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Best Biotin supplements
Nutrition Geeks Biotin Growth +
Available from Nutrition Geeks (£9.99), Amazon (£9.99), Freedom Clinic (£9.99)
Price per day 11p
Star rating 4.5/5
For a general biotin supplement with some zinc (helps maintain healthy skin, hair and nails) and selenium, this is a good basic supplement and best value for money. There are bigger discounts available if you buy on subscription, and the product has small, easy-to-swallow tablets with a neutral taste and smell.
Available from:
Biocare Hair, Skin & Nail Complex
Available from Revital (£28.45), BioCare (£37.60), Victoria Health (£37.59)
Price per day £1.25
Star rating 4.5/5
A good all-rounder, this product contains a good blend of biotin and zinc together with other vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The dose is two capsules a day, which are easy to swallow and tasteless but a few of the testers did comment on a slight grassy smell. There are no additional fillers or additives.
Available from:
Cytoplan CytoProtect Hair, Skin & Nails
Available from Nature Doc Shop (£19.50), Emma Coleman Skin (£21), Cytoplan (£22.50)
Price per day 38p
Star rating 4/5
This is a blend of biotin, zinc and selenium as well as important antioxidants specifically formulated to support healthy hair, skin and nails. They are easy-to-swallow capsules, but some testers found that they do have quite a strong smell which may be off-putting for some.
Available from:
New Leaf Biotin, Zinc & Selenium
Available from Amazon (£6.94), New Leaf (£10.95), Superdrug (£10.95)
Price per day 12p
Star rating 4/5
This biotin supplement has really small easy-to-swallow, tasteless tablets and delivers a high dose of biotin in just two tablets a day. It provides all your daily selenium requirements, plus 50% of your zinc reference intake. You can buy on subscription and receive a discount, making it good value too.
Available from:
Perfectil SKIN
Available from Vitabiotics (18.95), Amazon (£18.95), Boots (£20)
Price per day 68p
Star rating 3.5/5
A comprehensive blend of nutrients including omega-3 and antioxidants, although there are also bulking agents, talc and colours in the formulation. The pack contains both a tablet and a capsule, and you are instructed to take one of each a day. The tablet is quite large, and the capsule has a stronger smell to it, which may be more problematic for some, but each blister pack comes with the days of the week on the back to help incorporate it into your daily routine.
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Is biotin good for skin?
There are limited studies on the benefits of biotin in skin health, unless you happen to have a biotin deficiency. In fact, there is some concern about the levels of high dosing that can be found in some products as high levels of biotin may interfere with thyroid function. A few small studies demonstrate that when people with thin and brittle nails took high doses of biotin it did have a positive effect.
Is biotin good for hair?
Like with skin health, there also appears to be limited scientific evidence about the effectiveness of biotin for hair health, and any beneficial studies appear to be in those who had a biotin deficiency.
How much biotin should I take per day?
There is no recommended daily allowance for biotin in the UK, because there isn’t enough evidence, and the NHS supports that we should be able to get enough from our diet. Their recommendation is to take 0.9mcg or less without any side effects, but there is also some evidence that supports 30mcg a day for adults being safe, and even higher levels have currently not been found to cause toxicity.
How should I take a biotin supplement?
No single nutrient works on its own, so if you are going to take a biotin supplement, look for one that has other vitamins and minerals as well to maximise efficacy. The standard recommendation is to take biotin supplements with food, and plenty of fluid; the time of day is not thought to be important.
What format of biotin is best?
There is some evidence that liposomal formats may provide better nutrient uptake, but as tablets and capsules tend to contain more nutrients, it might be wise to look for one of these rather than a liposomal format which may have fewer nutrients.
What we looked for in biotin supplements
All supplements were tested within the same time period, with observations recorded based on the testing criteria. We included samples from various manufacturers, offering diverse formats such as capsules, tablets, gummies and soluble offerings, with a range of price points to suit different budgets. The key areas we assessed were as follows:
Taste and flavour: is the consuming experience pleasant?
Nutrient profile: how much biotin per daily dose? How does this compare to the NRV?
Additives: does the product contain additives, for example: preservatives, artificial sweeteners or colourings?
Dietary requirements: does the product meet any specific dietary needs– is it vegetarian, vegan?
Value for money: how does it compare to other products on a cost-per-day basis
Further reading:
How gut health affects skin
What foods are good for my skin?
Collagen boosting recipes
Eat your way to fabulous skin
Eat these dietary fats to improve your skin
Liz Earle’s top five secrets for radiant skin
What to eat for healthy hair
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