Information on blood tests : Hello everyone! I... - Thyroid UK

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Information on blood tests

Leosona profile image
5 Replies

Hello everyone!

I recently came across this one important information regarding the blood tests for thyroid and wanted to share it with you.

"Supplements containing biotin, common in hair and nail preparations, can interfere with the measurement of thyroid hormone. Biotin does not affect thyroid hormone levels, but supplements should be stopped for at least a week before measuring your thyroid function so that your thyroid status is accurately reflected.” - Mayoclinic.org

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Leosona profile image
Leosona
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SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Leosona

Thank you for the reminder. It's something we are constantly mentioning on the forum - anyone taking Biotin in a supplement should leave it off for 7 days before testing - and the private labs also give this information when we order test kits. However, it's not common for our GP surgery to tell us when we have tests done there.

When biotin is used in the testing procedure (which most labs use) then if we also take biotin in a supplement then it can give false results with any blood test (not just thyroid ones).

Leosona profile image
Leosona in reply toSeasideSusie

Thank you for sharing this information with me. I didn’t know anything about it. I must have missed this information on the group. I got my thyroidectomy done in March and was searching for the preparations to be done before the blood test and I came across this information.

Leosona profile image
Leosona in reply toLeosona

Thank you for sharing this information with me. Much appreciated.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toLeosona

If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before any blood tests, as biotin can falsely affect test results

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

Leosona profile image
Leosona in reply toSlowDragon

Yes I will do that. Thank you again for help me out.

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