Biotin
Vitamin & mineralAlso called · 3 names▾▴
Vitamin B7, Vitamin H, Biotin supplement
Vitamin and mineral supplement
Herbs and supplements are not FDA-approved before sale. About these sources
- Capsule/tablet
- Food / spice
Research strength: 3 / 5
ODS lists an adequate intake of 30 mcg per day during pregnancy and says more research is needed to understand pregnancy-related changes in biotin markers. Mock et al. and Hanson et al. measured urine or blood markers, not birth outcomes. Hanson et al. found higher maternal and cord biotin markers with a prenatal formula containing 150 mcg rather than 30 mcg, but the study did not establish an effect on pregnancy outcomes. FDA's October 2020 guidance notes that biotin can affect hormone and troponin tests and cites its November 5, 2019 safety communication; FDA reports falsely low results in some troponin assays. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-16
Sources
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS): Biotin Health Professional Fact SheetUS government
- Mock et al., Biotin status assessed longitudinally in pregnant womenUS government
- Mock et al., Marginal biotin deficiency during normal pregnancyUS government
- Hanson et al., Higher-biotin prenatal multivitamin formulation trialUS government
- FDA: Testing for Biotin Interference in In Vitro Diagnostic Devices, Guidance for IndustryUS government
- FDA: Biotin Interference with Troponin Lab TestsUS government
Research strength: 3 / 5
ODS lists an adequate intake of 30 mcg per day during pregnancy and says the clinical meaning of pregnancy-related biotin-marker changes needs more research. Mock et al. and Perry et al. measured biotin markers in pregnant women, and their studies do not establish a separate second trimester effect on birth outcomes. Hanson et al. found higher maternal and cord biotin markers with 150 mcg compared with 30 mcg in a prenatal formula, but did not establish a clinical benefit. FDA's 2020 guidance notes that biotin can affect hormone and troponin tests, and FDA reports falsely low results in some troponin assays. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-16
Sources
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS): Biotin Health Professional Fact SheetUS government
- Mock et al., Marginal biotin deficiency during normal pregnancyUS government
- Perry et al., Pregnancy and lactation alter biomarkers of biotin metabolismUS government
- Hanson et al., Higher-biotin prenatal multivitamin formulation trialUS government
- FDA: Testing for Biotin Interference in In Vitro Diagnostic Devices, Guidance for IndustryUS government
- FDA: Biotin Interference with Troponin Lab TestsUS government
Research strength: 3 / 5
ODS lists an adequate intake of 30 mcg per day during pregnancy and says more research is needed to understand pregnancy-related changes in biotin markers. Mock et al. studied women in late pregnancy and Perry et al. studied women entering at 27 weeks, but both focused on biomarkers rather than birth outcomes. Hanson et al. (2026) found higher maternal and cord biotin markers with 150 mcg than with 30 mcg, but did not establish a benefit for pregnancy outcomes. FDA's 2020 guidance cites a November 5, 2019 safety communication and notes that biotin can affect hormone and troponin tests; FDA reports falsely low results in some troponin assays. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-16
Sources
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS): Biotin Health Professional Fact SheetUS government
- Mock et al., Marginal biotin deficiency during normal pregnancyUS government
- Perry et al., Pregnancy and lactation alter biomarkers of biotin metabolismUS government
- Hanson et al., Higher-biotin prenatal multivitamin formulation trialUS government
- FDA: Testing for Biotin Interference in In Vitro Diagnostic Devices, Guidance for IndustryUS government
- FDA: Biotin Interference with Troponin Lab TestsUS government
Biotin — Breastfeeding
Research strength: 3 / 5
ODS lists an adequate intake of 35 mcg per day during lactation and says more research is needed to understand changes in breast-milk biotin levels. In a controlled feeding study, Perry et al. found that mean breast-milk biotin fell 41%, from 2.8 to 1.7 mcg/L, while participants consumed an average of 57 mcg per day; the study measured milk levels, not infant health. Perry et al.'s study does not establish that extra biotin improves infant outcomes or that lower milk levels cause harm. FDA says biotin can affect some hormone and troponin tests and reports falsely low results in some troponin assays. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-16
Sources
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS): Biotin Health Professional Fact SheetUS government
- Perry et al., Pregnancy and lactation alter biomarkers of biotin metabolismUS government
- FDA: Testing for Biotin Interference in In Vitro Diagnostic Devices, Guidance for IndustryUS government
- FDA: Biotin Interference with Troponin Lab TestsUS government
Pregnancy
Mock et al. (1997) studied 13 women and found urinary 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid (3-HIA), a biotin-status marker, above the study reference range in 9. This small biomarker study does not verify a general-population prevalence of clinical deficiency. Mock et al. (2002) randomized 26 pregnant participants selected for increased 3-HIA to 300 mcg per day of biotin or placebo for 14 days and measured the urine marker. The authors said this did not justify widespread pregnancy supplementation and that fetal or maternal effects needed direct study. Perry et al. (2014) studied 26 pregnant women entering at week 27, 28 lactating women, and 21 controls during a 10 to 12 week feeding study with an average 57 mcg of dietary biotin per day; the study measured biomarkers, not birth outcomes. Hanson et al. (2026) randomized 80 pregnant women recruited at weeks 12 to 16 to prenatal formulas containing 150 or 30 mcg per day for 24 weeks; 62 completed. The reported outcomes were maternal and cord biomarkers and cortisol, not clinical pregnancy or infant outcomes.
Breastfeeding
ODS lists an adequate intake of 35 mcg per day during lactation, reports lower plasma and breast-milk biotin levels even when dietary intake exceeds that amount, and says more research is needed to understand the clinical meaning. Perry et al. (2014) included 28 lactating participants who entered at postnatal week 5 and consumed an average 57 mcg per day in a controlled mixed diet for 10 to 12 weeks. Mean breast-milk biotin decreased 41%, from 2.8 to 1.7 mcg/L. The study measured milk and maternal biomarkers, not infant health outcomes. It does not establish that lower milk biotin causes an infant effect or that extra maternal biotin improves infant health.
Biotin, also called vitamin B7, is an essential nutrient found in some foods and sold as a dietary supplement. ODS lists adequate intakes of 30 mcg per day for pregnant adults and 35 mcg per day for lactating adults. ODS explains that an adequate intake is used when evidence is insufficient to set a recommended dietary allowance.
What was tested
The pregnancy and lactation studies by Mock et al. (2002), Perry et al. (2014), and Hanson et al. (2026) measured urinary 3-HIA, biotin and related metabolites in blood, urine or breast milk. These studies did not establish whether higher maternal intake changes birth defects, miscarriage, or infant health outcomes. A separate six-adult trial studied laboratory assays after 10 mg per day of biotin for seven days; 9 of 23 assays using biotin showed interference, with some results falsely high and others falsely low. A 2026 study tested biotin interference in one placental growth factor assay using samples from pregnant women, so its result applies to that assay and setup, not all lab tests.
Do biomarker changes establish a need for biotin above the adequate intake in pregnancy or lactation?
- Source A says
- Perry et al. (2014) interpreted biomarker changes as suggesting that pregnant and lactating women may need intake above current reference values. Hanson et al. (2026) reported higher biomarkers with a higher-biotin prenatal formula and said further research is needed to confirm effects on maternal and fetal health. (Perry et al., Pregnancy and lactation alter biomarkers of biotin metabolism in women consuming a controlled diet, Hanson et al., A Higher-Biotin Prenatal Multivitamin Formulation Improves Maternal and Cord Blood Biotin Biomarkers)
- Source B says
- ODS says more research is needed to understand the clinical meaning of pregnancy and lactation biomarker changes. Mock et al. (2002) stated that its biomarker trial did not justify widespread pregnancy supplementation and that effects on mother or fetus needed direct study. (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS): Biotin Health Professional Fact Sheet, Mock et al., Marginal biotin deficiency during normal pregnancy)
- Why they differ
- The study authors infer possible dietary needs from changes in biochemical markers, while ODS and the 2002 trial emphasize that marker changes do not establish clinical benefit or harm. The studies did not test whether higher intake changes birth or infant outcomes.
- What the evidence shows overall
- The biomarker evidence supports uncertainty, not a conclusion that higher intake prevents or causes pregnancy or infant outcomes. Reference values and biomarker findings answer different questions, and clinical outcome evidence remains limited.
- ODS lists an adequate intake of 30 mcg per day during pregnancy and 35 mcg per day during lactation; these reference values do not establish that extra biotin changes pregnancy or infant outcomes. (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS))
- FDA asks health care providers to ask about supplements containing biotin and consider assay interference when lab results do not match the clinical picture. (FDA: Testing for Biotin Interference in In Vitro Diagnostic Devices, Guidance for Industry)
General research, not specific to pregnancy.
FDA and ODS describe biotin interference as a test-specific laboratory concern, not a demonstrated pregnancy or breastfeeding outcome. FDA's October 2020 guidance says biotin is used in hormone tests and tests for cardiac markers such as troponin, and identifies a November 5, 2019 safety communication. FDA's troponin page reports falsely low results in some assays. A 2026 study found a smaller effect in one placental growth factor assay, so results cannot be generalized across tests.
- ODS says biotin above recommended intakes can cause falsely high or falsely low laboratory results, including in thyroid hormone tests. (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS): Biotin Health Professional Fact Sheet)
- FDA's October 2020 guidance states, "For example, biotin is used in hormone tests and tests for markers of cardiac health like troponin." It says FDA's concern was expressed in safety communications dated November 28, 2017 and November 5, 2019. (FDA: Testing for Biotin Interference in In Vitro Diagnostic Devices, Guidance for Industry)
- FDA reports that it continues to receive adverse-event reports indicating biotin interference caused falsely low troponin results. (FDA: Biotin Interference with Troponin Lab Tests)
- In a six-adult study, 9 of 23 biotin-based assays showed interference after 10 mg per day of biotin for seven days; competitive assays could read falsely high and sandwich assays could read falsely low. (Li et al., Association of Biotin Ingestion With Performance of Hormone and Nonhormone Assays in Healthy Adults)
- A 2026 study reported a maximum mean 4.2% difference in one placental growth factor assay with samples spiked with 500 ng/mL biotin; this does not establish that other assays are unaffected. (Skipper et al., Serum placental growth factor: Pre-analytical stability, comparison of blood derivatives and interference from biotin and hemolysis)
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS): Biotin Health Professional Fact SheetUS governmentSecondaryPage dated 2022-01-10
- Mock et al., Biotin status assessed longitudinally in pregnant womenUS governmentPrimaryIndependent check
- Mock, Marginal biotin deficiency is common in normal human pregnancy and is highly teratogenic in miceUS governmentPrimary
- Mock et al., Marginal biotin deficiency during normal pregnancyUS governmentPrimaryIndependent check
- Perry et al., Pregnancy and lactation alter biomarkers of biotin metabolism in women consuming a controlled dietUS governmentPrimaryIndependent check
- Hanson et al., A Higher-Biotin Prenatal Multivitamin Formulation Improves Maternal and Cord Blood Biotin BiomarkersUS governmentPrimary
- Li et al., Association of Biotin Ingestion With Performance of Hormone and Nonhormone Assays in Healthy AdultsUS governmentPrimaryIndependent check
- Skipper et al., Serum placental growth factor: Pre-analytical stability, comparison of blood derivatives and interference from biotin and hemolysisUS governmentPrimaryIndependent check
- FDA: Testing for Biotin Interference in In Vitro Diagnostic Devices, Guidance for IndustryUS governmentSecondary
- FDA: Biotin Interference with Troponin Lab TestsUS governmentSecondaryPage dated 2022-06-21
Last reviewed 2026-10-16
Independent check 2026-10-16
Not yet clinician-reviewed
Ask your provider about your situation.