I have finished my first bottle of high dose biotin.  I’ve been taking a 100mg pill three times a day as the clinical studies patients were taking.  My doctor felt that it was an excellent option for me to try since I am clearly progressing. She found a website www.highdosebiotin.net where you can purchase the pills without a prescription. It is slightly costly at $60 a bottle. Before I tell you my first month thoughts on it let me explain the belief behind why they feel biotin might make a difference.

Biotin is a vitamin that helps cells to produce energy and boosts nerve function in high doses. One hypothesis to explain the cause of progressive MS is a phenomenon called “virtual hypoxia.”

The phenomenon is caused by a mismatch between increased energy demand by the damaged nerves and decreased energy production because of damage to the mitochondria. The mitochondria’s job is to manufacture fuel for the nerve cells to function properly. Biotin helps to make this happen.

The year long studies were done in France. It was a double blind placebo controlled study consisting of 154 patients at various sites all with secondary or primary progressive MS. The overall results of the trial were very good. They reported that 91% of patients saw some clinical improvement in their condition. This information was found on healthline.com.

Exactly what improved for the 91% of those patients and how significant that improvement was to each individual patient’s life is not answered.  In clinical trials if a patient was able to walk 2 steps at the beginning and 3 at the end, that’s considered improvement. However, let’s be real, that one extra step really hasn’t made any impact on the individual’s life so keep that in mind.

So far in this first month, I’ve noticed no increased surge of energy. That was what I was initially expecting because that was what my other MS friends have told me they felt on the biotin. However I’ve noticed maybe, slightly I’ve had a few more of my better days then the month before. This could be also because the weather has started to turn cooler in NY. My morning exercise programs are usually my test to how I’m feeling since I’ve been doing them so long. I definitely had days my arms felt stronger, those I consider good days. The difference is very slight and still isn’t anything I’d be running out to every MS patient to get biotin because not sure yet if it is biotin or weather related. I did buy another bottle and I have started month 2.  The clinical trials were a year.  Once again it’s a vitamin so worse case I grow my hair and nails.