You Could Eat Tons of Liver..Or...

Other than “they are things I really don't want to eat,” what do liver, kidneys, cauliflower and soy flour have in common? They are places where Biotin occurs naturally. Why should you care? I'm so glad you asked...

If you've been reading this blog from the beginning (what seems like a very long 7 days ago), you probably already have a very good guess at the fist benefit of Biotin – it plays a very important role in energy metabolism. Among other things it helps get rid of carbon dioxide, metabolizes amino acids, helps break down fat,carbs and protein, and helps produce certain enzymes (and again, if you've been keeping up with the blog, you know how important it is to rebuild enzymes).

But if the vanity of being thinner isn't enough motivation for you – how about the vanity of hair loss (or more precisely, preventing it). It turns out that one of the side effects of rapid weight loss is hair loss (yes, the universe can be wickedly cruel at times). The good news is, one of the main benefits of Biotin (which while sometimes called Vitamin H is actually part of the B-complex family) is the prevention of hair loss.

Other benefits of Biotin include: keeping nails in good condition, improved skin condition, aids in the growth and repair of muscle tissue (remember muscles are FANTASTIC fat burners), helps reduce cholesterol, helps maintain proper sugar levels and it has been shown to be beneficial to treating a number of diseases including Parkinsons, Rett syndrome, Crohn's desease and a number of others.

A reasonable question to ask is, “Don't I get enough Biotin in a typical diet?” The answer is a definitive – maybe...but probably not. Let's just start with the fact that you are on a diet. You are already staying below the amount of intake that is required to maintain heath. You are trying to breakdown unwanted parts and get rid of them. It is likely that in you reduced caloric intake you are also reducing a number of essential vitamins and minerals. Add to that the fact that freezing foods which naturally carry Biotin decreases their level of Biotin...and cooking them does the same. Now I'm just guessing here, but I'm betting that most of us are not on the Raw Food Diet.

Oh, and have you already forgotten?... Some of the main sources for it are liver, kidneys, cauliflower and soy flour - belckt!! Other things that negatively effect the level of Biotin in your system are egg whites (a good source of the much needed protein while on a diet), packaged foods, fast food...well, there's a lot of reasons why you probably aren't getting enough.

So, my second supplement that I strongly recommend is Biotin. 5 milligrams once a day should do the trick.

I'll be weighing in tomorrow and we will talk about another helpful supplement.