Does biotin make you bloated?

Have you ever popped a biotin pill in your quest for luscious locks, only to end up feeling like a hot air balloon? Fear not, my fellow hypochondriacs! We’ve got the lowdown on whether biotin could be the culprit making your belly bloat like nobody’s business.

What Even Is Biotin?

Before we dive into this question, let’s back up and talk about what exactly biotin is. Like a secret agent working behind the scenes of your body, biotin is a water-soluble vitamin that helps convert food into energy. It also plays a vital role in maintaining healthy skin, hair and nails. So far, so good.

How Do You Get Biotin?

Biotin can be found naturally in foods such as eggs (cue all those omelettes), nuts and seeds (hello peanut butter!), sweet potatoes (pass me the fries) and spinach (for those of us who love our greens). But if you’re really looking to give your tresses some extra TLC or are experiencing signs of deficiency (think thinning hair and brittle nails), then supplements may be worth considering.

Wait…What Is This About Bloating?

Ah yes, back to bloating – it’s an uncomfortable topic but unfortunately one many of us are familiar with (let’s face it, who hasn’t felt like they swallowed two watermelons after indulging in some questionable takeout?). Some people have reported that taking high doses of biotin has caused them to experience bloating or stomach discomfort (cue panicked Google search).

But before you toss out any bottles of vitamins frantically waving white flags above your head screaming “take me instead!”, let’s dive deeper into this claim.

Could High Doses Of BiotIn Be The Culprit?

The short answer? Possibly. While biotin is generally safe to consume, taking high doses (over 5,000 mcg a day) has been associated with some gastrointestinal distress for some people.

But why does this happen? Well, while biotin can be helpful in converting food into energy and promoting healthy hair and nails (clicks heels) too much of a good thing can sometimes turn south. Overdosing on biotin may interfere with how your body absorbs other vitamins or minerals such as vitamin B6 and zinc (cue the song “Too Much Of A Good Thing” by Jade).

But Wait…There’s More!

Before you vow to never touch another bottle of supplements again (raises hand guilty), let’s throw one more curveball into the mix: it might not actually be the biotin that’s causing bloating at all.

One theory suggests that people who are prone to bloating could simply be experiencing what we call placebo effect – essentially our brains our tricking us into feeling bloated because they believe it should happen when we take something new or unfamiliar. It’s like when someone says ‘oh my god I’m so full’ halfway through eating dinner and suddenly everyone else around the table realizes how stuffed they feel too (it’s contagious!)

Another possibility is that those pesky fillers added to supplement tablets such as lactose or cellulose may actually be behind digestive issues. Not cool, fillers – nobody invited you here anyway.

Alrighty Then…What Do We Do Now?

Don’t fret just yet friends – there are ways around this dilemma if you’re still committed to seeing if biotin works for you minus any bloat-a-thons:

  1. Start small: Rather than popping a mega-dose pill right from go (is anyone calling pills ‘mega-doses’ anymore?), try building up slowly to see how your body responds. Start with a lower dose of biotin and gradually build up over time (like one would do in the gym – baby steps people).

  2. Take it with food: Taking supplements on an empty stomach can sometimes irritate your digestive system (cue angry grumbling coming from stomach). Try taking biotin supplements with meals or shortly afterwards to minimize any potential discomfort.

  3. Consider dosage: If bloating is still a major issue, consider talking to your healthcare provider about whether you need such high doses of biotin in the first place; they may be able to recommend alternative products that will work just as well without causing any gastrointestinal distress.

To Bloat Or Not To Bloat?

So there we have it folks – combining newfound knowledge and logic (what a combo!) should help us all come out unscathed when it comes to questioning whether biotin makes us bloaty™ (Yes I trademarked that word). At the very least, we now know that our bodies are complex systems not easily reduced down into ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers (sigh, if only life was simple like choosing between donuts or broccoli) and so perhaps adding some mindfulness exercises each day might also help reduce bloating (it’s worth a try!).

And for those still curled up under their weighted blankets googling symptoms far too often than is healthy… fear not my friend, at least while under wraps no-one has any idea how much we might be bloated underneath, so repeat after me “I am light as feather” and binge-watch Ozark until sunset and proceed with guilt-free snack(s)…or better yet skip snacks altogether- spandex season is fast approaching!

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