Biotin is the vitamin behind a hundred hair-and-nail gummies. It is made synthetically and is found in plants, so the vitamin is fine; the gummy around it is the thing to read.
SourceSynthetic; also in plants
Also calledVitamin B7, vitamin H
VerdictUsually vegan
Where it hides
Hair, skin and nail supplements
Multivitamins and gummies
Fortified foods
Cosmetics
What it is
Biotin is a B vitamin the body needs in tiny amounts, sold heavily for hair, skin and nails. It is not an inherently animal molecule:
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Biotin, synthesized in plants, is essential to plant growth and development.
Biotin is made by plants and bacteria, and the supplement version is produced synthetically, so the vitamin itself is vegan. The catch is the form it is sold in: many biotin gummies and softgels use gelatin, so the checkbox on a biotin supplement is not the vitamin but the capsule. Plenty of vegan-certified biotin exists.
Tocopherols (vitamin E, E306 to E309)Tocopherols are vitamin E, added to keep oils from going rancid. They are pressed from vegetable oil, so the antioxidant itself is plant-based.
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C, E300)Ascorbic acid is vitamin C, the antioxidant on a thousand labels. It is built from glucose, which is about as plant-based as a starting material gets.
Vitamin B12 (cobalamin)Here is the reassuring one. The B12 in your supplement or fortified plant milk is grown by bacteria, not squeezed from an animal, and every vegan needs a reliable source of it.
Frequently asked
Is biotin vegan?
The vitamin is, since it is synthesised and also found in plants. The thing to check is the supplement form, as gummies and softgels can contain gelatin. Vegan biotin supplements are common.
Where do vegans get biotin?
From foods like nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains and some vegetables, and from supplements if wanted. Deficiency is uncommon on a varied diet.
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