Is Biotin Bullshit?

Most people already know this about yours truly, but for those that don't, I've been growing my beard out. Like hardcore. I don't think I really had any driving motivation to do so- it's not like I'm aiming for The Beard Olympics or something (though I could) it's just that I didn't want to shave anymore. So, beard.

But I figured if I was going to beard, I might as well do some research about it. I got the brush to get in there and keep my beard fresh and relatively free of dead skin cells and the like. I got a comb to keep it less wild and bushy. I got special shampoo to keep it soft and conditioned. I got beard balm to make it smell night and keep the natural oils in the hair all happy.

In short I went all in on beard- and that included grabbing some biotin and taking it as part of my increasingly old mannish sized spectrum of supplements and vitamins. (It's getting a little ridiculous actually- currently: Zinc, Folic Acid, CoQ10, Quecertin, Allergy Pill, Montelukast and until yesterday, biotin.) I had read an article that seemed to say that it would help you grow your beard faster and wanted to test the hypothesis. 

And 100 pills later, I'm honestly not sure what to think. I think it helped, but I'm not sure. I didn't go from regular beard to ZZ Top in the space of three-four months, but my beard did get that longer. Whether or not that was down to biotin or the natural growth of my beard, I don't know. A consultation with Mr. Google revealed that I'm not the only one who's somewhat dubious about the effects of biotin. This article urges caution when taking biotin and this one went a little more scientific and actually had people try the stuff, but the results were mixed. 

That's more of less in line with my own experience with the stuff. Just seemed like a pill to me and I honestly didn't see results one way or the other, so this marks the end of The Grand Biotin Experiment. (I might be nearing the end of The Beard Experience as well..  The Younger Spawn is developing a somewhat painful habit of grabbing ahold and yanking fistfuls of it when it suits his mood and it's not exactly fun for me. So, this might stick around for a month or two longer, but I have a feeling a change is coming...)

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