Vitamin H: Benefits and Where to Find It

Also known as biotin, it is essential for healthy skin and nails. It is found in milk, many vegetables, and brewer's yeast.

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Benefits of Vitamin H

Among the many substances necessary to keep us healthy, an important role is also played by the vitamin HWhat are its properties and the functions it performs for the well-being of our body? Let's find out.

What

Vitamin H, better known as biotin or even with the name of Vitamin B8, belongs to the group of water-soluble vitaminsIt is therefore a nutrient that cannot be stored in the body but must be regularly ingested through food.

Vitamin H is an important component of enzymes involved in several metabolic processes, including protein synthesis, digestion, and cell growth. Among its most important actions is that of improving sugar metabolism. Vitamin H is therefore useful in the presence of type II diabetes, to rebalance the insulin resistance reactions.

When it was discovered

Biotin was discovered in the early 1900s, but it wasn't until the 1940s that its chemical structure was recognized. Studies began by examining the effects of vitamin H deficiency on animals: primarily hair loss and skin damage. In 1936, biotin was isolated from animal livers, and its role in the body was subsequently confirmed. The importance of vitamin H as a coenzyme in metabolic reactions, especially in the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates, began to be understood.

Property

This vitamin plays an important role in skin and hair, helping to maintain their integrity. It is no coincidence that it is widely prescribed in the treatment of skin problems which the seborrheic dermatitis and acne, but also to combat phenomena of alopeciaBiotin, in fact, helps strengthen both the hair bulb and the hair shaft.

Benefits of Vitamin H for Hair Health

Vitamin H is also useful for combat nail fragility, promoting hair regrowth. Biotin is therefore often used in treatments to strengthen hair and improve skin health, particularly for acne or dry skin.

Where it is

Biotin can be absorbed through various foods. This valuable substance is found, for example, in:

  • since milk
  • in cheeses
  • in the egg yolk
  • in the peanuts
  • in dried peas
  • in many vegetables
  • in mushrooms
  • in brewer's yeast

Il vitamin H requirement It ranges from 15 to 100 mg per day. This value varies from person to person, depending on their lifestyle. Those who regularly exercise are recommended to consume a higher intake than those with a sedentary lifestyle.

What happens with vitamin H deficiency

Il biotin deficiency It's a fairly rare condition, especially in adults. Among the various causes, a deficiency can be caused by:

  • from aninadequate food intake
  • from the inheritance of one or more congenital genetic disorders that affect the metabolism of the substance
  • da malabsorption problems intestinal.

Vitamin H deficiency can also occur quite frequently in people who habitually consume raw eggs. In similar situations, a protein present in the egg white, called avidine, if not denatured through cooking, hinders the absorption of biotin by acting as an anti-nutrient. Vitamin H deficiency can also lead to cases of night cramps, for one reason: circulation in the limbs worsens and slows down, and depending on the position assumed, cramps can occur. cramps.

What consequences can a biotin deficiency have? symptoms of vitamin H deficiency include:

  • general fatigue
  • nausea
  • night cramps
  • numbness and tingling of the extremities
  • trough

In more severe cases, the following may also occur:

A biotin deficiency can be remedied by taking specific supplementsBut be careful when it comes to DIY. Supplements should always be used under appropriate medical advice. Always remember that vitamin H deficiency, a rather rare condition, is best addressed with diet, and with a gradual increase in the intake of foods rich in it.

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