Biotin vs Collagen for Hair Growth: Which is right for your Hair, Differences, Benefits

Two of the most popular buzzwords in the beauty industry these days are biotin and collagen. While they may appear similar due to their promised benefits, taking a deeper look will reveal just how different they are.

While biotin is more often touted for its benefits towards the hair, collagen is commonly used for the goodness it offers to your skin. But, did you know that both of them may offer amazing results for your hair and its growth? Before we dive into that, let us look at the differences first.

What is collagen?

The most prevalent protein in the human body is collagen, a structural protein found in connective tissues. Collagen makes up nearly a third of the body's protein makeup, and thus it's critical for joint pain relief. It keeps your bones, skin, and hair healthy, as well as your muscles strong.

A person with enough collagen in their body will have thicker hair, stronger nails, and healthier skin. However, collagen, unlike biotin, is water-insoluble and must be broken down before your body can absorb it.

What is biotin?

Biotin, also known as vitamin B-7 and vitamin H, is a B vitamin that aids in the conversion of carbs, protein, and fat into energy. It's water-soluble, which means your body doesn't store it, and because there's no absorption, biotin supplementation comes with minimal risk.

Biotin is required for cell development and the metabolism of fatty acids. It's required for food digestion which helps in the production of new cells and protein. These, in turn, aid in the strengthening of the hair, muscles, bones and nails.

Collagen vs biotin - major differences

Between the two major supplements, there are a few significant differences:

Collagen supplements are…

• Not soluble in water
• Usually not vegan
• A type of protein that is fibrous and usually present in the connective tissues
• Required to keep your skin elastic and firm
• Essential for bone, muscle and joint health

Biotin supplements are…

• Water-soluble
• Usually vegan
• Involved in the production of cells
• Known to help during pregnancy
• Capable of regulating glucose levels

What are the potential benefits of collagen for your hair?

There isn’t enough research tying the benefits of collagen to hair, but you may find the following benefits:

• Aids your follicles to reduce damage - Free radicals have been shown to damage hair follicles in studies, and because your body's protection against free radicals weakens with age, older people are more vulnerable to hair damage. According to one study, marine collagen may combat four different free radicals and protect hair from antioxidant damage.

• Provides hair building compounds - Your body can manufacture 11 non-essential amino acids, but you must get 9 other essential amino acids from your diet. Proline, hydroxyproline, and glycine are the three non-essential amino acids that makeup collagen. Keratin is made up mostly of proline, and so, consuming proline-rich collagen should give your body the building blocks it requires to produce hair. Although more study is needed in this area to arrive at a fully conclusive inference.

• May slow down greying - Collagen's antioxidant qualities may help it combat cell damage and delay greying. Your hair may start to grey if you don't have enough antioxidants to battle free radical damage, and since collagen has been shown to fight free radicals in test tubes, it might, in principle, help prevent damage to the cells that make hair colour.

• Provides protection from hair thinning - Collagen is important for the suppleness and strength of your dermis, and as you get older, your body's ability to produce collagen and restore cells in the dermis decreases. This might be one of the reasons why, when hair grows out of your skin, it becomes thinner with time. Collagen's ability to reverse the effects of ageing on the skin might lead to more hair growth and less thinning.

• Promotes scalp health - A thin scalp with inadequate collagen is weaker and less capable of anchoring hair follicle bulbs. Collagen is considered a vital component in scalp health since a healthy scalp is a basis for good hair and hair development.

• May add shine to your hair - Hair can become brittle and dull as you age, and this is due to sebaceous glands located beneath the hair follicles, which release oil to keep the hair wet. Collagen is necessary for the general performance of this process, which results in lustrous and glossy hair.

What are the potential benefits of biotin for your hair?

While there may not be enough evidence to suggest that biotin directly contributes to hair growth, it has some other well-known benefits that can potentially aid in it.

• Makes your hair strong and thick - Biotin is proven to strengthen and thicken hair, according to some studies.

• Helps your hair grow longer - Biotin strengthens hair, which means it's less prone to break off at the ends, thus boosting and protecting hair length.

• Prevents hair loss - Biotin has the ability to reduce inflammation, which is a primary cause of hair loss, making it an important component in hair fall prevention.

• Makes your hair smooth and shiny - Increased biotin consumption, according to some studies, can enhance overall hair quality, including texture, elasticity, and shine.

• Promotes hair and scalp health - Biotin helps keratin, a fundamental protein that builds up skin, nails, and hair, to function better. It can help with hair health by increasing the hair volume and promoting more coverage of the scalp.

Collagen vs biotin - differences when it comes to hair growth

Collagen supports the physical structure of the hair by providing amino acids that are required to build up the hair strand. Biotin, on the other hand, gives a way to obtain the energy from your diet, which is needed to power hair creation.

Biotin is a vitamin that helps the body break down macronutrients for cell regeneration and development, while collagen reinforces the scalp's dermis and aids antioxidants in fighting free radicals that destroy the hair.

Collagen is an anti-ageing protein that can even prevent hair loss as people age. Collagen in your skin's tissues repairs cells in your scalp, making it tight and supple, ensuring that your hair follicles develop on a healthy scalp.

While biotin has not been connected to age-related hair health, some evidence suggests that taking biotin supplements can increase your hair's elasticity and strength while also lowering hair fall and dandruff.

Can you use them together or do you have to choose?

If you truly want to boost hair health, several doctors think that taking both collagen and biotin combined is useful. They are two nutrients that naturally work together to prevent hair loss and give many health advantages.

It's not about which product is better than the other; it's about giving the body the exact combination of nutrients it needs to look nice and stay in top shape. However, always see a doctor before beginning supplementation since, unless you're deficient, consuming more of these nutrients may do more damage than benefit, depending on your health condition.

What to keep in mind when picking out either supplement

Increased biotin consumption has few hazards since this is a difficult thing to achieve. Biotin is water-soluble and it flushes from your system easily even if you happen to have taken more. However, it's always a good idea to be careful and consult with a health care provider before using a supplement.

Collagen depletes as the body ages, causing the skin to droop, so it's understandable that you'd want to replenish it with a supplement. Collagen is usually regarded to be a safe, non-toxic supplement that will not harm you, but you should always see your doctor first.

How can you include biotin and collagen in your diet?

Biotin can be found in foods that you can incorporate in your diet or in plant-based supplements like the Carmesi 100% Plant-Based Biotin. Collagen, on the other hand, can be challenging because hydrolyzed collagen is only available as peptides in supplements. But you can find it in your diet too from some food sources.

• Collagen - Collagen-rich foods include garlic, tomatoes, cheese, soy products, citrus fruits, carrots, red and lean meats, egg whites and dark green leafy vegetables.

• Biotin - Foods rich in biotin are bananas, spinach, egg yolks, mushrooms, cauliflower, fatty fish, cheese, milk, avocado, nuts and seeds.