Consumption of a Low-Carbohydrate and High-Fat Diet Exaggerates Biotin Deficiency in Mice

This study evaluated the effects of the ketogenic diet on biotin status in male mice (N = 32) divided into four groups: control diet, biotin-deficient (BD) diet, ketogenic control diet, and ketogenic biotin-deficient (KBD) diet. After 9 weeks, only the KBD group exhibited typical biotin deficiency symptoms like hair loss and dermatitis. Both the KBD and BD groups showed significantly decreased levels of biotin-dependent carboxylases and total tissue biotin, with more severe changes in the KBD group. The findings indicated that the ketogenic diet increases biotin consumption and bioavailability, leading to exaggerated biotin deficiency in biotin-deficient mice, suggesting a need for biotin supplementation for those on the ketogenic diet.