The Fertility Doctor’s Warning About Biotin: What You Need to Know

Grace Fertility

Authored & Verified by:

Dr. Reubina Singh

MS (OB/GYN), MBBS - Senior Infertility Specialist

Biotin, a vitamin commonly linked to hair, skin, and nail health, is often found in various supplements and multivitamins. While it’s an essential nutrient for the body, taking too much biotin can interfere with fertility treatments, hormone testing, and overall reproductive health. Dr. Natalie Crawford, a fertility expert, shares crucial information about biotin’s potential impact on fertility and the importance of managing biotin intake. This blog will explore why biotin can be harmful to those undergoing fertility treatments, the role of biotin in the body, and how you can ensure you’re taking the right amount of it for your health.

What is Biotin?

Biotin, also known as Vitamin B7, is a water-soluble vitamin that helps the body process carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, converting them into energy. While biotin is important for overall health, particularly in metabolism, most adults only need around 30 micrograms of biotin per day. Fortunately, biotin is readily available in various foods such as eggs, nuts, seeds, sweet potatoes, spinach, and broccoli, making deficiencies rare. It’s also commonly found in prenatal vitamins and multivitamins.

Despite this, biotin is often marketed as a supplement that enhances hair, skin, and nail health. Many people take biotin supplements to promote thicker hair, stronger nails, or to treat deficiencies that manifest in brittle nails, rashes, or hair loss. While these benefits are well-known, what many people don’t realize is the potential negative effects of taking excessive amounts of biotin, especially for those trying to conceive or undergoing fertility treatments.

The Dangers of High Biotin Intake

The Risk to Fertility Treatments

The most significant concern regarding high biotin intake is its potential to interfere with hormone testing. For individuals undergoing fertility treatments or those who are trying to conceive, hormone testing is a crucial step in evaluating reproductive health. Biotin, however, can cause inaccurate readings in lab tests, which can lead to false diagnoses and improper treatment decisions.

Biotin, particularly in high doses, can disrupt the testing of steroid hormones like estrogen, progesterone, thyroid hormones, and even cortisol. For instance, biotin can cause falsely elevated estrogen levels, making it appear as though eggs are maturing at a faster rate than they actually are. This could lead to improper decisions in an IVF cycle, such as triggering ovulation prematurely. Similarly, biotin can interfere with thyroid hormone tests, leading to incorrect adjustments in thyroid medications.

The Impact on Hormone Testing

The interference occurs because biotin affects the way hormone assays work. Hormone tests measure hormone levels by detecting how these hormones bind to specific proteins. Biotin can bind to certain hormones in the blood, distorting the test results and leading to either false high or false low readings. These inaccurate results can complicate the diagnosis process and may even cause unnecessary treatment changes.

Hormones Affected by Biotin

Some of the hormones affected by high biotin levels include:

Estrogen and Progesterone: Crucial for reproductive health, biotin can distort these hormones, making it harder to evaluate the timing of ovulation or determine the success of fertility treatments.
Thyroid Hormones: Biotin can interfere with thyroid function tests, potentially leading to incorrect thyroid medication adjustments.
Cortisol and Testosterone: Elevated or decreased levels of these hormones can mislead doctors into diagnosing conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or other hormonal imbalances incorrectly.
Other Hormones: Biotin can also interfere with parathyroid hormones, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and more, making it harder for doctors to interpret results accurately.

How Much Biotin Is Too Much?

While biotin is vital for your body, it’s easy to go overboard. The typical adult requires only around 30 micrograms of biotin per day. However, many people unknowingly consume far more, especially those who take supplements designed for hair, skin, and nails. It’s not uncommon to see biotin levels in these supplements ranging from 3,000 micrograms to 10,000 micrograms, which is far beyond the amount your body needs.

For example, most prenatal vitamins contain between 30 to 300 micrograms of biotin, which is already more than sufficient for most people. However, when you add additional biotin through other supplements, such as hair, skin, and nail vitamins, you could easily be consuming more than 1 milligram (or 1,000 micrograms) of biotin, which could interfere with hormone testing.

Why Does Biotin Interfere with Hormone Testing?

Biotin’s impact on hormone testing is a result of its role in the test reaction process. Most hormone assays use biotin as part of the binding process to detect specific hormones in the blood. While biotin is essential in the body, excessive levels of it can alter how hormones are measured, leading to false results. This can lead to misinterpretation of hormone levels and potentially misguided medical decisions, particularly for individuals undergoing fertility treatments like IVF.

The Bottom Line: Should You Take Biotin Supplements?

If you’re trying to conceive or undergoing fertility treatments, it’s essential to be cautious about your biotin intake. While biotin is beneficial for hair, skin, and nails, the excessive use of biotin supplements can create more problems than it solves, especially if you’re dealing with hormone testing and fertility evaluations.

Dr. Natalie Crawford advises that prenatal vitamins, which contain biotin, should be sufficient for most individuals. If you feel the need to take additional biotin for beauty or health reasons, it’s essential to consult your doctor before doing so. Only take additional biotin if prescribed, as there is a rare genetic disorder called biotinidase deficiency that may require extra supplementation.

How to Manage Your Biotin Intake

Check Supplement Labels: Always read the ingredient labels of any supplements you’re taking, especially if you are undergoing fertility treatments. Ensure that you are not consuming excessive amounts of biotin, which could interfere with important hormone tests.
Stick to Prenatal Vitamins: If you’re planning to conceive, stick to a prenatal vitamin, which typically contains the appropriate amount of biotin for reproductive health.
Consult Your Doctor: If you’re considering adding biotin supplements for beauty or other health reasons, always discuss this with your healthcare provider, especially if you’re undergoing fertility treatments.

Conclusion

While biotin is an essential nutrient for health and well-being, taking excessive amounts of it can have unintended consequences, particularly for fertility treatments and hormone testing. By being mindful of your biotin intake and consulting with your healthcare provider, you can ensure that your fertility treatments are as effective as possible and avoid unnecessary complications. As always, when it comes to supplements and fertility, moderation and knowledge are key.