t store water-soluble vitamins and hence, we need to attain them from our food.

Here’s why you must include biotin in your diet

According to nutritionist Manisha Chopra, biotin is essential for:

• Metabolic processes such as the production of glucose and fatty acids in our body
• Keeping our hair, skin, eyes, liver, nails and nervous system healthy
• Regulating blood sugar levels
• Embryonic growth during pregnancy
• Reducing inflammation
• Increasing good cholesterol in the body
• Improving cognitive function

Ditch the supplements for natural sources of the vitamin

Some biotin-rich foods are eggs, nuts, fish, sweet potatoes, soybeans, whole grains, mushrooms, bananas, cauliflower, seeds and meat. Peanuts, walnuts, milk and cereals also include biotin in small amounts. 

Wait! Taking too much biotin also has its side-effects. Here are 7 most common side effects of biotin:

1. Too much biotin can lower vitamin C levels. That can weaken immunity.

2. It can also lead to high blood sugar levels which can prove to be dangerous for people with diabetes.

3. It can lower vitamin B6 level which can impact the neurological system.

4. Instead of making your skin flawless, an overdose of biotin can lead to skin rashes.

5. It can also lead to problems with insulin release and interfere with the functioning of your liver.

6. You can end up with digestion problems that can lead to gut-related problems.

7. Too much biotin leads to excessive urine production. This means that your kidneys will be burdened.

“Biotin is fairly safe but an overdose can lead to a multitude of side-effects. Hence, the dosage is the most critical part. The recommended daily dosage for adults is 30 micrograms. If a woman is lactating, 35 micrograms is good enough,” said Manisha Chopra.

So, ladies, make it a point to include biotin in your diet but remember that too much of anything can be harmful! And these side effects of biotin are proof.