With decadent oils, reparative hair masks, keratin treatments, and even spas dedicated entirely to scalp health—we’re undeniably in an era of peak haircare culture. Enmeshed in this hype, there’s a lot of attention on biotin supplements and other vitamins to promote healthy hair, skin, and nail growth. But does this buzzy B vitamin have any real impact?
Vogue’s Guide to the Best Biotin Supplements
The answer, unfortunately, isn’t so clear cut. But we chatted with dermatologists, nutritionists, and skincare experts to suss out the ways biotin can (and can’t) help nourish your strands and scalp. That said, it’s important to note that you should always chat with your healthcare provider before adding a new supplement to your regimen. If you get the go-ahead, below, we’ve gathered information on the benefits of biotin, how to use it properly, and the eight best supplement options to try.
In This Story
- What do biotin supplements do?
- Does biotin really help hair and nail growth?
- How much biotin should you take each day?
- What is the best form of biotin to take?
- What are the side effects of taking biotin?
- How to choose a biotin supplement
- Meet the experts
Pure Encapsulations Biotin Complex Hair Skin
- Why We Love It: “As a healthcare professional, I trust third-party tested brands like Pure Encapsulations,” says Carla Hernandez, a registered dietician specializing in women’s health in Los Angeles, California. She specifically recommends this Biotin Complex Hair Skin supplement because it features magnesium biotinate, which she considers the “superior” option, as it is a safe and fast-absorbing form. Plus, it contains arginine and silica, for enhanced hair and nail support.
- Key Ingredients: Biotin (from magnesium biotinate)
- Biotin Per Serving: 10,000 mcg
- Type: Capsule
- Serving Size: 1 capsule
- Servings Per Bottle: 60
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| Highly absorbable form, third-party tested, targeted formula, gluten-free | High doses of biotin may be unnecessary for some |
Designs for Health’s Whole Beauty Collagen
- Why We Love It: If healthy skin, hair and nails are the top concern—then it can be helpful to take a supplement featuring other supportive ingredients beyond just biotin (like a collagen supplement).“I also love Designs for Health’s Whole Beauty Collagen, which combines biotin with collagen peptides to support skin, hair, and nails,” says Hernandez. This unflavored, dissolvable powder supplement is also a great option for anyone who isn’t a fan of swallowing pills. It’s also worth noting that it features magnesium biotinate, a form that’s shown to be highly absorbable in the body.
- Key Ingredients: Biotin (magnesium biotinate), collagen peptides
- Biotin Per Serving: 10,000 mcg
- Type: Powder
- Serving Size: 1 scoop
- Servings Per Container: 30
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| Includes other supportive ingredients, easy-to-take form | Not ideal for vegetarians/vegans, very high biotin dose |
Thorne Biotin
- Why We Love It: Thorne is a trusted supplement brand, with third-party testing and certification on all of their products. This high-concentration supplement, in particular, is ideal for anyone who is deficient in biotin for any number of reasons. It’s a no-frills formula, with just one ingredient: biotin. So while it’s not a comprehensive hair support supplement, it is ideal for anyone who needs a very targeted formula. What’s more, we love that Thorne’s biotin product has been third-party tested and certified.
- Key Ingredients: Biotin
- Biotin Per Serving: 8 mg (8,000 mcg)
- Type: Capsule
- Serving Size: 1 capsule
- Servings Per Bottle: 60
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| Rigorously tested brand, high-potency, simple formula | High doses of biotin may be unnecessary for some |
Ritual Prenatal Multivitamin
- Why We Love It: “I personally take Ritual vitamins daily, because I love how they do a lot of third-party research on their supplements,” says Vanessa Lee, registered nurse, skin-care expert, and founder of The Things We Do. Since a number of women experience marginal biotin deficiencies during pregnancy, Ritual opted to include a small amount of biotin (150 mcg, to be exact) in their prenatal multivitamin to bridge any nutritional gaps. Plus, it contains a number of other ingredients that are beneficial during pregnancy, like folate, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids.
- Key Ingredients: Folate, choline, omega-3 DHA, iron, B12,
- Biotin Per Serving: 150 mcg
- Type: Capsule
- Serving Size: 2 capsules
- Servings Per Bottle: 30
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| Research-backed prenatal formula, gentle dose of biotin, comprehensive formula | Lower biotin than standalone supplements |
Perelel Mom Multi Support Pack
- Why We Love It: Lee is also a big fan of the brand Perelel for all supplement needs—and that includes their Mom Multi Support Pack. This postnatal vitamin was formulated by a team of ob-gyns and doulas to support your body up to five years after birth. Since postpartum hair loss is a common experience (some data suggests that it affects nearly 90% of all moms), this supplement pack includes a “beauty blend” capsule with biotin and collagen peptides, along with a postnatal multivitamin, omega DHA and EPA, and a stress support blend.
- Key Ingredients: Biotin, collagen peptides, L-theanine, omega DHA and EPA, vitamin D, vitamin C
- Biotin Per Serving: 30 mcg
- Type: Capsule
- Serving Size: 5 capsules/soft gels
- Servings Per Bottle: 30
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| Formulated by ob-gyns, designed specifically for postpartum needs, safe to take while breastfeeding, gluten-free | Multiple capsules per day, modest biotin dose |
New Chapter Hair, Skin Nails
- Why We Love It: This vegetarian capsule includes a number of ingredients thought to ease stress, support digestion, and promote healthy hair, skin, and nails—including organic reishi, maca, chamomile, aloe, algae (vitamin C), and more. As for biotin, this blend features a fermented form, which the brand says can help improve absorption. In fact, one star ingredient worth noting is astaxanthin, a plant-nutrient from organic algae that has potent antioxidant properties. As for biotin, this blend features a fermented form, which the brand says can help improve absorption. We also love that this supplement features multiple third-party certifications.
- Key Ingredients: Fermented biotin, organic reishi, organic maca, organic chamomile, organic algae
- Biotin Per Serving: 300 mcg
- Type: Capsule
- Serving Size: 1 capsule
- Servings Per Bottle: 30
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| Easier-to-absorb form, vegetarian-friendly, additional nourishing ingredients, gluten-free | Lower biotin dose |
NOW Foods Biotin
- Why We Love It: In cases of a deficiency, a larger dose of biotin may be necessary. That’s where this straightforward supplement from Now Foods comes in, with nothing but 10,000 mcg of biotin. Again, it’s very important to speak to your healthcare provider before taking a supplement with this high of a dose, just to mitigate any risk of unnecessary side effects. That said, with your doctor’s approval, this can be a great choice for anyone who needs to bridge a nutritional gap—particularly because it comes at a more accessible price point than other biotin supplements.
- Key Ingredients: Biotin
- Biotin Per Serving: 10,000 mcg
- Type: Capsule
- Serving Size: 1 capsule
- Servings Per Bottle: 120
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| Accessible price point, straightforward formula | High doses of biotin may be unnecessary for some |
Phyto Phytophanère Dietary Supplement
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- Why We Love It: This dietary supplement is formulated to help naturally support against hair loss and thinning. It features a unique combination of vitamins, minerals, natural oils, and plant extracts to improve the quality and growth of your hair and nails. Vogue’s shopping director Talia Abbas says she started taking these to help with nail regrowth after her marathon training. “It’s still a little early to tell, as I only started taking these three weeks ago, but I’m hopeful this will help my toenails regrow to what they were before!”
- Key Ingredients: Zinc, vitamin B6, biotin, bovine gelatin
- Biotin Per Serving: 150 mcg
- Type: Capsule
- Serving Size: 2 capsules
- Servings Per Bottle: 60
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| Easy to consume, gentle dose | Pricier than other options on this list, and not ideal for vegetarians/vegans |
Nutrafol Women
- Why We Love It: Nutrafol is a household name when it comes to hair growth supplements, and this particular formula includes—you guessed it—a dose of biotin. “Nutrafol is plant-based and science-backed,” board-certified dermatologist Jennifer Gordon, MD, previously told Vogue. “It gives you the building blocks for hair growth but also affects other systems that affect hair growth and well-being.” The women’s formula is meant to address the cause of thinning—whether that’s stress, lifestyle, or nutrition. And, according to Nutrafol’s research, you should notice thicker, fuller, and stronger hair in three to six months.
- Key Ingredients: Ashwagandha, saw palmetto, tocotrienol complex, marine collagen peptides, curcumin
- Biotin Per Serving: 3,000mcg
- Type: Capsule
- Serving Size: 4 capsules
- Servings Per Bottle:
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| Clinically studied, dermatologist-backed, comprehensive hair growth formula | High price point, multiple capsules |
Vegamour GRO Biotin Gummies for Hair Wellness
- Why We Love It: For anyone who dislikes taking capsules, Vegamour’s biotin gummies are a great (and chewable) alternative. These vitamin gummies are “natural, vegan, and contain MCT oil, which is excellent for stress relief and antioxidant properties, Dr. Gordon previously told Vogue. “They are easy to take (just once daily) and are designed to be clean.” We also love that this formula features additional nourishing ingredients like Vitamin A, B complex (B5, B6, B12), C, and E. What’s more, they’re designed to address early thinning—before it becomes a more challenging problem—and support hair density. While everyone’s journey is different, the brand states that most people can expect results in three months.
- Key Ingredients: Vitamins A, B5, B6, B7 (biotin), B12, C, and E
- Biotin Per Serving: 5,000mcg
- Type: Gummy
- Serving Size: 1 gummy
- Servings Per Bottle: 30
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| Plant-based, vegan-friendly, easy-to-take gummy format | Not ideal for significant hair loss |
Everything You Need to Know
What do biotin supplements do?
Biotin, aka Vitamin B7, is your body s energy converter, turning carbs, fats, and proteins into fuel, says Hernandez. “But unless you’re truly deficient or consuming raw eggs (this blocks biotin absorption), popping extra biotin via supplementation may not be necessary.”
That said, for individuals who don’t get an adequate amount of biotin in their diets or have a deficiency for any reasont—which, albeit uncommon, isn’t impossible (in fact, it’s pretty common during pregnancy)—supplementation may be a helpful way to bridge the gap. Although most data suggests that nutritional biotin deficiencies are pretty rare, approximately half of healthy pregnant women may have marginal biotin deficiency.
There are some instances of hereditary biotin deficiencies, and “these can cause severe medical issues and are typically diagnosed in infancy,” says Castilla. “Certain medications can lead to relative biotin deficiencies as well—most commonly anti-seizure medications.”
Does biotin really help hair and nail growth?
The answer isn’t so clear cut. “Biotin is essential for hair and nail growth; biotin deficiency, in fact, can lead to hair loss and brittle nails,” says Carmen Castilla, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. However, it’s pretty uncommon to have a biotin deficiency, and “there is no strong scientific evidence to support the idea that biotin supplementation improves hair or nail growth in individuals who are not biotin deficient.”
Most people get an adequate amount of this key vitamin through their diets alone, and for healthy people without a biotin deficiency, “supplements are unlikely to grow your hair longer or make your nails stronger, despite the marketing hype,” she says.
However, for anyone experiencing hair loss or thinning, brittle nails, or similar issues—it’s worth asking your doctor if supplementing with biotin, or any other vitamin, might be the right choice for your body.
How much biotin should you take each day?
Adults need 30 micrograms (mcg) of biotin daily to reach adequate intake, and the average diet provides 35 to 70 mcg, explains Hernandez. This important vitamin is naturally found in a wide variety of foods like eggs, dark leafy greens, fish, avocados, sweet potatoes, legumes, and nuts and seeds.
Most biotin supplements contain at least 2,000 mcg, well over the daily requirement—and some supplements have doses upwards of 10,000 mcg. While these can be beneficial to some individuals, it can be unnecessary for others.
Of course, everyone’s individual needs are different, and it’s important to keep that in mind for anyone considering supplementation, says Lee.
What is the best form of biotin to take?
In general, it’s best to get biotin by eating a well-balanced diet. However, for those who need to supplement for any number of reasons, Hernandez says magnesium biotinate is the superior choice. “It’s 40 times more soluble than D-biotin, it absorbs better, works faster, and is safe for boosting biotin levels,” she says.
As for powder versus capsules versus gummies, there isn’t any major difference when it comes to absorption. Although, most nutritionists will recommend opting for a capsule or unflavored powder over gummies, to minimize unnecessary added sugar in your diet.
What are the side effects of taking biotin?
While several studies have found no adverse effects of 10,000 to 50,000 mcg per day of biotin, it’s important to note that biotin supplementation, especially at high doses, can interfere with certain blood work and lab testing. “Most commonly affected tests are thyroid tests, and heart attack marker tests. Biotin can interfere with blood marker tests commonly used to diagnose a heart attack, potentially affecting your doctor s ability to make an accurate diagnosis,” says Castilla.
What’s more, in some cases, when people take excessive amounts of biotin unnecessarily, “that B7 actually starts to wipe out your vitamin B5 production, which leads to more oily skin and breakouts,” says Lee.
How to Choose a Biotin Supplement
Most importantly: “Really tune into your body, and pay attention to your own individual needs, then lean into that,” says Lee.
Consider what purpose this supplement will serve in your well-being journey. Are you trying to support nail health and growth? Address hair loss? Bridge a nutritional gap? From there, look for a biotin supplement that has the proper dosage and complementary ingredients necessary to support your health goals.
As with any supplement, there are some key factors to consider when choosing the best biotin, says Hernandez. For one, look for third-party testing and a decent amount of clinical research to back them.
And, remember, just because you’ve seen your favorite influencer posts about it, that doesn’t mean biotin is the best choice for you. “It doesn t make sense for someone who generally has thick, strong hair and nails to just take biotin,” says Lee, adding that there’s rarely a one-size-fits all magic pill, and the important thing is to pay attention to the clues your body is giving you (whether that’s thinning hair or brittle nails) and chat with your doctor to determine the best plan for your health.
Meet the Experts
- Carla Hernandez, RD, a registered dietician specializing in women’s health in Los Angeles, California
- Vanessa Lee, RN, registered nurse, skin-care expert, and founder of The Things We Do
- Carmen Castilla, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City
