Biotin
By Dietitian, Juliette Kellow BSc RD
How much you need each day:
There’s no RNI. A safe intake is considered to be 10-200mcg
Why you need it:
This belongs to the B vitamin group and is needed for energy production and to metabolise proteins and fats.
It’s also needed for healthy skin and hair.
Good food sources:
Biotin is found in liver, yeast extract, beans, nuts, wholegrains, brown rice, milk, cheese, yoghurt and eggs.
Too little:
A deficiency is rare but can cause tiredness, nausea, thinning of the hair, skin rashes and depression.
Top tip:
Eat a varied diet that includes plenty of different foods from the four main food groups and it’s likely you’ll get enough biotin in your daily diet.
How to get enough:
| Food | Biotin Content (mcg) |
|---|---|
| 100g grilled lamb’s liver | 41 |
| 40g All-bran | 8 |
| 300ml semi-skimmed milk | 6 |
| 200g can baked beans | 5 |
| 150g pot low-fat fruit yoghurt | 3 |
| 1 slice wholemeal bread | 2 |
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