Biotin Supplements for Hair Growth: Do They Work + Our Top Picks

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Have you noticed your hair looking – and feeling – more brittle? Perhaps you’ve noticed hair thinning and are wondering whether biotin supplements for hair growth will reverse the effects before it’s too late. Here’s the truth: biotin supplements for hair growth can work well under the right circumstances, and they can leave your hair feeling healthier and stronger.

Even better, many local and national retailers sell biotin supplements for hair growth over the counter (OTC), so there’s no prescription needed! As such, you’ll likely be able to find the supplement that’s right for you. In this article, you’ll learn:

How biotin strengthens hair (and when you may need to look elsewhere for support)
The best picks for your supplement needs

Check these out!

How Biotin Supplements for Hair Growth Work

Biotin is also known as vitamin B7, and it works as an enzyme that kickstarts the metabolic process for the creation of keratin. On any given bit of hair, keratin makes up about 90% of the strand, making hair stronger and fuller. Biotin also assists with converting fats, carbohydrates, and other energy sources into cellular fuel, which supports hair follicle production.

As such, biotin supplements for hair growth can be highly effective. However, there is an important caveat: existing studies seem to point to people with biotin deficiencies as the people who see the most regenerative hair growth after taking the supplements. In fact, people who have no biotin deficiencies may even see no improvement at all, and other vitamin deficiencies can cause hair loss as well. If you’re wondering whether biotin is right for you or if you can even take biotin supplements for hair growth, consult your doctor.

Our Favorite Biotin Supplements for Hair Growth

Nutricost Biotin Supplements

For those who are ready to commit to looking and feeling like their best self, the Nutricost Biotin Supplements from Nutricost offer a variety of benefits. Each bottle contains 240 capsules, with a single capsule possessing 10,000 mcg of biotin. If you follow the recommended dosage and take a single capsule once a day, your bottle will last you 8 months, and give you all the perks of high-quality biotin supplements for hair growth!

Even better, Nutricost stands behind its dedication to quality; if you’re not completely satisfied with any of their products, you’ll get your money back! Plus, they make staying on track with your goals easy by allowing you to choose between a one-time purchase and a subscription option that keeps the supplements coming to your door on a regular rotation!

Vegan Biotin Gummies

Eating a vegan diet presents additional challenges when trying to find the right biotin supplements for hair growth. When boiled down to its basic components, biotin itself is naturally vegan. However, some supplements use a gel to hold together the capsules, and that gel is often derived from animal fat. If you’re trying to avoid animal products altogether, you’ll need to find certified vegan biotin supplements.

The Vegan Biotin Gummies from iHerb present a fast and easy way to meet your body’s biotin needs while staying in line with a vegan diet. Each gummy contains around 5,000 mcg of biotin, and you take 2 of them a day to get 10,000 mcg. They come in a delightful raspberry flavor, making taking your daily vitamins as fun as they were when you were a kid!

Adapto-B Complex

Are you tired of taking a whole regimen of vitamins and supplements every single time and trying to schedule them around medications and the other important items in your day? The Adapto-B Complex from Vimergy allows you to reap the benefits of all 8 B vitamins at once, instantly simplifying your routine. Each bottle contains 120 vegan capsules and features hawthorn berry and rhodiolia enhancements. Preliminary research indicates hawthorn berries may also promote hair growth, and rhodiolia reduces stress-based hair shedding.

Just like Nutricost, Vimergy allows you to put this big-bang-for-your-buck item on a regular delivery cycle. This ensures you’ll get a new bottle sent right to your door whenever you’re starting to run out. If you would like to try it out first, you can also make a one-time purchase.

OLLY Heavenly Hair Supplement Gummies

In the past decade, OLLY has cemented itself as one of the most impactful companies in the supplement field. Pairing cute packaging with an excellent product, their items are a joy to both buy and take! The OLLY Heavenly Hair Supplement Gummies are no different, as they contain a combination of biotin, keratin, amla, and minerals, all of which support your hair growth and help you get the healthiest head you’ve ever had!

While OLLY is available in several stores, we highly recommend buying them from Target if you want flexibility in how you receive them. If you’re willing to pay for shipping and wait a few days, Target will ship them directly to your door, no additional effort required! For those looking to start taking their biotin supplements for hair growth today, Target has a pickup in-store option that you can select before placing your order.

Hair Gummies

If you want a great way to consume biotin supplements for hair growth while also reaping the benefits of vitamins C and E, look no further than the Hair Gummies from Ulta. Each gummy contains 2,500 mcg of biotin, and you’re supposed to take 2 per day for a total of 5,000 mcg. Vitamin C enhances hair growth by helping the body produce collagen, which gives hair elasticity and structure. Vitamin E also prevents split ends and breakage, helping your hair look healthier once it grows!

Do Biotin Supplements for Hair Growth Actually Work?

Biotin supplements for hair growth are heavily marketed for longer, thicker, healthier hair, but the research doesn’t show that they reliably improve hair growth in people who already get enough biotin. Biotin is an essential B vitamin, and true biotin deficiency can cause thinning hair and hair loss. The important distinction is that biotin deficiency is rare, and taking extra biotin hasn’t been shown to provide the same benefit when your biotin levels are already adequate.

That doesn’t make biotin irrelevant to hair health. Your body needs it, and correcting an actual deficiency may help address symptoms related to that deficiency. Before adding biotin supplements for hair growth to your routine, though, it’s worth understanding what the research actually says and whether there’s a reason you might need additional biotin.

Can Biotin Make Your Hair Grow Faster?

There’s currently no strong evidence showing that taking extra biotin makes hair grow faster in otherwise healthy people with adequate biotin levels. A 2024 review examining oral biotin for hair growth or quality found only three studies that met its criteria. The highest quality study found no difference in hair growth between participants taking biotin and those receiving a placebo.

Hair also grows in cycles, which means changes in length, density, and shedding can’t necessarily be attributed to one supplement. If you’re experiencing noticeably increased shedding or slower growth, figuring out the underlying cause is more useful than assuming you need more biotin.

Does Biotin Help With Hair Thinning?

It can be relevant when hair thinning is associated with biotin deficiency. Hair thinning and eventual hair loss are recognized symptoms of a deficiency, which helps explain why biotin became so closely associated with hair health in the first place.

Hair thinning has many other possible causes, however. Genetics, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal changes, certain medical conditions, medications, stress, and some hair care practices can all play a role. If thinning is new, significant, or continuing to worsen, a healthcare professional or dermatologist can help determine what’s actually behind it.

Does Biotin Work if You Aren’t Deficient?

Current evidence doesn’t give us a compelling reason to expect additional biotin to improve hair growth when someone already has adequate levels. The National Institutes of Health notes that most people get enough biotin from food and that scientific evidence supporting biotin supplements for hair, skin, and nail health is limited.

This matters when you’re comparing biotin supplements for hair growth containing thousands of micrograms per serving. Adults need an adequate intake of 30 micrograms of biotin per day, while some supplements contain 2,500 or 5,000 micrograms or more. A bigger number on the bottle doesn’t mean you’ll get proportionally better hair growth.

How Strong Is the Research on Biotin and Hair Growth?

The evidence is limited. A 2017 review found reports of improvement after biotin supplementation, but every case involved people who had an underlying condition associated with poor hair or nail growth. The researchers concluded there wasn’t sufficient evidence to recommend supplementation for healthy individuals.

More recent research hasn’t dramatically changed that conclusion. A 2024 review found that high quality evidence supporting biotin as a general hair supplement remains lacking. That gap between biotin’s popularity and the actual research is important to keep in mind when evaluating supplement claims.

Who May Actually Benefit From Taking Biotin?

People with an identified biotin deficiency are the clearest group who may benefit from supplementation. Certain circumstances can increase the risk of inadequate biotin status, including the rare genetic condition biotinidase deficiency and chronic alcohol exposure. Pregnancy and breastfeeding can also affect biotin status, although the clinical significance of marginal deficiency during these periods isn’t fully understood.

A dermatologist may recommend supplementation if testing shows you’re deficient in biotin or another nutrient associated with hair health. Taking biotin simply because your hair is thinning can make it easier to overlook another cause that needs different treatment.

One more detail deserves attention before you start biotin supplements for hair growth. High supplemental doses can interfere with certain laboratory tests and produce falsely high or low results, including some tests involving thyroid hormones and other important biomarkers. Tell your healthcare provider about any biotin containing supplements you’re taking, particularly when you’re having bloodwork.

How Long Does It Take for Biotin to Work for Hair Growth?

There isn’t a scientifically established timeline showing that biotin supplements for hair growth will produce longer or thicker hair after a specific number of weeks. Since evidence doesn’t support a consistent hair growth benefit in people without a deficiency, promises that you’ll see dramatic results in 30, 60, or 90 days should be treated cautiously.

If someone has a confirmed biotin deficiency, correcting that deficiency addresses an underlying nutritional problem, but visible changes to hair won’t necessarily happen immediately. Hair growth itself is gradual, and improvements in shedding, density, or appearance can take time to notice. Your results can also depend on why the hair changes occurred in the first place.

Rather than judging biotin supplements for hair growth against a universal timeline, pay attention to the cause of your hair concerns and whether supplementation was recommended for a documented need. If you’re taking biotin supplements for hair growth for several months and you’re still experiencing unexplained thinning, excessive shedding, bald patches, or worsening hair loss, it’s worth talking with a dermatologist or healthcare professional instead of simply increasing the dose.

How Supplements Help You Shine

best fiber supplements for digestive health biotin supplements for hair growthsupplements vitamins minerals — Photo by Supliful – Supplements On Demand on Unsplash

Having the right amount of nutrients doesn’t just help your hair grow better. Instead, it also helps you have enough energy to live your best life. If you want to continue to improve your vitamin regimen, take a look at these recommendations!

Taking biotin supplements for hair growth can be one of the best options if you’re looking for a vitamin B7 boost. Combining biotin supplements for hair growth with other vitamins improves your chances of having better hair, especially if you don’t have a pre-existing biotin deficiency. Learn more about how vitamins impact your hair health!