Vitamins
Biotin (Vitamin B7)
Also known as: vitamin B7, vitamin H
A B vitamin marketed for hair, skin, and nails. Helps only if you're deficient — and it can skew lab tests.
Medically reviewed by Akash Bhagat, DO, FACEP
What the evidence supports
| Use | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Correcting biotin deficiency | Established |
| Hair, skin, and nail health without deficiency | Unproven |
Common side effects
- Generally well tolerated
Who should be cautious or avoid this
- Interferes with many lab tests, including thyroid and troponin (heart attack) tests — tell your clinician and lab before bloodwork
What it is
Biotin is a B vitamin that helps enzymes process fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. True deficiency is rare.
Why it’s used in IV therapy
It’s a staple of “beauty” drips marketed for hair, skin, and nails.
What the evidence says
Biotin improves hair and nails in people who are deficient. For everyone else, evidence of benefit is lacking.
The important caution
The FDA has warned that biotin can interfere with many lab tests — including tests used to diagnose heart attacks and thyroid conditions — producing falsely high or low results. If you’ve had biotin recently, tell your clinician and the lab before any bloodwork.