[Moreta]

Does anyone take a hair, skin, and nails supplement with biotin in it? Does it help? I like growing my nails long but they always break and that's annoying. I thought about getting a gel or acrylic set put on but it damages the nail so much and I'd rather not do that. Plus it's expensive, especially with keeping them up.

[julianneturner]

Well I am hearing it first time, I too don't know but will get back to you soon. Please do share your experience I too want to try it.

I used to use a biotin supplement and it does work. However, biotin also lowers blood sugar, so taking a high dose when I'm most likely hypoglycemic lowered my blood sugar way too much and so I had to stop taking it. I take a small amount daily with a multi-vitamin with no ill effects. If your blood sugar is normal, a biotin supplement shouldn't have any ill effects.

[Evening]

You can also take supplements such as silica gel, and things like zinc,iron, folate, etc.
Remember also 3 things- 1. liquid supplements absorb better than tablet form, 2. some vitamins and minerals can inhibit the absorption of others, and 3. they will take a few weeks to months to show results.

I have liquid iron and multivitamins in orange juice (which is best taken first thing in the morning on an empty stomach) and I take silica gel in my water.

As for biotin, I have taken it in tablet form, where I am it isn't easy to find a solely biotin supplement and in a higher dose. In looking at reviews in the past it seems to work, but it's not the only thing that helps hair and nails to grow, hence why I take a variety.

I used to take biotin but my primary care doctor said that it doesn't help unless you have a deficiency. So I stopped taking it. I'll be following this thread to see what suggestions people come up with. Good luck!

[Evening]

Your body will get biotin from foods like almonds, walnuts, carrots, fish, spinach, yoghurt, eggs, soy, etc., I take supplements just to give my body a boost because while I try to eat healthy (I shop at markets to get a big variety and like unique foods I don't generally find in supermarkets), I don't know exactly how much of everything I'm getting and I like to top it up.

A good diet is going to be the thing that helps most, supplements are just that, supplementing your diet with a few extra vitamins/minerals. Of course this comes down to what people can afford. 10 years ago my options were $1 bread and 60c noodles. Now I have a comfortable income and can afford to eat well and buy supplements.

A lot of these tablets and things may not have a huge amount of what you're after in them either, topped with the fact other vitamins and minerals can inhibit absorption plus the fact tablet forms don't absorb well as I mentioned.

When it comes to supplements, the ones I use are Hubner Silicea Gel- which I can just add to water as it has no taste, Spatone liquid iron- as it comes in sachet form and I can't be bothered measuring things out every day, and a liquid multivitamin and biotin tablet from the health food store.
Drinking more water will help, which in turn works 2 fold if you did add something like silica gel into it (silica is in a number of foods like rice, but because of over processing land it is becoming less measurable in foods), and increasing foods with things like zinc, protein and iron.

Another thing is making sure to moisturise your hands and nails (or hair as the same things help hair growth too) as when they become dry that's when a lot of splitting and breakage occurs.