FDA warns of the dangers of cosmetics and supplements with biotin

Many popular hair and nail care products contain biotin, a vitamin that, according to manufacturers promises, should strengthen hair and nails. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns: this additive is not so harmless, writes Insider.

The fact is that very high levels of biotin can affect blood and urine tests — for example, lead to false-positive pregnancy test results or false-negative cancer tests. Products with biotin have been controversial since their appearance, when manufacturers claimed that using this vitamin you can grow hair like in Rapunzel, but have never previously caused the alertness of the FDA.

In a statement released this week, the FDA expressed concern: “Biotin could significantly interfere with some laboratory tests and cause aberrant test results that could be overlooked,” the statement said. In the body, biotin binds to certain proteins that can be measured to detect certain conditions and diseases. And if you are taking a biotin supplement, it can make the test results inaccurate.

Erroneous tests can have serious consequences. The FDA is receiving more and more reports of side effects, including one death related to biotin's “interference” with laboratory tests, according to the statement. Normally, biotin is not dangerous, we get it with whole grains, eggs, almonds. But the risk is heightened if the excess biotin comes from supplements, including cosmetics - in some cases, you can get 650 times more vitamin than you need, the FDA says. To avoid risks, tell your doctor that you are taking biotin (it can also be found in a multivitamin).

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