how effective is biotin?

[Kev123]

I take NOW Foods 5,000 mcg Biotin vcaps, once daily[as directed]. Been taking it for 1 month only. Going on my second.

My take on this vitamin is: Extremely fast hair growth in first month. I mean hair growth not as in new hairs, my existing hair grows long much faster. I find my self getting hair cuts every 4-5 days, because i'm trying to keep my hair short, but Biotin makes it long too fast.


So it speeds up hair growth.


As for hair loss: That is what I bought it for, in hopes that it speeds up my peech fuzz/thin hairs to grow in to terminal hairs/make existing hairs thicker. I bought 3 bottles because I want to give it some time to see what it does for my hair loss.

In conclusion, Biotin does what it says it does, and that's grows nails faster, grows existing hair on your head faster. As far as thickening goes, it has not done that for me but it's only been one month so i'll see what it does in terms of thickness down the line. I'm also on finasteride, min, multivitamin, and I will be adding a few more hair vitamins to see what happens.

 

[longhair1983]

Once I tried Country life mega dose multivatamin. I forget the exact dosage of biotin in the big pills that took me quite a while to learn how to swallow it. I think it is more than 2 mg per day. I noticed that my nails grew like crazy, but it didnt seem to stop my hair loss.

 

[Bryan]

Once I tried Country life mega dose multivatamin. I forget the exact dosage of biotin in the big pills that took me quite a while to learn how to swallow it.

For the love of God, don't swallow multivitamin pills, unless there's some really good reason to do that! Chew them up and swallow them, as if they were any other food! If there are any obviously acidic components to it, wash it down with water or some other beverage, to get it off your teeth.

 

[guy12345]

biotin in larger doses improve all hair on your body

 

[twenty.five]

To whoever said not to take above 200mcg or some other small dose because of acne, you are wrong. Some people claim that biotin gives them acne, and for those people, they should take whatever dose doesn't. But it doesn't give EVERYONE acne.

Once I tried Country life mega dose multivatamin. I forget the exact dosage of biotin in the big pills that took me quite a while to learn how to swallow it.

For the love of God, don't swallow multivitamin pills, unless there's some really good reason to do that! Chew them up and swallow them, as if they were any other food! If there are any obviously acidic components to it, wash it down with water or some other beverage, to get it off your teeth.

WTF. You can't be serious.

 

[israelite]

i take 5000mcg of biotin no acne.

 

[Bryan]

For the love of God, don't swallow multivitamin pills, unless there's some really good reason to do that! Chew them up and swallow them, as if they were any other food! If there are any obviously acidic components to it, wash it down with water or some other beverage, to get it off your teeth.

WTF. You can't be serious.

I'm serious as a heart attack.

 

[longhair1983]

For the love of God, don't swallow multivitamin pills, unless there's some really good reason to do that! Chew them up and swallow them, as if they were any other food! If there are any obviously acidic components to it, wash it down with water or some other beverage, to get it off your teeth.

WTF. You can't be serious.

I'm serious as a heart attack.

Hmmm, I hope the Bryan account was not hijacked by someone else...

 

[Bryan]

Hmmm, I hope the Bryan account was not hijacked by someone else...

Why do you think that might have been the case? I've said the exact same thing a number of times over the years. I meant it then, and I mean it now.

 

[longhair1983]

Well. I don't know. Your comments are usually spot on. But this one is a little off. I don't know how palatable the vitamin powder will be. I think it must taste torrible. Also there are vitanins that are formulated for slow release to increase effectiveness. That is why I think to chew up the pills is not a good idea.

 

[Bryan]

Well. I don't know. Your comments are usually spot on. But this one is a little off. I don't know how palatable the vitamin powder will be. I think it must taste torrible. Also there are vitanins that are formulated for slow release to increase effectiveness. That is why I think to chew up the pills is not a good idea.

Before I said to chew pills unless there is some really good reason not to do that. A couple of really good reasons not to do that would be if the substances you're chewing taste really really bad, or are specifically formulated to be "timed release". At all other times, I would chew them up!

Several times in the past, I've talked about how a California doctor found that chewing tablets increases their average absorption, and recommended to everybody that they do that. And here is the most astonishing story of all (this is absolutely true): several years ago, I came home to find my mother very upset; she had been taking prescription medication (I think they were blood pressure pills, although I don't remember for sure). One day after having a BM, she found an unabsorbed one of those pills in the toilet afterwards!! She had gotten my father to come take a look himself, and he verified for me that that's what had happened. She immediately called the pharmacist at the drugstore where she had gotten the pills to tell him about it, and she said he was in a state of shock over it! He had never heard of such a thing before!

Here's the obvious bottom-line: ALWAYS ALWAYS chew-up your tablets before swallowing them, unless there's some really good reason not to do that (they simply taste too awful, or they're "time release", etc.). Don't be stupid, be SMART.

 

[longhair1983]

I am not sure if there is any vitamin pill that would not taste terrible (yeah, the one for kids taste good). I am sorry I don't see the relevance of your anecdotal story about blood pressure pill to the discussion about vitamins. The coatings could be completely different.

 

[beaner]

I chew biotin pills and they are completely tasteless. Most biotin supplements contain 1-5mg which is such a miniscule amount you would not even taste it. The majority of the pill is filler with no taste.

I also chew a daily multi-vitamin which tastes just like the Flintstone vitamins with no flavor. Not bad at all.

 

[longhair1983]

To be honest with you, I haven't chewed up any vitamins yet. The country life mega size vitamin has 2 mg biotin and more than 1 gram of other ingredients (non filler), it also has methionine and MSM in huge quantity. So I doubt they will be tasteless. But i will chew up the vitamins I have to see how they taste.

 

[Bryan]

I am not sure if there is any vitamin pill that would not taste terrible (yeah, the one for kids taste good).

I've chewed-up almost EVERY vitamin pill I've ever taken in my adult life, and almost all of the prescription drugs. Very few of them have ever tasted bad. If you want something that tastes really really GOOD and DELICIOUS, eat ice cream or chocolate cake. If you want something that's important for you and good for you (like a vitamin pill or prescription drug), chew it up before you swallow it. I'm sure you're a big boy, and can learn how to do it.

I am sorry I don't see the relevance of your anecdotal story about blood pressure pill to the discussion about vitamins.

For the love of God...IT'S TO ABSORB AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE of whatever important substance it is that you're taking!! Sheesh...

 

[Jacob]

If you want to absorb as much as possible...go liposomal. Or take your multi's with coconut oil or milk. I know I've read articles about the "myth" of pills not dissolving in one's system. Especially if your pills are in capsule form...powder inside..... nothing to worry about :shock: Obviously if someone is having bowel/digestive problems at the time..they may pass through.

 

[LookingGood!]

I am not sure if there is any vitamin pill that would not taste terrible (yeah, the one for kids taste good).

I've chewed-up almost EVERY vitamin pill I've ever taken in my adult life, and almost all of the prescription drugs. Very few of them have ever tasted bad. If you want something that tastes really really GOOD and DELICIOUS, eat ice cream or chocolate cake. If you want something that's important for you and good for you (like a vitamin pill or prescription drug), chew it up before you swallow it. I'm sure you're a big boy, and can learn how to do it.

I am sorry I don't see the relevance of your anecdotal story about blood pressure pill to the discussion about vitamins.

For the love of God...IT'S TO ABSORB AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE of whatever important substance it is that you're taking!! Sheesh...

Hey Bryan, would you chew Propecia pills as well? Come on please tell us.

Thanks!

LG

 

[Bryan]

Hey Bryan, would you chew Propecia pills as well? Come on please tell us.

Damn straight!! (Although I doubt that tiny Propecia pills have much of a problem at being absorbed...) But yeah, just as a general rule, I chew-up and swallow ALL drugs and nutritional supplements that I take. I've done that almost my entire life!