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A 20-year-old male asked:

At 18, my hair has begun to fall out rapidly. i am considering biotin (b7) to help. are there any risks or permanent side effects to b7 supplements?

2 doctor answers2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Randy Baker
Holistic Medicine 42 years experience
Perfectly safe: Biotin is a very safe nutrient with no known toxicity. It sometimes helps with hair loss, but not always. There could be other causes, such as thyroid imbalances, that will not be addressed by biotin, so if biotin does not help it would be wise to be evaluated by a doctor, preferably a holistic doctor who knows about herbs and supplements- see http://www.Abihm.Org/search-doctors.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Dr. Darrell Herrington
Family Medicine 36 years experience
See your doctor: Hair loss may occur for many different reasons, the most significant of which is hypothyroidism. So you need an general evaluation. Biotin deficiency is extremely rare - it is found in many common foods and actually produced by bowel bacteria. There is no evidence that increased levels of biotin provide any health benefit.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.

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Last updated Dec 9, 2013

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