Europe Asia News

Experts have warned that biotin (vitamin B7) supplements, widely used for hair and nail health, can significantly distort blood test results.

Dr. Burak Uzel stated that biotin use should be discontinued at least 2–3 days before giving blood.

Biotin supplements, commonly used against hair loss, are also found today in the content of many multivitamins.

However, biotin can interact with the measurement systems of laboratory analyzers in hospitals, leading to inaccurate test results.

Dr. Burak Uzel pointed out that biotin use can particularly affect the results of critical tests such as the thyroid panel (TSH, T3, and T4), vitamin D, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and some key analyses used in the diagnosis of heart attacks.

Emphasizing that patients must be well-informed to ensure the reliability of laboratory tests, Dr. Uzel noted that incorrect results may lead to unnecessary treatments or cause existing diseases to be overlooked. “For this reason, we recommend pausing the use of all supplements containing biotin for at least 2–3 days before blood tests,” he said.

Although this issue does not occur at the same level in all analyzers, the likelihood of errors may increase in laboratories operating with certain measurement systems. For a healthy diagnostic process, patients are advised not to forget to inform their physician about the supplements they are using.

Dr. Burak Uzel, who works as an Internal Medicine Specialist at Ataköy Medicana Hospital, also serves as the Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) of Virasoft, a company conducting studies in the fields of digital pathology and artificial intelligence.