Biotin for Consumers | Abbott Core Laboratory Page 1 of 3

You are probably taking biotin and don’t even know

it…

Biotin is a vitamin with many health benefits and as

such, is added to multivitamins and supplements.
Although it can be obtained through your diet, its
usage as a supplement has grown rapidly over the
last few years due to its benefits for healthier hair,
skin and nails.1,2,3

No, biotin is not harmful and there are no known side

effects from taking biotin. In fact, biotin is recommended
for expectant mothers to take for fetal development and is
commonly used by the public for healthier hair, nails and
skin. 4,5

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Biotin is a key component of the biotin-streptavidin method that is used by many laboratory tests
today. Problems can occurs when these tests are performed on a patient who is taking biotin
supplements. These supplements raise the level of biotin in the patient’s blood which can interfere
with the ability of the test to perform properly.

There are recent published reports of patient misdiagnosis due to biotin interference

• New England Journal of Medicine: August 2016: Biotin Treatment Mimicking Graves’ Disease
• January 2016: Thyroid Month: Beware of Biotin, Endocrine News.

The growing trend of biotin users (in the millions) is making laboratories alert to the increased risk of
test interference. There are also laboratory tests that physicians can request that are not impacted by
biotin.

Inform your doctor if you are taking biotin and alert them that this could interfere with certain blood
tests. Ask your doctor to make sure that the tests ordered are performed on diagnostic products that
are not impacted by biotin.

Skipping your daily biotin supplement before your test does not guarantee that results will be accurate.
Biotin has been known to be in your system for up to several weeks, and can still impact results.

Below is a link to a discussion guide you can take to your physician regarding your biotin usage and
laboratory tests.

1. Nielsen FDM Data Ending 03/26/16.

2. https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=biotin.
3. Google analytics: September 2016.
4. Zempleni J, Kuroishi T. Biotin. Adv Nutr. 2012;3:213-214.
5. Combs GF. Biotin. In: Combs, GF. The Vitamins: Fundamental Aspects in Nutrition and Health. San
Diego, CA: Elsevier, Inc.; 2008: 331-3.

6. Kummer, S. NEJM August 2016: Biotin Treatment Mimicking Graves’ Disease.

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7. Saint Paul LP, Debruyne D, Bernard D, Mock DM and Defer GL. Pharmacokinetics and
pharmacodynamics of MD1003 (high-dose biotin) in the treatment of progressive multiple sclerosis,
2016; Expert Opinion on Drug.

8. Fernandez-Mejia, C. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry 16 (2205) 424-427.

9. Seaborg, E. January 2016: Thyroid Month: Beware of Biotin, Endocrine News, 2016.
10. Paxton A. Beauty fad’s ugly downside: test interference. CAP Today, September 20, 2016.

https://www.corelaboratory.abbott/us/en/offerings/assays/biotin-consumers.html 27/9/2018