The Perils of Biotin Supplementation
This is an important note to all of my patients because of the frequency of biotin use by the public. Many doctors have recommended biotin as a supplement for years as it is inexpensive and easy to use. It is a water-soluble vitamin, which while it does little harm, the therapeutic benefit is negligible and it can contaminate lab test results (see the list below). In addition, there are no easy fixes for many of the nail and hair problems that Biotin may be recommended to help.
The lab test interference goes beyond troponin and thyroid tests. This list is likely to grow. In light of this it is now generally recommended to stop biotin 2 days before getting any blood work done.
Lab tests affected by biotin supplementation
- Thyroid
- Troponin (58.6%)
- 25-Hydroxy vitamin D
- Beta-human chorionic gonadotropin
- Hepatitis
- Human immunodeficiency virus serology
Article Citation:
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
Biotin Beware: Perils of Biotin Supplementation
J Am Acad Dermatol 2022 Feb 24;[EPub Ahead of Print], JM Falotico, SR Lipner