FDA Warns of Biotin Use for Certain Patients

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Clients can find biotin—or vitamin B7—in supplements to help benefit skin, hair and nails, however, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) warns that the supplement can impact test results in clients with certain conditions, including heart conditions. 

According to the FDA, biotin technology is utilized in many lab tests for the ability to bond with specific protein biomarkers, and it can cause falsely low or high results, leading to incorrect patient management or misdiagnosis.

“The FDA has received a report that one patient taking high levels of biotin died following falsely low troponin test results when a troponin test known to have biotin interference was used,” explained the FDA in a statement. 

Biotin can be included in products that clients use daily without having awareness of the included supplement. The FDA recommends consumers discuss any supplements marketed for skin, hair or nail growth with their doctor prior to use, as they can contain levels up to 650 times the recommended daily intake of biotin.

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