Biotin Beware: Perils of Biotin Supplementation

The document discusses the risks associated with biotin supplementation, particularly its interference with laboratory testing. The FDA issued a safety warning in 2017 and 2019 about biotin's interference with clinical immunoassays, leading to potential errors in routine laboratory testing and potentially fatal adverse events. Despite this, there's a growing interest in biotin supplementation, even though there's limited evidence supporting its efficacy for hair, skin, or nail conditions. A survey of 149 physicians found that 43.9% recommended biotin supplementation, mostly for nail (86.9%) and hair (59%) disorders, despite acknowledging the lack of randomized trials demonstrating improvement. A survey of 447 patients found that 33.7% reported past or current biotin supplementation, with 57.9% indicating no improvement in their dermatologic condition. Most patients (93.4%) were unaware of the FDA warning. The authors emphasize the need for increased awareness about biotin laboratory interference, especially since many patients are taking biotin for skin, hair, and nail conditions.