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FDA Warns that Biotin (vitamin B7) May Alter Results of Lab Tests

November 29, 2017

The FDA issued a Safety Alert on November 28, 2017, to let the public and healthcare providers know that biotin (vitamin B7) can significantly interfere with certain medical lab tests, causing falsely high or falsely low test results that may go undetected and may lead to inappropriate medical management or misdiagnosis.

Biotin is found in multivitamins, including prenatal vitamins, biotin supplements and dietary supplements for hair, skin, and nail growth. Studies are underway testing the safety and effectiveness of biotin in people with progressive MS; previous studies have shown mixed results.

Talk to your doctor if you are currently taking biotin or are considering adding biotin, or a supplement containing biotin, to your diet. The FDA is requesting information about any adverse events or side effects you may experience related to the use of biotin or products containing biotin. 

Read the safety alert

Read more about biotin

About Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis, and there is currently no cure for MS. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are leading to better understanding and moving us closer to a world free of MS. An estimated 1 million people live with MS in the United States. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, and it affects women three times more than men.

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