Vitamin B7 Deficiency: Symptoms, Causes and Treatments

Are you suffering from excessive hair loss or alopecia? 

If yes, this is one of the tell-tale signs of vitamin B7 deficiency. Vitamin B7, or biotin, is a water-soluble vitamin that helps to break down your fat, carbohydrates and protein. Vitamin B7 deficit people fail to produce sufficient biotin necessary for the body’s healthy functioning.

Identify the early signs of this deficiency and know about the cure with the following detailed discourse.

Keep reading!

Diseases caused by deficiency of vitamin B7 are not very common. This is because vitamin B is produced by bacteria in the intestine and is also available in regular food items. However, pre-existing disorders like biotinidase deficiency can make you prone to vitamin B7 deficiency.

In that case, you need to look out for tell-tale vitamin B7 deficiency symptoms –

• Mild depression
• Red rash around your eyes and nose 
• Lethargy
• Hair loss or alopecia
• Bacterial and fungal infections
• Loss of body control or ataxia
• Hallucinations
• Nausea
• Conjunctivitis
• Appetite loss
• Insomnia
• Pain in muscles

If left untreated, these vitamin B7 deficiency symptoms can lead to serious health issues.

Therefore, it is crucial to be aware of the prominent vitamin B7 deficiency causes to prevent these symptoms in the first place.

Here is a list of causes of vitamin B7 deficiency –

• Individuals under medication for recurring seizures are prone to vitamin B7 deficiency diseases. Consumption of antibiotics over a long time also reduces the biotin-producing bacteria in your gut.
• Conditions like Crohn's disease or colitis prevents your body from absorbing nutrients, causing vitamin B7 deficiency.
• A malabsorption disorder can also lead to symptoms of vitamin B7 deficiency in adults.
• Individuals generally reuse Vitamin B7 before its removal from the body. Genetic disorders like biotinidase deficiency do not let the body reuse this vitamin B7. This condition is mainly diagnosed within a few months of birth and hence common in infants. Lack of treatment can also lead to coma.
• Sticking to strict ketogenic diets prevents your body from consuming vital nutrients. Instead, eating a balanced diet can help maintain your weight and vitamin B7 level better.

Facts: Do you enjoy eating raw eggs regularly? Think again! Study shows that consumption of raw eggs over long periods causes vitamin B7 deficiency. It contains avidin, which inhibits the absorption of biotin.

Signs of vitamin B7 deficiency primarily arise among –

• Individuals with a smoking habit and excessive alcohol consumption.
• One-third of pregnant women show mild symptoms of vitamin B7 deficiency.
• If you are suffering from inflammatory bowel disease, you are more susceptible to developing nutrient insufficiency.
• Infants suffering from a delay in growth and hypotonia for consuming breast milk with low biotin.
• People with chronic liver diseases like cirrhosis.

Getting immediate treatment must be a priority once such individuals start noticing symptoms of this deficiency. Otherwise, it can result in grave long-term effects.

If you are suffering from vitamin B7 deficiency, mild depression and insomnia can become long-term symptoms. Further, it can become worse if not treated earlier.

Thus, maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be a solution. Also, if you witness symptoms like restlessness, anxiety and sleeplessness over a long time, make an appointment with a healthcare professional.

The daily requirement of vitamin B7 for an adult (19 years+) is 30 micrograms (mcg) per day. 

The same for children varies age-wise as follows –

• 0-1 years old: 5 mcg per day.
• 1-9 years old: 8 - 12 mcg per day.
• 9-18 years old: 20 -25 mcg per day.

For lactating women, the target requirement is 35 mcg per day.

You must include the following food items in your regular diet to reach the daily requirement of vitamin B7 –

• Your diet must comprise cooked eggs (10 mcg of vitamin B7)
• Nuts like almonds, walnuts, peanuts (a quarter cup of almonds include 1.5 mcg)
• Roasted sunflower seeds (2.6 mcg of biotin)
• Sweet potato (contains 2.4 mcg of vitamin B7)
• Mushroom ( 2.6 mcg of biotin or vitamin B7)

Other foods rich in vitamin B7 include:

• Salmons
• Bananas
• Cauliflower
• Whole grains like corn, barley, oats, etc.
• Avocado
• Beef liver
• Chicken
• Lettuce
• Milk
• Cheese
• Tomato
• Apple
• Brewer's yeast

It varies across individuals. For instance, if you suffer from severe liver disease, you may take longer to respond to dietary changes than an average healthy person.

If you maintain a healthy lifestyle and do not have any medical condition, recovery from B7 deficiency will be faster.

For example, if you suffer from skin rashes due to a lack of vitamin B7, treatment can cure it within a few weeks.

In conclusion, vitamin B7 deficiency is curable. If you suffer from any of the symptoms mentioned above, contact your healthcare professional. Doctors will accordingly recommend an improved diet to replenish vitamin B7 levels in your body.