CHAPTER 43: Function and Effects of Biotin

As a vitamin, biotin is an essential nutrient for mammals. Since its discovery at the beginning of the 20th century, biotin has been shown to be a prosthetic group for several enzymes. This vitamin is involved in the regulation of fatty acid synthesis and it also influences the carbohydrate metabolism. More recently, the role of biotin in the regulation of gene expression has also been established. Generally, the need for biotin in the human body is easily met through the dietary supply combined with endogenous synthesis by the gut microflora. Deficiency in biotin has been widely studied but frank biotin deficiency is rarely observed. In this chapter we describe the role and function of biotin at the metabolic level and discuss the consequences of biotin deficiency.