Fun, totally not stressful fact: we typically lose up to 50 hairs per day. While this is normally nothing to worry about, you may have noticed that the volume of hair loss changes with the different seasons. This so-called “seasonal alopecia” is caused largely by the ebb and flow of temperature, sunlight, and more.

Luckily, adopting good hair habits will keep hair looking as healthy and full as possible—regardless of the inevitable seasonal shed. Some ways to do this include drying your hair with a microfiber towel, using a boar bristle brush, and opting for hair products with gentle, natural ingredients. And then there’s biotin, one of the most popular supplements for hair growth and retention.

The benefits of biotin for hair

Biotin—which gets its name from the Greek prefix bio, meaning “life”—helps the body make energy from food. Like other B vitamins, it’s essential for healthy skin, nails, and hair. Some studies suggest that biotin may be helpful for stimulating hair growth and preventing hair loss.

You can get biotin through eating a diverse diet—it’s naturally found in bananas, sweet potatoes, egg yolks, avocado—and it comes in supplement form as well. Dr. Hadley King previously told Vogue that biotin is associated with hair growth because studies have shown that one of the main symptoms of a biotin deficiency is hair loss.

But, Dr. King cautions, the relationship between hair loss and biotin hasn’t been studied enough to know for sure. “Additional research is needed to determine whether biotin supplements can improve skin, hair, and nail health in adults,” says Dr. King. “[Especially for those] who aren’t deficient in this vitamin.”

How to use biotin for hair loss

While scientific evidence is limited, many people anecdotally swear by biotin supplements. Experts share that the vitamin is water-soluble, which means it’s relatively safe to take as a supplement. However, it’s important to note that most experts also agree that additional research on biotin’s true efficacy for hair loss and hair growth is still needed.

With that in mind, there are things to consider if you plan to take a biotin supplement—or any over-the-counter supplement, for that matter. Be sure to look for supplements that are third-party lab tested to ensure high quality.

And do your due diligence by doing a quick search for other potential risks. For example, a few years ago, the FDA released a warning that taking biotin supplements can interfere with certain lab tests. The daily recommended dose for biotin ranges from 5 to 35 micrograms, but “many dietary supplements promoted for hair, skin, and nail benefits contain biotin levels up to 650 times the recommended daily intake of biotin,” the agency reported. “Biotin in blood or other samples taken from patients who are ingesting high levels of biotin in dietary supplements can cause clinically significant incorrect lab test results, such as falsely high or falsely low results, depending on the test.”

Biotin or collagen for hair loss?

Collagen is another one of the buzzy ingredients linked to hair growth. Unfortunately, when it comes to comparing biotin and collagen, neither is a silver bullet when it comes to fixing hair loss. But biotin has been studied more thoroughly, which means it's a safer bet when it comes to seeing results.

The best biotin for hair

The NIH suggests that adults should get about 30 micrograms of biotin per day (and women who are expecting or breastfeeding should consult a doctor about the proper amount to increase).

Experts agree the best way to amp up your biotin intake (deficiency or not) is the old-fashioned way: through your diet. Here are some options along with how they can help you meet the daily allowance of biotin, per The Cleveland Clinic:

• Organ meats like liver: 3 ounces of chicken liver has the highest amount of biotin and can get you to 460% of the goal; 3 ounces of beef liver is 100% of your 30 mcg goal.
• Fish: Salmon has the highest amount of biotin, with 17% of your daily goal in 3 ounces.
• Meat: Pork chops and ground beef are both biotin-rich, both with 13% of your daily serving in 3 ounces,
• Eggs: One cooked egg has 33% of your daily biotin goal, which means the protein-rich breakfast of 3 eggs will help you fulfill it easily.
• Seeds and nuts: A fourth of a cup of either peanuts or sunflower seeds have 16% and 9% of your daily allotment of biotin, respectively.
• Vegetables: Focus on vegetables like canned mushrooms, sweet potatoes, spinach, and broccoli, all of which have just under 10% of your daily biotin goal.

If you eat a well-rounded, healthy diet—one that includes healthy fats, lean proteins, whole grains, as well as a wide variety of fruits and veggies—you are probably consuming adequate levels of biotin already. However, if you want to consume an extra-effective hair-healthy diet, consider focusing on the following specific (and delicious) biotin sources: avocado, sweet potato, eggs, salmon, tuna, sardines, broccoli, spinach, almonds, mushrooms, legumes, walnuts, and sunflower seeds.

Can biotin shampoo help hair growth?

You may have noticed that biotin is also found in a ton of hair treatments, including shampoos, conditioners, and serums. However, there’s very little evidence to support the idea that applying biotin topically to hair can improve hair quality. “While appropriate consumption of biotin in diet leads to healthy hair, little data support the role of biotin in healthy individuals,” one scientific analysis states. “Many of the OTC hair loss treatments found in the best seller lists of the online retailers' websites were natural products with very few evidence about their efficacy,” it concludes.

Hair treatments enriched with biotin

That said, many biotin-enriched treatments include other high-quality, hair-healthy ingredients that can enhance fullness, volume, and shine—which, let’s admit, can be a savior during high hair-shed seasons. If you would like to try a shampoo, conditioner, or other hair product containing biotin, these are some worthy options to try: