TLDR Biotin supplementation in sow diets is unnecessary.
A 3-year study involving 90 sows and gilts and 223 litters evaluated the impact of dietary biotin supplementation on reproductive performance and piglet growth and mortality. Sows were fed corn-soybean meal-based diets with or without 440 micrograms/kg d-biotin throughout their reproductive cycle. The study found that biotin supplementation did not significantly affect sow weight, weaning to estrus interval, foot lesion score, hair loss score, structural soundness, or piglet birth and survival rates. Additionally, there was no effect on piglet growth or mortality up to 21 days of age. The results indicated that biotin supplementation in sow diets was unnecessary.
4 citations
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January 1986 in “PubMed” Serum biotin levels can indicate biotin deficiency in sows.
30 citations
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July 1984 in “Journal of Animal Science” Adding biotin to sows' diets increased the number of pigs weaned per litter.
82 citations
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August 2017 in “Cell Reports” An imbalanced gut and lack of biotin can cause hair loss in mice.
May 2025 in “Health Science Reports” Serum WS Biotin significantly reduces hair shedding and improves hair thickness.
3 citations
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January 2017 in “Journal of cosmetology & trichology” The food supplement with L-cystine, Serenoa repens extract, and biotin safely reduced hair loss and improved hair growth in men and women.
2 citations
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January 2019 in “Elsevier eBooks” Biotin supplements are unnecessary for most people but may help with certain conditions like biotin deficiency, brittle nails, and some hair loss.
September 2022 in “Polish Hyperbaric Research” Some treatments for hair loss, like finasteride, biotin, and minoxidil, can be effective, but their success varies by individual case.
1 citations
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February 2022 in “Biological Trace Element Research” The combination of Arginine Silicate Inositol Complex and a new form of Biotin improved hair and nail growth in rats.
