Popularity of supplements that claim to boost your pretty looks has surged. 

Reports reveal from 2011 to 2020, the proportion of Americans using hair, skin, and nail vitamins in the last month doubled from 2.5% to 4.9%, reports CNBC Make It.

However, experts flag up risks and dangers of these beauty supplements. These supplements frequently cram in more biotin than the body needs, researchers said in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Dr Rebecca Hartman, an assistant professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School, and one of the paper’s authors, warns excessive biotin “can alter test results that healthcare providers may order, like thyroid testing, cardiac testing [and] potentially even vitamin D testing.”

The advised daily biotin dose for grown-ups is 0.03 milligrams. In some cases, capsules packed a colossal 650 times that dose, notes the US Food and Drug Administration.

Such hefty biotin doses might lead to incorrect hyperthyroidism diagnoses and hinder heart attack detection, says Dr Adam Friedman, dermatology chair at the George Washington University. He underscores the severity, citing a death caused by missed heart attack signs due to high biotin levels.

Commonly present in foods and multivitamins, biotin deficiency rarely occurs, according to Friedman. He emphasises, “You’d probably be in the hospital” rather than buying biotin from a store.

For ‘beauty’ nutrients like biotin and collagen, a balanced diet is the natural route. While collagen’s skin benefits are suggested, research is inconclusive, says Hartman.

Biotin-rich foods encompass egg yolk, beans, nuts, and seeds. For collagen, meats, bone broth, gelatin, dairy, beans, soy, plus vitamin C, zinc, and copper-packed fruits, leafy greens, and root veggies assist production.

Before buying any supplement for you nails, hair and skin, you should ask yourself:

• Does it truly have claimed active ingredients?
• What proof backs the specified amount?
• Is the maker trustworthy?
• Has it passed third-party tests for contaminants?
• Have I consulted my doctor?

Collagen, promoted for skin health, often contains toxic metals. Dermatologists advise caution.

Dr Friedman’s verdict: “Please don’t take [biotin].” He sees more risk than reward.