Taking Biotin during Pregnancy

Taking nutrition supplements in your pregnancy? Have you heard of Biotin’s role? Yes, it’s one of those supplements which can help you a great deal in your pregnancy?
Your foetus’ growth depends completely on your nutrition intake and that is why you are supposed to be following a healthy and nutritious diet all through the nine months. Let’s see why biotin is so important and find out how to get it in our foods.

As per a research article published in “Journal of Nutrition” in 2009, many expecting women face biotin deficiency. A deficiency of this nutrient can cause a lot of hair loss, depression, hallucinations, or physically may be a rash, numbness or tingling. Its deficiency may also be a reason for birth defects in newborns. If you are pregnant, you must consume about 30 micrograms of biotin every day. But so take your doctor’s advice before changing anything in your diet and ask which supplements you can take and in what dosage.

Why is Biotin important in Pregnancy?

Did you know that your body uses all the biotin much more quickly when you are pregnant? This is the reason of deficiency of this vitamin in most pregnant women. As a matter of fact, biotin depletes in about one-third to one-half of all the pregnant women as per some research studies. Typically, a biotin deficiency happens mostly in late pregnancy. Therefore, including biotin supplement or natural biotin-rich foods in your diet when you are expecting can help you from getting in that situation.
Biotin or vitamin H is a type of B complex vitamin. These vitamins are very imperative for our body so that the food can be converted into energy. This vitamin is also very important you’re your overall health. But biotin’s role during pregnancy is much more; as it supplements any deficiency of vitamin B.

Which foods can give you Biotin?

So let’s see which particular foods are rich in this nutrient and how you can increase your intake of this vitamin. You would be surprised to know but eggs are one of the top sources of biotin. But how you cook the eggs makes all the difference. Confused? Actually raw eggs can get contaminated or can carry infections that can harm your unborn baby. Other good sources of biotin are: pork, liver, fish, especially salmon, raspberries, cauliflower, avocado and cheddar cheese.
Biotin can be found in the following foods:

• Egg yolk
• Pork
• Liver and kidneys
• Cheddar cheese
• Cauliflower
• Nuts such as almonds, peanuts and walnuts
• Peanut butter
• Avocado
• Salmon
• Soybeans, other legumes
• Raspberries
• Mushrooms
• Whole grains, cereals
• Bananas

Recommended Dosage

Don’t forget to consult your doctor before trying out any biotin supplement or adding any biotin-rich foods in your pregnancy diet. Though extra doses of biotin shouldn’t cause any issue, but it’s necessary to check with your doctor and find out the appropriate dosage in your case. In general, for adults, 30 to 100 micrograms daily is an appropriate dosage.
As biotin is a water-soluble vitamin, any extra intake of this nutrient simply flushes out of your body when you urinate. Though mostly biotin supplements do not cause any allergies, some people might have minor side effects such as nausea or digestive issues.
Did you know that some bacteria inside your digestive tract also produces the biotin needed for our bodies? Biotin is an important vitamin for our body to function normally, and supplements really help pregnant women to keep their hair, skin and nails healthy. So eat a balanced diet and include a lot of biotin-rich foods and protect yourself and your bundle of joy against many illnesses!