Biotin's Known Interference with Lab Tests
Biotin has been reported in two cases to cause inaccurate results on different types of thyroid lab tests:1
- Free thyroxine (FT4) (false-high)
- Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) (false-low)
Potentially Fatal Diagnostic Errors
High doses of biotin can also interfere with tests for troponin, a biological marker that helps diagnose heart attacks. Many people may not realize they take biotin if they don't take it as a separate supplement. However, biotin is often included in multivitamins, combination B vitamin supplements, and supplements advertised to improve the health of hair, skin, and nails.77
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a Safety Report for biotin in November, 2017 to caution the public and health professionals about this potential danger. In addition, the FDA reported that one patient died from misdiagnosis following false test results showing low levels of troponin.77