What Is Biotin?
Biotin is a vitamin that is part of the Vitamin B Complex group, a group that has important nutrients that the body needs to support a healthy metabolism, nervous system, digestive system and cardiovascular system.
Biotin is also known as vitamin B7.
This vitamin is responsible for converting fatty acids, glucose and amino acids into energy that the body needs and uses to perform physical activities and for regular psychological functioning. This is not all, Vitamin B7 provides the body with nutrients that contribute to young and beautiful looking skin, and strong hair and nails.
Some of the foods that contain biotin are avocado, mushrooms, eggs, and fish. Biotin can also be consumed through supplements.
What Are Birth Control Pills?
Birth control pills, also known as oral contraceptives, are a type of drug that is designed to prevent pregnancy. These pills include estrogen and progestin and work by stopping the release of luteinizing hormones and follicle stimulating hormones from the pituitary gland in the brain. These hormones play a significant role in the development stages of the embryo.
There are different kinds of birth control pills that contain estrogen and progestin.
How Does Biotin Interact With Birth Control Pills?
There is no existing data or findings that indicate negative impacts of Biotin on birth control pills. In fact most studies claim the opposite. Some B-vitamins in the body decrease due to a long-term use of birth control pills. As vitamin B is crucial for the metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates, as well as neurotransmitters, synthesis of DNA and other important compounds, its deficiency is a serious danger to human health. It can result in neurological disorders, anemia and depression.
Therefore, it is usually suggested that women supplement these vitamins to avoid deficiency. According to previous studies, it appears that Biotin could be amongst the B vitamins that are affected by birth control pills because in 2004, when a pharmaceutical company released a prescription vitamin supplement for women taking birth control pills, Biotin was amongst the prescribed formula.
Other research studies, however, indicate that women who use oral contraceptives have lower B6 and B12 vitamins than women who do not. Vitamin B7, which is Biotin, is not mentioned.
Further research indicates that birth control pills may affect the levels of Vitamin B1, B2, B6, B12, Folic Acid, Vitamin C and E, magnesium, zinc and selenium. They also deplete the levels of the amino acid Tyrosine and CoQ10. Again, Biotin is not included on this list.
What Is The Bottom Line?
Even though recent research indicates that oral contraceptives affect the levels of Vitamin B and some minerals, vitamin B7 does not seem to be part of the B vitamins that are affected. Therefore, based on the most recent research, there is no indication that Biotin affects birth control pills or vice versa.
More research needs to be conducted in order to have evidence on the interaction of these two.
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