Biotin (Vitamin B7): Benefits for Hair, Skin & Nails

[ 01 ] Key Facts

Dose in element3	element3 Rise: 25mcg (0.025mg)
Form	Biotin (D-biotin) — the biologically active form
Signs you may need more	Thinning hair, brittle nails, dry or flaky skin, fatigue
Safe range	25–30mcg daily (adequate intake); no established upper intake level. Higher doses (up to 10,000mcg) are used therapeutically but can interfere with certain blood tests.

Food sources

Egg Yolks
Almonds
Salmon
Sweet potato

[ 02 ] Rationale

Why this ingredient is in element3

Biotin’s reputation centres on hair, skin, and nails, and that reputation is scientifically grounded, though the mechanism is more sophisticated than most people realise. Biotin functions as a covalently bound cofactor for five carboxylase enzymes in human metabolism. Three of these are directly relevant to the structures women care about most: acetyl-CoA carboxylase (which initiates fatty acid synthesis for skin lipids and cell membranes), propionyl-CoA carboxylase (which metabolises certain amino acids essential for keratin production), and pyruvate carboxylase (which supports gluconeogenesis for energy).

Keratin — the structural protein of hair, skin and nails — depends on adequate biotin for its production. When biotin is insufficient, keratin synthesis slows. This is why biotin is so closely associated with the tissues that show nutritional status first.

Beyond the cosmetic role, biotin contributes to mitochondrial energy metabolism. Pyruvate carboxylase, a biotin-dependent enzyme, is required for gluconeogenesis — the production of glucose from non-carbohydrate sources. This pathway becomes particularly important during fasting, exercise, or periods of metabolic stress, when glucose availability from dietary sources is limited.

Within the element3 Rise formula, biotin complements the broader B-vitamin energy cascade while adding a specific structural dimension that the other B vitamins do not provide. While B1, B2, B3, and B5 power the energy production pathway, biotin supports the fatty acid and amino acid metabolism that maintains the physical structures — hair, skin, nails, cell membranes — that are most visibly affected by nutritional status.

At 25mcg, element3 Rise provides the full adequate intake. This is a maintenance dose designed for consistent daily support rather than therapeutic hair-growth intervention, and it avoids the blood test interference that high-dose biotin supplements (5,000–10,000mcg) can cause by affecting immunoassay results for thyroid and cardiac markers.

[ 03 ] At 35+

Relevant at 35+

Hair thinning and changes in skin and nail quality are among the most noticeable physical changes women notice after 35, and they often begin years before menopause. The hormonal shifts of perimenopause affect keratinocyte turnover, sebum production, and hair follicle cycling, all of which rely on adequate biotin and the fatty acid metabolism it supports.

Declining oestrogen levels reduce blood flow to the hair follicle and alter the hair growth cycle, extending the telogen (resting) phase and shortening the anagen (growth) phase. Biotin cannot replace oestrogen, but it ensures that the metabolic pathways supporting keratin production and fatty acid synthesis are not additionally compromised by nutrient insufficiency. When hormonal and nutritional factors combine, hair and skin changes accelerate; addressing the nutritional component gives the body the best chance of maintaining these structures through the transition.

Sustained stress adds to the load on these tissues too. Keeping biotin intake steady supports the metabolic pathways they depend on, through a stage when the hormonal picture is shifting anyway.

[ 04 ] Your Questions

Your Questions

What is biotin?

Biotin, also known as vitamin B7 or vitamin H, is a water-soluble B vitamin that acts as an essential cofactor for five carboxylase enzymes — the enzymes responsible for key steps in fatty acid synthesis, amino acid metabolism, and gluconeogenesis (glucose production). Without biotin, these metabolic pathways cannot function, affecting energy production, cellular growth, and the synthesis of fatty acids needed for healthy skin, hair, and nails. Biotin also plays a regulatory role in gene expression, influencing which proteins cells produce.

What are the benefits of taking biotin?

Biotin is best known for its role in supporting normal hair, skin and nail health, and that reputation has clinical backing. Research has looked at biotin's role in nail strength and hair quality in people with low biotin status. Beyond that, biotin supports normal energy metabolism and normal nervous system function.

What are the benefits of biotin in the element3 protocol?

In element3 Rise, biotin at 25mcg contributes to the skin, hair, and nails benefit of the formula, working alongside Vitamin A (skin cell turnover), Zinc (in element3 Rest for skin repair), and the B vitamin complex (which collectively supports the metabolic health of all rapidly dividing cells including hair follicles and nail matrix). Biotin’s role in fatty acid synthesis is particularly relevant, healthy hair and skin require adequate lipid production, and biotin is the cofactor that enables acetyl-CoA carboxylase to initiate the process.

What is the recommended daily intake of biotin?

The adequate intake for biotin is 25–30mcg per day for adult women (a formal RDI has not been established as deficiency is rare in healthy adults). element3 Rise provides 25mcg per serve, meeting the adequate intake. There is no established upper intake level for biotin; doses up to 10,000mcg per day have been used therapeutically without toxicity. An important note: high-dose biotin supplementation (above 5,000mcg) can interfere with certain blood tests including thyroid panels and troponin tests, always inform your doctor if taking high-dose biotin before blood work.

What food provides biotin?

Biotin is found in egg yolks, almonds, peanuts, walnuts, sweet potatoes, salmon, avocado, and dairy products. Liver is an exceptionally rich source. Notably, raw egg whites contain avidin, a protein that binds biotin and prevents its absorption. Regular consumption of raw eggs can contribute to biotin deficiency despite adequate dietary intake, as cooking denatures avidin. Gut bacteria also synthesise biotin, meaning individuals with disrupted gut microbiomes (or on prolonged antibiotic courses) may have reduced biotin availability.

Are there any biotin side effects?

Biotin has an excellent safety profile with no established upper intake level. At the 25mcg dose in element3 Rise, no side effects are expected or documented. Even at doses thousands of times higher (5,000–10,000mcg) used therapeutically for hair loss, biotin is well-tolerated with no known toxicity. The primary clinical concern with high-dose biotin is its interference with laboratory immunoassays, tests that use biotin-streptavidin chemistry can return falsely elevated or falsely low results. Always inform your healthcare provider if taking high-dose biotin before blood testing.

What are biotin deficiency symptoms?

Biotin deficiency symptoms include thinning or shedding hair, brittle and easily broken nails, dry or flaky skin, a red scaly rash around the eyes, nose, and mouth, fatigue, and in more significant deficiency, peripheral tingling or numbness. Biotin deficiency is uncommon in adults eating a varied diet, but may occur in women who regularly consume large amounts of raw egg whites, during pregnancy (when biotin requirements increase), with long-term antibiotic use, or in those with genetic disorders affecting biotin metabolism.

What form of biotin is in the element3 blend?

element3 Rise uses D-biotin: the biologically active stereoisomer that occurs naturally in food and is the only form with documented biological activity. All clinical research on biotin uses the D-biotin form. The L-biotin isomer, which is sometimes found in low-quality supplements, has no known biological function. At the 25mcg adequate intake dose in element3 Rise, D-biotin provides foundational daily support for the hair, skin, nails, and metabolic functions it underpins as part of the complete B vitamin complex.

[ 05 ] The Research

1 study

The Research

Study	Key finding	Read
EFSA assessment of biotin and maintenance of normal hair, skin and macronutrient metabolismEFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. EFSA Journal 2010;8(10):1728	Following review of the evidence, biotin is authorised in the European Union to carry the claims "contributes to the maintenance of normal hair", "contributes to the maintenance of normal skin", "contributes to the maintenance of normal mucous membranes", "contributes to normal macronutrient metabolism", "contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism" and "contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system"	Read →

[ 06 ] In the Protocol

Where D-Biotin sits in the element3 Protocol

In element3 Rise (AM Formula), Biotin at 25mcg provides the full adequate intake to support keratin production, fatty acid synthesis, and the structural integrity of hair, skin, and nails. While the broader B-vitamin energy cascade (B1, B2, B3, B5) powers mitochondrial energy production, biotin adds the structural metabolism dimension — maintaining the physical tissues that are most visibly affected by age and hormonal change. At the RDI dose, biotin provides consistent daily support without the blood test interference associated with high-dose supplements. Taken in the morning as part of the element3 Rise formula, it works within the complete B-vitamin complex for both energy and structural health.

You can learn more about the full element3 ingredient philosophy at element3.co.nz.

D-Biotin