Help Urgent, PTH blood test

[Puddleperson]

I am having a calcium and PTH blood test this afternoon. I asked the nurse whether it needed to be fasting and if it could be affected by biotin and she said no. Having just looked up to see what PTH actually is I see it is measuring a protein hormone in parathyroid glands. Should I have followed the recommended protocol re time of day and thyroid/ biotin supplements for this test?

[RedApple Administrator]

How much biotin do you take, and at what time of day?

I don't think time of day or fasting are important for PTH. And if biotin dose is small (e.g. as an ingredient of a modest B complex), it probably won't matter either.

I would just go ahead with the test as scheduled.

[helvella Administrator]

The USA version of Labtestsonline says:

What are some common tests that may be affected by biotin?

Biotin can affect a wide variety of laboratory tests. Examples include tests for:

Troponin—a test used to help diagnose heart attacks

Thyroid hormone tests, such as thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) tests

Other hormones, such as parathyroid hormone (PTH), cortisol, follicle -stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH)

Vitamin D levels

testing.com/articles/biotin...

But you must NOT assume it will affect the specific test you are having.

1) The biotin dose is important - small amounts are not a problem;

2) It isn't the substance being measured, the analyte, that matters. It is the specific process used by the lab and not all use the same processes for a particular analyte;

3) I doubt calcium test is affected - but I absolutely do not know for sure.

You could ring the lab?

My blog takes the view that whilst it is important to know about biotin, it really isn't quite as terrible as it might at first appear.

helvella - Biotin supplementation and testing

A short article about how and why biotin can affect blood tests. Includes information about how to avoid any problems.

Last updated 05/11/2024.

helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...

[Puddleperson in reply to helvella]

Thanks Helvella, it's good to understand more. It seems like it might not be an issue for this so I'll go ahead with the blood test.

[Thyb]

Hi, do you know if your Dr is testing PTH and Calcium because he/she is looking to find out if you have Hyperparathyroidism?? That's usually why someone would have PTH and Calcium tested But, the results would be useless without having Vitamin D and Albumin taken at the same time from the same blood draw and as Close to 8am as Possible. The Albumin is important for the adjusted Calcium results. Please look up Dr Larian World renowned Hyperparathyroidism Specialist

[Puddleperson in reply to Thyb]

Thanks for this. As far as I know, (and I don’t really) all he’s doing is satisfying himself that I can carry on with his treatment despite having a suppressed TSH.

[Thyb in reply to Puddleperson]

ok, but Hyperparathyroidism is totally different to the Thyroid gland.. Parathyroid glands are 4 small glands around the Thyroid

[Puddleperson]

I guess it’s because it also measures how much calcium is in your blood.