Experts say you’re probably wasting money on biotin for your hair. Here’s what actually helps

No matter how much teasing, volumizing spray or upside-down blow-drying I try, my fine hair stays stubbornly flat against my head. So I’m no stranger to late-night searches for ways to add some oomph, and my quest often leads to an influencer touting a beauty supplement with biotin as a main ingredient. But here’s the thing: Biotin supplements don’t actually work (at least for most people).

Biotin, also known as vitamin B7 or vitamin H, is a water-soluble vitamin that has become a favorite among the wellness community, often touted as supporting hair volume, thickness and growth. And as the growing supplement industry proves, people love a simple, one-pill fix. Unfortunately, the research on biotin’s benefits for hair health is less than impressive, so many people end up spending money on products with little to no evidence behind their marketing claims.

To help save you money on your quest for healthier, stronger hair, I used my expertise as a registered dietitian to dig into the latest research on biotin and hair health. I also reached out to fellow registered dietitian Jaclyn Fleisher, founder of JBF Nutrition in New York City, and three board-certified dermatologists for their insights. Here’s what they had to say about the biotin myth and what they recommend their clients do instead.

It’s true: Biotin is essential for hair health

Research doesn’t support using biotin supplements to improve hair health or growth in healthy adults. That doesn’t mean biotin isn’t important for hair. There’s real science behind the myth.

“The body uses biotin to activate enzymes that are involved in making glucose and fatty acids and in breaking down certain amino acids,” says Fleisher. “These processes help maintain normal cellular function, including the health of hair and nails, which are primarily made of keratin, a structural protein.”

But supplements are only effective if you’re actually deficient

Here’s where the myth falls apart: Biotin matters for your hair, but that doesn’t mean more of it will help. Biotin is an essential nutrient, meaning your body can’t make enough of it on its own. You need to get it from food, or you may develop a deficiency. That’s the one scenario where supplements have been shown to help hair health, though even then, the research is thin.

A 2024 review published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology found only three studies on biotin supplements for hair loss that met the researchers’ criteria, and the evidence was low quality. Still, the broader evidence, most of it case reports, suggests biotin supplements may be useful for people with a true deficiency and for kids with an underlying condition that affects hair growth. But when it comes to taking extra biotin without a deficiency, the evidence just isn’t there.

So if you’re not getting enough biotin in your diet, then yes, correcting a true deficiency may improve the strength of your hair and even support hair growth. The catch? True deficiency is rare in healthy adults. Fleisher says this is because biotin is found in a wide variety of animal- and plant-based foods, including meat, fish, eggs, nuts, dairy and some vegetables, like sweet potatoes, spinach and broccoli.

That said, some people are at higher risk of biotin deficiency and may in fact benefit from a supplement. According to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, people who are pregnant, are breastfeeding or drink heavily have been shown to be at increased risk of low biotin levels. And people born with a rare condition called biotinidase deficiency will need to take a biotin supplement for the rest of their lives.

You shouldn’t take biotin “just in case”

The best way to know if you’re deficient is to ask your health care provider about testing. Dr. Hope Mitchell, a board-certified dermatologist, cautions that this is important to do before taking a supplement “just in case” because biotin can interfere with some lab tests, including thyroid and cardiac tests, skewing the results. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned that this includes troponin tests used to help diagnose heart attacks. If you do take biotin, tell your provider before any blood work.

Here’s what actually helps

Before looking into alternative supplements or expensive serums, dermatologist and hair restoration expert Dr. Dawn Queen stresses it’s important to work with a dermatologist or other expert to identify the underlying cause of your hair troubles, as different causes require different treatments. That said, here are some places to start.

Correcting nutritional deficiencies

If you’re experiencing increased shedding or hair loss, the best course of action is to make an appointment with a dermatologist, registered dietitian or other health care professional to check for nutritional deficiencies. In addition to biotin, Fleisher recommends her clients ask to have their iron, vitamin D, zinc and thyroid hormone levels checked. From there, a provider can make more accurate recommendations for the types and doses of supplements you need to get your levels back to a healthy range, and how to keep them there.

Following a healthy diet

For clients interested in thicker hair or minimizing hair loss, Fleisher says one of her main recommendations isn’t particularly groundbreaking: a well-balanced diet with plenty of protein. Dr. Nupur Patel, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Luma Dermatology, agrees, explaining, “Hair is a non-essential tissue, so if you are nutritionally deficient (especially in iron, vitamin D or protein), the body will prioritize vital organs, and hair growth will be [one of] the first thing[s] to slow down.”

As for what to eat, Fleisher says the Mediterranean diet provides a good framework for prioritizing foods that support hair health, like lean proteins, omega-3-rich fish and mineral-rich nuts and seeds.

Managing stress levels

“Stress management is huge because telogen effluvium, stress-induced hair shedding, is very real,” says Patel. She also notes that poor sleep and chronic stress elevate cortisol, which can disrupt the natural hair growth cycle. That makes getting enough sleep key too.

Talking to a professional about OTC and prescription options

Patel and Queen both note that there are over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription options that can be helpful, though Queen points out that it’s “important to distinguish hair growth from hair strength.”

If your goal is growth, Queen says there are several options for treating pattern hair loss that are worth talking to your doctor about. For example, “Topical minoxidil (Rogaine) is one of the best-studied treatments for pattern hair loss,” she says. Patel also calls minoxidil the “gold standard with robust clinical evidence for hair density.” Prescription options are a separate category and, Patel adds, require a careful diagnosis for each individual patient. As for other popular remedies, like rosemary oil and peptides, Queen says the clinical evidence “remains limited compared with minoxidil.” Queen adds that ketoconazole shampoo can help manage dandruff and scalp inflammation, which may indirectly improve hair health and growth.

“For hair strength, products containing bond-building technologies (like bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate) may help protect the hair shaft from breakage, which makes hair look and feel thicker, even if they aren’t technically growing new hair from the follicle,” says Patel.

Meet our experts

• Hope Mitchell, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist, founder and CEO of Mitchell Dermatology

• Dawn Queen, MD, board-certified dermatologist and hair restoration expert

• Nupur Patel, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Luma Dermatology

Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.