Effect of Dietary Protein on Bioavailability of Biotin

Abstract

Biotin has an important role in gluconeogenesis, amino acid metabolism, and energy metabolism. In the Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese (2005), adequate intake of biotin in adults was set at 45 μg/day although the scientific evidence concerning biotin is inadequate to designate a set value. In the present study, we examined the effect of the protein sources on bioavailability of biotin in healthy women. Eleven healthy women were enrolled in the balance study of biotin for 16 days. The diets were mainly seafood as the protein sources. The dietary intake of biotin ranged from 24 to 56 μg/day. Serum concentration and urinary excretion of biotin did not change for the balance periods. Biotin excretion in feces was 1.3 times higher than the intake. These results indicate that the fecal excretion of biotin should be considered when evaluating biotin balance.