Food Data Chart



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- Water-Soluble Vitamins -

23: BIOTIN

Biotin deficiency was first recognized not because of inadequate amounts in the diet but because of the effects of a chemical called avidin, which is found in raw eggs. Avidin binds and inactivates biotin. Biotin can be made by gut bacteria and absorbed from the large bowel, so that not all biotin needs to be obtained from food. Theoretically, antibiotics that affect gut bacteria could reduce the amount of biotin available.

Biotin is water soluble, sensitive to air and oxygen and also to alkaline conditions.

The vitamin acts as part of enzyme (natural substances that speed up chemical reactions in the body) systems involved in building up chemicals containing carbon and oxygen, such as fats and glucose.

Infants may be at risk from biotin deficiency, which shows up as a 'seborrhoeic dermatitis' that responds to biotin. Also, some infants have a metabolic disorder requiring extra biotin. There has been some suggestion that 'cot deaths' or the sudden infant death syndrome may be due, in some cases, to an inadequate intake of biotin.

The biotin in human milk averages about 10 micrograms per 1000 kilocalories (4200 kilojoules) and in infant formulae is usually at least 15 micrograms per 1000 kilocalories. However, a higher concentration of biotin may be preferable for infant formulae because nutrients can be more biologically available to the infant from human milk than from infant formulae.

BIOTIN INTAKE

Safe and adequate daily intake of biotin (U.S.A.):

Infants:
Children:

Adolescents:

Adults:
35-50 micrograms

65-120 micrograms

100-200 micrograms

100-200 micrograms


	Water-Soluble Vitamins

	-	Vitamin B-1 (thiamin)
	-	Vitamin B-2 (riboflavin)
	-	Niacin
	-	Vitamin B-6
	-	Vitamin B-12 (cyano-cobalamin)
	-	Folacin
	-	Pantothenic acid
		Biotin
	-	Vitamin C