Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for biotin

Abstract

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) derived Dietary Reference Values (DRVs) for biotin. Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin which serves as a co-factor for several carboxylases that play critical roles in the synthesis of fatty acids, the catabolism of branched-chain amino acids and gluconeogenesis. Dietary biotin deficiency is rare. Data on biomarkers of biotin intake or status are insufficient to be used in determining the requirement for biotin. Data available on biotin intakes and health consequences are very limited and cannot be used for deriving DRVs for biotin. As there is insufficient evidence available to derive an Average Requirement and a Population Reference Intake, an Adequate Intake (AI) is proposed. The setting of AIs is based on observed biotin intakes with a mixed diet and the apparent absence of signs of deficiency in the EU, suggesting that current intake levels are adequate. The AI for adults is set at 40 µg/day. The AI for adults also applies to pregnant women. For lactating women, an additional 5 µg biotin/day over and above the AI for adults is proposed, to compensate for biotin losses through breast milk. For infants over six months, an AI of 6 µg/day is proposed by extrapolating from the biotin intake of exclusively breastfed infants aged zero to six months, using allometric scaling and reference body weight for each age group, in order to account for the role of biotin in energy metabolism. The AIs for children aged 1-3 and 4-10 years are set at 20 and 25 µg/day, respectively, and for adolescents at 35 µg/day, based on observed intakes in the EU. In 1993, the Scientific Committee for Food proposed an Acceptable Range of Intakes of biotin for adults of 15-100 µg/day, based on observed intakes of biotin in European countries, which were considered adequate to meet requirements and prevent deficiency. © European FoodBiotin is a water-soluble vitamin which serves as a co-factor for several carboxylases that play critical roles in the synthesis of fatty acids, the catabolism of branched-chain amino acids and gluconeogenesis. Dietary biotin deficiency is rare.Free biotin is absorbed nearly completely, while there is a lack of data on the absorption of proteinbound biotin from foods. In the cell, biotin is covalently attached to biotin-dependent carboxylases, from which it can be released by other enzymes, or, alternatively, is catabolised through different pathways. Biotin and its metabolites are excreted in the urine.The Panel notes that biomarkers sensitive to biotin depletion have been identified. These include urinary biotin excretion and biomarkers of biotin function, such as urinary excretion of 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid (3HIA) and 3HIA-carnitine, activity of propionyl-CoA carboxylase and abundance of biotinylated β-methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase and propionyl-CoA carboxylase in lymphocytes. However, data from the general population are limited so that the variability characteristics of these biomarkers an...

Biotin: a scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023

“…This publication was not regarded as a qualified systematic review after reading the full manuscript ( 3 ). We also identified two reports from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) ( 6 , 7 ). The EFSA report from 2012 ( 7 ) is regarded as a qualified systematic review ( 8 ).…”

“…When biotin is consumed in pharmacological doses, the absorption occurs by passive diffusion and biotin is completely absorbed ( 10 ). The bioavailability of biotin in different foods varies mainly because protein-bound biotin requires digestion by biotinidase to release biotin prior to absorption ( 6 ). In addition, some compounds such as the glycoprotein avidin from raw egg whites binds biotin and prevents its absorption.…”

“…In addition, an abundance of lymphocyte holo-PCC and holo-MCC have been suggested to detect marginal biotin deficiency among healthy adults ( 3 ). However, the use of all the above-mentioned biomarkers has limitations due to large inter-individual variations and poor ability to distinguish between insufficiency and adequacy ( 6 ). As of today, there is no single biomarker that clearly distinguishes biotin-deficient versus biotin-sufficient individuals, and the dose-response relationships between biotin intakes, status, and biomarkers of biotin are unclear ( 6 ).…”

Vitamins as Possible Cancer Biomarkers: Significance and Limitations

“…It should be considered that, for instance, a deficiency in vitamins B 6 /B 12 , can cause DNA damage just like the exposure to radiation or some chemical carcinogens [18]. Table 1 summarizes the RDAs and the recommended blood concentrations for the vitamins [19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36]. There are tantalizing results connecting diet to the risk of cancer.…”

Outcome of public consultations on the draft Scientific Opinions of the EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) on Dietary Reference Values for biotin and pantothenic acid

“…The Scientific Opinions were adopted without changes at the NDA Plenary meeting on 5 and 6 February 2014, and are published in the EFSA Journal (EFSA NDA Panel, 2014a, 2014b In line with EFSA's policy on openness and transparency and in order for EFSA to receive comments from the scientific community and stakeholders, EFSA has launched a public consultation on the draft document developed by the NDA Panel of EFSA.…”