What is Vitamin B7, Why Do You Need It, and What’s The Best B7 Supplement?

June 21, 2025

Learn about vitamin B7, its health benefits, food sources, supplements, and how you can boost your intake for better energy, skin, and hair.

Content Outline

What is Vitamin B7?
What is the function of Vitamin B7 in the human body?
Vitamin B7 forms: Which is the active form?
Vitamin B7-rich foods
Vitamin B7 recipe: Easy spinach and mushroom omelette
Vitamin B7 supplements
- Which Vitamin B7 supplement is best?
Why buy food-born vitamins?

What is Vitamin B7?

Vitamin B7, also known as biotin, is a water-soluble B vitamin that’s naturally present in some foods and is widely available in supplement form.

As part of the B-complex of vitamins, biotin is vital for helping the body to metabolize carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, but it’s also critical for energy production, and for maintaining healthy hair, skin and nails.

Biotin is commonly associated with the beauty industry, but it is an essential nutrient that everyone needs for optimal body function.

What is the function of Vitamin B7 in the human body?

Vitamin B7 has several important functions in the human body, including within energy production, healthy hair, skin, and nails, and even for maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Here are some of the important roles biotin has within the body that help to keep you healthy:

Metabolism and energy production – Biotin is a coenzyme that helps convert food into energy. It assists in the breakdown of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins to help fuel your body for its activities. Specifically, biotin is a cofactor for enzymes involved in carboxylation reactions. The enzymes that biotin supports can make fatty acids, the amino acids, isoleucine and valine, and generate glucose1.
Supporting healthy skin, hair, and nails – Biotin is often marketed for its role in promoting healthy hair, skin and nails. However, the evidence for this is limited, but biotin supplementation may be beneficial for people with brittle nail syndrome or uncombable hair2.
Lowering blood glucose levels – Vitamin B7 is involved in the production of fatty acids and glucose. Emerging research shows that biotin may stimulate insulin secretion from the pancreas in animal studies3. A further study also demonstrated that biotin supplementation could be beneficial for glycemic control in type 1 diabetics and that it may protect against diabetic neuropathy4. However, more research is needed.
Cell function and repair – Biotin is important for DNA production and can help cells produce proteins needed for cell division and repair5.
Maintaining a healthy pregnancy – Vitamin B7 is essential for a healthy pregnancy because it’s crucial for fetal growth and development. More than 50% of pregnant women are biotin deficient6, suggesting that marginal biotin deficiency is a common feature of pregnancy7.

Vitamin B7 forms: Which is the active form?

Biotin exists in several forms, but the active form is the free, unbound version that the body can use straight away. When you eat foods that contain vitamin B7, it is typically in its bound form. Your body then uses enzymes to release the biotin, making it free and ready to be used for various metabolic functions.

If you take biotin supplements, these will contain vitamin B7 in its free, active form, making it easy for the body to absorb.

Vitamin B7-rich foods

Vitamin B7 can be found in a wide range of foods both from animal and plant origins. For example, eggs and sweet potatoes have high biotin levels and are rich and convenient sources.

Other vitamin B7 rich foods include:

legumes
sunflower seeds
beef liver and other organ meats
bananas
yeast
broccoli

Did you know? Eating raw eggs can reduce biotin absorption because they contain a protein called avidin which can limit biotin absorption. So, always cook eggs before eating them.

Vitamin B7 recipe: Easy spinach and mushroom omelette

Omelettes are one of the most versatile and nutritious meals you can prepare. They’re great at any time of the day or are a great pre- or post-workout meal. Not only can you customize them with a variety of ingredients, but they’re also a great biotin source thanks to the eggs and mushrooms in this recipe.

This simple recipe combines eggs, spinach, and mushrooms to create a delicious meal packed with essential nutrients, including biotin. Don’t forget you can add whichever ingredients you like to make this omelette as tasty as you like.

Ingredients:

2 medium eggs
120g spinach
60g sliced mushrooms
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Crack the eggs into a medium mixing bowl and whisk them together until combined.
Heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat.
Add the spinach and mushrooms to the pan and sauté until soft.
Pour the beaten eggs over the mushrooms and spinach and cook until set.
Season with salt and pepper.
Enjoy.

This recipe provides a hit of biotin from the eggs and mushrooms, while the spinach brings a range of other nutrients, including iron.

Vitamin B7 supplements

While food should be the main source of vitamin B7, there are certain individuals who may benefit from biotin supplementation because they have certain health conditions, are deficient, or may be pregnant. Biotin supplements are available in several forms, from pills and gummies to topical treatments for hair and skin.

Who might need vitamin B7 supplements?

Here are some of the groups who might consider vitamin B7 supplementation:

Pregnant or breastfeeding women – Your biotin needs will increase during pregnancy, and with more than 50% of pregnant women being deficient, supplementation may be beneficial. However, you should speak to your physician before taking a new supplement during pregnancy.
People with certain health conditions – Conditions like Crohn’s disease can make absorption challenging, so supplementation may be appropriate for people with absorption issues.
Deficient groups – Although rare, biotin deficiency is possible and causes symptoms like hair loss or thinning hair, skin rashes, and brittle nails. If you are experiencing symptoms like these, you should speak to your healthcare provider to see if a biotin supplement may be suitable for you.

Vitamin B7 or biotin supplements are available in several forms which can cater for different preferences and needs. Here are the most common examples:

Which Vitamin B7 supplement is best?

Choosing the best vitamin B7 supplement for you will depend on several factors, including:

your health goals, e.g. hair growth, energy support, pregnancy, absorption issues
the recommended dosage, e.g. high or low dose
your preferences, e.g. synthetic or food-born sources

Why buy food-borne vitamins?

Vitamin B7 or biotin is an essential water-soluble vitamin that supports metabolism, energy production, and healthy hair, skin, and nails. Eating a biotin-rich diet containing eggs, salmon, and sweet potatoes will help you meet your body’s needs.

Some people may need to consider supplementing their intake, we recommend food-born vitamins. You can enhance your B7 levels by choosing high-quality supplements, like those from The Clear Jar. When you buy from us you can be assured that they are: