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Hi Everyone!
I got a tremendous response from my last posting on my recent use of the
b-vitamin biotin. In general, people wanted to know: WHAT effects it had on
me, WHY I was taking it (ie. where did I read that it would help.)
FIRST of all, the WHAT:
A CAVEAT: I have not changed much else about my habits and schedule other
than adding this vitamin to my regimen. Therefore, in my case, I am pretty
convinced that it is the reason that the following four areas have been
helped. However, I would like to say that you should all read on your own
and speak to your physician before making any significant changes in your own
protocols. In addition, remember that everyone's case is different, so the
results I got may not be achieved by everyone. That being said...
Since taking biotin:
(1) My appetite has improved. Well, not exactly my appetite, but my FEELING
of hunger. For a long time I have not felt any sort of "hunger juices"
flowing in my stomach. The only way that I would know it was time to eat was
that I would feel faint and somewhat hypoglycemic--- by which time it was too
late to avoid a hypoglycemic incident. Now I actually feel hungry again! (I
had read that it improves the flow of digestive juices, and I have found this
to be the case.) In addition, it has seemed to stabilize my blood sugar
level somewhat. When I used to not eat for more than four hours, I would get
horribly faint and spacy. Now, since taking biotin, even if I don't eat for
6-7 hours, I feel HUNGRY... NOT FAINT OR SPACY! This has been a great
relief!
(2) (this is a bit sensitive, but since I feel that this forum is to help one
another to get better and to share information, here goes...) My chronic
constipation has gone away! This has been a great thing, and no small feat,
I must tell you...
(3) (this is even more sensitive, so I'll be tactful. If anyone has more
specific questions about this, email me.) A very specific, very
long-standing "fertility" problem has almost completely resolved itself!
This was the greatest relief and biggest, most wonderful surprise!
(4) Certain, apparently histamine-related allergic reactions to foods have
lessened somewhat... (ie. skin rash and itching.)
(5) A pleasant side-effect: My fingernails have gotten MUCH STRONGER. This
is funny, I admit, but absolutely noticeable!
I note that I have only been taking this vitamin for about 6 weeks, 1200
micrograms for the first 4 weeks and 1600 micrograms the last two. The
changes began about 3-4 weeks into taking this vitamin, but they were quite
noticeable.
WHY I started taking this vitamin:
FIrst of all, I read in Michael Murray's book "Encyclopedia of Nutritional
Supplements" (a WONDERFUL book, by the way.. I MOST HIGHLY recommend it as a
general resource... all of what he says is backed up by many clinical and lab
studies, and, unlike many other books of this type, he PUTS HIS MONEY WHERE
HIS MOUTH AND GIVES ALL OF THE SCIENTIFIC REFERENCES so that you can go look
them up yourself if you wanted to! Many other books make broad statements
with no research to back those statements up.).... anyway, I read in this
book that biotin has been shown to enhance insulin sensitivity and increases
the acticity of the enzyme glucokinase (the enzyme used in the first step of
the metabolism of glucose in the liver.) In one sudy, 16 mg of biotin
resulted in lowering of blood glucose levels in fasting diabetics and
improved blood glucose control in Type I diabetics. Similar results were
achieved with Type II diabetics at 9 mg/day. Since I had been having
problems when I did not eat for a while-- feeling faint and dizzy and the
like-- I figured that maybe I had a sub-clinical pre-diabetic condition.
SInce (according to Michael Murray) biotin has been shown to be non-toxic
and well tolerated at even such high doses as 16 MILLIGRAMS, I figured I
might as well try it at 1200 MICROGRAMS (ie 1.2 milligrams.) This was the
main reason that I began taking biotin.
However, I have also read (in some of those other "disruputable" sources
which do NOT give references) that biotin also helps in controlling Candida
infection (which I had been diagnosed with a few years ago,) and that biotin
increases the flow of pancreatic juices.
If anyone has any questions about any of this, or would like more info
aboutmy experiences with biotin, please send me email and I will try to get
right back to you!
In general, my approach to my own health has been: (1) To read widely, (2)
when I am convinced that there might be some benefit to trying a new
supplment or changing a lifestye habit, to go through a period of trial and
error.
A few sites I have found that talk a bit about biotin are as follows:
http://people.enternet.com.au/~cytel/vitaminb.htm
http://www.healthworld.com/library/books/haas/vitamins/biotin.htm
http://www.prev.com/nutrition/vitamat/b/biotin/biotin_story.html
I am now investigating the use of B-12 (specifically, methylcobalamin) in
Celiac Disease and Candida. I have read several places that B-12 is
malabsorbed in many celiacs (since B-12 is absorbed in the first part of the
first part of the small intestines, that place most often injured in
celiacs.)
Best to all....
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