Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, is found in many beauty supplements that are marketed as hair, skin, and nail enhancers. But biotin – also known as vitamin B7 – can cause serious errors in medical test results. Show
In the past two decades, the percentage of adults taking biotin supplements has significantly increased. In 1999, just 0.1% of all adults took 1 mg/day of biotin. By 2016, consumer totals rose to 2.8%. Women tend to take even more biotin – one in 20 (4.7%) reported taking the supplement in a 2020 study. In 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an updated advisory about interference between biotin supplementation and common blood tests. High levels of biotin in a patient's blood or urine samples can cause significantly incorrect lab test results. This can lead to incorrect diagnoses and improper treatment of conditions, such as ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, or heart and thyroid issues. How much biotin is safe?The Institutes of Medicine recommends a daily biotin allowance of 30 mcg (0.03 mg) for most adults. Unfortunately, supplement labeling is not strictly regulated, and your product may include more B7 than you might think. Many products offer mega-doses, with some touting 10,000 mcg (10 mg) or higher. That's more than 300 times the recommended allowance. If you're also taking a general multivitamin, you may be getting an even higher daily dose. How biotin interferes with lab testingSome lab assays use biotin during the testing process. Increased biotin from a patient’s blood sample can bond to specific proteins during the testing process, leading to inaccurately high or low test results. 3 lab tests women should know about (and how biotin affects them)1) b human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG): That’s right, the pregnancy hormone. Having a high level of hCG can be an early indicator of pregnancy. We also test for hCG levels to determine whether a patient might be experiencing an ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage. Biotin supplements can cause false low levels in blood tests. That means you may be pregnant or experiencing an ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage and might not know it. In urine tests, high levels of biotin may prevent the control line on your home pregnancy test from appearing, yielding invalid results. 2) Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH): Thyroid dysfunction is common – 1 in 8 women has a thyroid problem. To diagnose new thyroid disease or assess an existing condition, we measure TSH levels. Too high and you may have hypothyroidism. Too low, you may have hyperthyroidism. Taking too much biotin can cause false low levels of TSH, which may prompt unnecessary treatment that can lead to actual thyroid issues. Related reading: What women need to know about thyroid conditions 3) Troponin: Troponins are proteins found in muscles, including the heart. Elevations of certain troponins aid in the diagnosis of heart attacks. However, biotin supplementation can lead to falsely low troponin levels, which can delay diagnosis. This is especially alarming for female patients, since heart attack symptoms in women may be more subtle. Missed heart attack diagnoses carry the risk of potentially serious clinical implications. The FDA has received a report that one patient taking high levels of biotin died following falsely low troponin test results. Lab tests that involve the protein ferritin or these hormones listed here can also be skewed by biotin supplementation:
Could you be pregnant? Get answers to common questions about home pregnancy tests. By Mayo Clinic StaffTaking a home pregnancy test can be nerve-wracking, especially if you're not sure you can trust the results. Know when and how to take a home pregnancy test — as well as some of the possible pitfalls of home testing. When should I take a home pregnancy test?Many home pregnancy tests claim to be accurate as early as the first day of a missed period — or even before. You're likely to get more accurate results, however, if you wait until after the first day of your missed period. Why wait? Shortly after a fertilized egg attaches to your uterine lining (implantation), the placenta forms and produces the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). This hormone enters your bloodstream and urine. During early pregnancy, the HCG concentration increases rapidly — doubling every two to three days. The earlier you take the home pregnancy test, the harder it might be for the test to detect HCG. Keep in mind that the timing of your ovulation might vary from month to month, and the fertilized egg can implant in the uterus at different times. This can affect the timing of HCG production and when it can be detected. If your periods are irregular, you might miscalculate when your period is due. If it's important to confirm your pregnancy right away and depending on how far along you are in your pregnancy, your health care provider might recommend that you have an ultrasound, repeat a urine test at a lab or have a blood test to measure your HCG levels. Are there different types of home pregnancy tests?With most tests, you place the end of a dipstick in your urine stream or dip the dipstick in a container of collected urine. A few minutes later, the dipstick reveals the test result — often as a plus or a minus sign, one line or two lines, or the words "pregnant" or "not pregnant" on a strip or screen. Follow the test instructions for how long to wait before checking results — usually two or more minutes. Most tests also have a control indicator — a line or symbol that appears in the result window. If the line or symbol doesn't appear, then the test isn't working properly. Try again with another test. Some home pregnancy tests are more sensitive than others. In other words, the amount of HCG needed to be detected in the urine to produce a positive test result is lower in some tests. Always check the test's expiration date and read the instructions carefully before you take the test. How accurate are home pregnancy tests?Many home pregnancy tests claim to be 99 percent accurate. However, home pregnancy tests differ in the ability to diagnose pregnancy in women who have recently missed a period. If you have a negative test but think you might be pregnant, repeat the test one week after your missed period or talk to your health care provider. Could medications interfere with test results?Fertility drugs or other medications that contain HCG might interfere with home pregnancy test results. However, most medications, including antibiotics and birth control pills, don't affect the accuracy of home pregnancy tests. Could a positive result be wrong?Although rare, it's possible to get a positive result from a home pregnancy test when you're not actually pregnant. This is known as a false-positive. A false-positive might happen if you had a pregnancy loss soon after the fertilized egg attached to your uterine lining (biochemical pregnancy) or you take a pregnancy test too soon after taking a fertility drug that contains HCG. An ectopic pregnancy, menopause or problems with your ovaries also might contribute to misleading test results. Could a negative result be wrong?It's possible to get a negative result from a home pregnancy test when you're actually pregnant. This is known as a false-negative. You might get a false-negative if you:
What happens next?Based on your test results, consider taking the following steps:
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. Can vitamins give you a false positive pregnancy test?how much vitamin c and d you need everyday. Certain medications, especially fertility pills can often raise hCG levels temporarily.It can lead to a false-positive reading.
Can anything else trigger a positive pregnancy test?A test will only show a false positive if you have hCG in your system for another reason such as you were recently pregnant, are taking fertility medications containing hCG, or if you have a medical condition, like some rare ovarian cysts.
Can vitamins affect a pregnancy test?Biotin supplements can cause false low levels in blood tests. That means you may be pregnant or experiencing an ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage and might not know it. In urine tests, high levels of biotin may prevent the control line on your home pregnancy test from appearing, yielding invalid results.
Can vitamins affect hCG levels?Results: High levels of vitamins C and E, separately or combined, decrease the secretion of hCG by cytotrophoblasts and increase their production of TNF-alpha.
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Can prenatal vitamins cause a positive pregnancy test
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