Assessment of Biotin Supplementation Among Patients in an Outpatient Dermatology Clinic
August 2019
in “
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
”
TLDR Most people using biotin don't see skin improvements, and it may affect lab tests, so doctors shouldn't suggest it without confirming a deficiency.
The study assessed biotin supplementation among 447 patients at an outpatient dermatology clinic, revealing that 33.7% had used biotin, with 57.9% of users reporting no improvement in their conditions. Despite limited evidence supporting biotin's benefits for skin, hair, and nails, it was frequently recommended by physicians or self-prescribed. Only 4.7% of participants were aware of the FDA warning about biotin's interference with lab tests. The study concluded that biotin should not be routinely recommended due to its potential to affect lab results and the lack of substantial clinical evidence for its dermatologic benefits.
