From Anirva, the maker of Dermal Radiance. This article is general information, not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Biotin may be the most familiar name in the "skin, hair and nails" aisle. If you have looked at supplements for any of the three, you have almost certainly seen it on a label. Biotin is a B vitamin that the body needs every day. Here we look at what biotin does and what the research shows for skin, hair and nails, how much is in Dermal Radiance, food sources and safety.
In this article
- Biotin is a B vitamin, also called vitamin B7. It helps five enzymes that process fats, sugars and amino acids. [1]
- Regulators accept the link with normal skin and hair. In Europe, labels may say that biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal skin and normal hair. [2][3]
- Low biotin shows up in skin, hair and nails. The known signs are a scaly rash, thinning hair and brittle nails. [1]
- In small studies, biotin supported nails. People with thin, brittle nails had thicker or firmer nails after several months of biotin. [1]
- Dermal Radiance contains 300 mcg of biotin. That is 1,000% of the Daily Value. [5]
Facts at a Glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ingredient and form | Biotin (vitamin B7) — a water-soluble B vitamin [1] |
| Amount in Dermal Radiance | 300 mcg — 1,000% of the Daily Value [5] |
| Amounts used in the nail studies | 2.5 mg (2,500 mcg) a day for 5 to 15 months [1] |
| Kinds of evidence | Three small studies in people with thin/brittle nails; a 2017 review of published case reports on hair and nails [1][4] |
| Human studies cited here | 3 small nail studies (45, 35 and 22 people); 18 published case reports — no placebo-controlled trial on skin found |
| Regulatory guidance | No upper limit set for biotin; EU permits normal-skin and normal-hair claims; high intakes can interfere with some lab tests [1][3] |
What Is Biotin?
Biotin is a water-soluble B vitamin, also called vitamin B7, that is found in many foods and sold as a supplement. [1]
The body uses biotin as a helper for five enzymes called carboxylases, which carry out key steps in how the body handles fats, sugars and amino acids. Biotin also plays a part in gene regulation and cell signaling. [1]
Adults need about 30 mcg of biotin a day. This figure is called an Adequate Intake, because there is not enough data to set a more exact requirement. [1]
How Might Biotin Work in Skin?
Making fats
The outer layer of skin relies on fats to hold in moisture. Biotin-dependent enzymes carry out key steps in the way the body makes and uses fatty acids. [1]
What deficiency tells us
When the body runs very low on biotin, skin, hair and nails are among the places it shows. The signs include a scaly, red rash, thinning hair and brittle nails, which tells us that these tissues need biotin to stay normal. [1]
What this means: These deficiency signs tell us biotin matters for skin, hair and nails. They do not by themselves tell us what extra biotin does for someone who already gets enough.
What Does the Research Show?
The research on biotin supplements is still growing. The clearest findings are about nails, and about people whose biotin was low.
Regulators accept the link with normal skin and hair
In 2010, the European Food Safety Authority reviewed health claims for biotin. These included claims about normal skin, hair and nails. [2] European law now allows labels to say that biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal skin and of normal hair. [3]
Three small studies on nails
The National Institutes of Health describes three small studies in people with thin or brittle nails. All three used 2.5 mg of biotin a day. [1]
- In the largest, 45 people took biotin for about 5.5 months. Nails became firmer and harder in 41 of them (91%).
- In another, 35 people took biotin for 6 to 15 months, and 22 of them (63%) improved.
- In a study of women with brittle nails, nail thickness rose by 25% in the 8 women who were measured before and after.
A 2017 review of hair and nail reports
In 2017, researchers reviewed the published reports of biotin used for hair and nail changes. They found 18 cases, and every person improved after taking biotin. Each one had an underlying cause for the hair or nail changes. [4]
| Study | People | Amount a Day | Length | Main Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nail study 1 [1] | 45 people with thin, brittle nails | 2.5 mg | About 5.5 months | Firmer, harder nails in 41 people (91%) |
| Nail study 2 [1] | 35 people with brittle nails | 2.5 mg | 6–15 months | Improvement in 22 people (63%) |
| Nail study 3 [1] | 8 women with brittle nails measured | 2.5 mg | 6–15 months | Nail thickness up 25% |
| Patel et al., 2017 [4] | 18 published cases | Varied | Varied | All improved; each had an underlying cause |
How Much Biotin Is in Dermal Radiance Compared With the Studies?
| Source | Biotin a Day | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dermal Radiance (2 capsules) | 300 mcg | 1,000% of the Daily Value, from the label [5] |
| Adult daily need (Adequate Intake) | 30 mcg | [1] |
| Typical intake from food | 35–70 mcg | Western diets [1] |
| Nail studies | 2,500 mcg (2.5 mg) | Taken for 5 to 15 months [1] |
Dermal Radiance provides 300 mcg of biotin. This is ten times the daily need, and it is lower than the 2.5 mg used in the nail studies. Those studies tested biotin by itself, so their results do not describe Dermal Radiance as a whole.
Food Sources of Biotin
Biotin is found in many foods. Some examples: [1]
- Beef liver, 3 ounces cooked: 30.8 mcg
- One whole egg, cooked: 10 mcg
- Canned pink salmon, 3 ounces: 5 mcg
- Pork chop, 3 ounces cooked: 3.8 mcg
- Sunflower seeds, a quarter cup: 2.6 mcg
- Sweet potato, half a cup cooked: 2.4 mcg
Raw egg white contains a protein called avidin, which binds biotin and blocks its absorption. Cooking changes avidin, so cooked eggs do not have this effect. [1]
What the Research Does Not Show Yet
- The nail studies were small, and the people in them had thin or brittle nails to begin with. [1]
- For hair and skin, the published evidence is mostly individual case reports. [1][4]
- Biotin deficiency is rare, so we know less about extra biotin in people who already get enough. [1]
- We found no study of biotin combined with the other Dermal Radiance ingredients.
Safety and Interactions
Biotin has a good safety record. No upper limit has been set, because there is no evidence that biotin is toxic at high intakes. Studies found no unwanted effects at 10 to 50 mg a day. [1]
There is one point to know about blood tests. High intakes of biotin can affect some lab tests, including thyroid tests and a heart test called troponin, and give a false result. This has been reported at 10 mg a day or more. [1] Dermal Radiance has 0.3 mg, which is far below that amount. The FDA advises doctors to ask patients about supplements that contain biotin, so it helps to mention yours before a blood test. [1]
Some seizure medicines, taken for a year or more, are linked with lower biotin levels. [1]
Biotin is well tolerated, and no upper limit has been set for it. [1] A few points can help you use it well:
- Nails and hair grow slowly. The nail studies ran for 5 to 15 months. [1]
- Many hair, skin and nail products contain biotin, so check the labels of the other supplements you take.
- Before a blood test, tell your doctor or pharmacist that you take a supplement with biotin.
Biotin Is One Part of Dermal Radiance
Dermal Radiance is a daily two-capsule supplement with 20 vitamins, minerals and plant extracts. They were chosen to support healthy collagen, skin firmness and elasticity, and radiance. Biotin is one of them.
Dermal Radiance has not been clinically tested as a finished product. For this reason, we cannot say how its ingredients work together. The studies in this article tested biotin by itself.
If you take Dermal Radiance, you are not relying on biotin alone. It is one of 20 ingredients in each serving. Every ingredient and amount is listed on the label. [5]
About Dermal Radiance
A daily two-capsule formula with 20 vitamins, minerals and plant extracts, including 300 mcg of biotin per serving. Dermal Radiance hasn't been clinically tested as a finished formula. The label lists every ingredient and its amount.
See the Dermal Radiance product page →If You Are Deciding
Biotin is a sensible part of a skin, hair and nail formula, because all three need it to stay normal. [1][3] Most people get the basic amount from food, and a supplement adds to that. If you would like to try Dermal Radiance, the directions are two capsules a day with a meal. [5]
The Short Version
Biotin is a B vitamin that helps the body process fats, sugars and amino acids. Skin, hair and nails all show it when biotin runs low, and in small studies biotin supported thicker, firmer nails. Dermal Radiance provides 300 mcg, which is ten times the daily need.
Frequently Asked Questions
References
- National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Biotin: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Updated January 10, 2022.
- EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA). Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to biotin and maintenance of normal skin and mucous membranes, maintenance of normal hair, maintenance of normal nails and other functions. EFSA Journal. 2010;8(10):1728. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1728.
- European Commission. Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods.
- Patel DP, Swink SM, Castelo-Soccio L. A review of the use of biotin for hair loss. Skin Appendage Disord. 2017;3(3):166-169. doi:10.1159/000462981. PMID: 28879195.
- Anirva. Dermal Radiance Supplement Facts label and product page.
