How Biotin Induces Misleading Results in Thyroid Bioassays: Case Series

May 2019 in “ Cureus ”

Samih A Odhaib, Abbas Ali Mansour, Nazar S. Haddad

biotin thyroid bioassays thyroid function test Grave's disease biotin-streptavidin immunoassay

TLDR Taking biotin supplements can cause incorrect thyroid test results, leading to wrong diagnoses.

In 2019, two studies demonstrated that biotin supplementation can interfere with thyroid bioassays, leading to false results and potential misdiagnosis. The first study involved three patients taking high-dose biotin supplements, which caused misleading thyroid function test results. The second study presented four cases where individuals ingesting 20-30 mg of biotin showed a false increase in thyroid function tests, leading to a false diagnosis of Grave's disease. In all cases, the results returned to normal after biotin withdrawal. These studies concluded that clinicians should be aware of the potential for biotin interference in thyroid function tests, especially in patients taking biotin supplements. Biotin should be discontinued for at least 48-72 hours before thyroid assaying by any commonly used biotin-streptavidin immunoassay.

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research How Biotin Induces Misleading Results in Thyroid Bioassays: Case Series

5 citations, May 2019 in “Cureus”

Taking biotin supplements can cause incorrect thyroid test results, leading to wrong diagnoses.