Biotin Can Actually Raise T4 And Lower TSH

haidut

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A few users ( @aguilaroja ) posted recent case studies showing that biotin in doses as "low" as 10mg daily can interfere with lab test results and produce false positives for a number of conditions. Perhaps the most widely publicized interference is related to thyroid lab tests. Several people taking high dose biotin (300mg daily) for conditions like MS astounded their doctors by showing abnormally high levels of thyroid hormone levels in the blood but without other signs of hyperthyroidism like high temps/pulse or bulging eyes. So, the conclusion so far has been that biotin creates false positives but does not change actual levels of thyroid hormones in the blood.
This new case study shows that another MS patient taking high doses biotin actually did get elevated T4 and low TSH levels but since biotin did not increase conversion of T4 into T3 there was no actual hyperthyroidism as a result. Given these results I am beginning to wonder if the benefit from high doses biotin seen in MS is actually due to its pro-thyroid effects. The fact that T3 stops MS in animal models is well-known. Also, the human MS studies clearly said that biotin's mechanism of action was improved energy production (even though there was no mention of thyroid levels/function as a result of biotin treatment).


Biotin, probiotics increase thyroid hormone
"...The problem arose from the woman taking a high dose of biotin which she was using for multiple sclerosis (MS). Biotin is found naturally in meats, fish, beans, egg yolks and nuts. If you’re deficient, you might look older than you should, your cuts don’t heal as fast, your heart rhythm might be irregular, your hair might be falling out and you’re probably exhausted. She was diagnosed with pseudohyperthyroidism because her thyroid levels went up, but she did not exhibit classic symptoms of elevated thyroid. She was on other medications as well. Her doctors stopped the high-dose biotin supplements for three days and retested her thyroid levels and they got closer to normal. Could this be a coincidence? Doctors wondered that too, so they re-challenged her with high-dose biotin and sure enough, the TSH and Free T4 levels changed, but then normalized again (after stopping biotin). Biotin would not increase utilization of thyroid hormone, or cellular entry. It would only crank up levels of T4 hormone (which is inactive), it would not increase levels of T3 (the active form), nor would it it drive the thyroid hormone into the cell, which explains why she had high levels in her blood, but did not have associated hyperthyroid symptoms, hence pseudohyperthyroidism, as opposed to hyperthyroidism."
 

Dotdash

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The last couple of sentences sound so familiar to what RP says about blood values vs what gets into the cells or tissues and is actually utilized by the body to create positive change. This seems to be the paradox of many substances we use & measure via blood samples. I take an NDT that lowers the TSH below 1, which is medically considered hyper status. However, the typical hyper signs do not appear. Which prompts another thought of just because TSH is lowered it doesn't mean hyper or hypo status has been "fixed." TSH can be lowered with 25,000IU Vitamin A. TSH can be lowered with Vitamin C. TSH can be lowered with Biotin. TSH can be lowered with thyroid meds. But how may of these make one feel better such as warmer - more energetic - normalized heart rhythm - cessation of abnormal hair falling out? And if any one of them can lower TSH, why bother with thyroid meds at all? It would be interesting to see results of an experiment done using the different ways to lower TSH & see what happens. And it seems a good idea to keep an eye on temps/pulse if one is taking lots of Vitamin A & C, or either one alone, along with thyroid meds of some type, and now biotin can be inlcuded. Maybe one thread on all these substances that lower TSH would be helpful for new comers and oldies alike.
 

Lokzo

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I've started playing around with Biotin and notice that it will ALWAYS wake up me up early in the morning STARVING!!!

It's significantly ramped up my appetite and made me warmer too.
Bare in mind I have incredibly good Free T3 levels and high T4.

Perhaps it is in fact inducing Hyper symptoms? Or is it related to suppression of Beta oxidation or Glucose/glycogen levels?

I definitely loaded up on a tonne of carbs before bed though...
 

TMHRows

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My understanding is that a high level of Biotin does not affect the actual levels of TSH and other thyroid hormone levels in your blood, it affects the TESTING of said thyroid levels, producing false test levels.
 
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haidut

haidut

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I've started playing around with Biotin and notice that it will ALWAYS wake up me up early in the morning STARVING!!!

It's significantly ramped up my appetite and made me warmer too.
Bare in mind I have incredibly good Free T3 levels and high T4.

Perhaps it is in fact inducing Hyper symptoms? Or is it related to suppression of Beta oxidation or Glucose/glycogen levels?

I definitely loaded up on a tonne of carbs before bed though...

The hunger may be due to drop in blood glucose, which biotin is known to cause.
 
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haidut

haidut

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My understanding is that a high level of Biotin does not affect the actual levels of TSH and other thyroid hormone levels in your blood, it affects the TESTING of said thyroid levels, producing false test levels.

That too, but I think the study above actually found truly increased T4 levels as a result of biotin supplementation.
 

Momado965

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I've started playing around with Biotin and notice that it will ALWAYS wake up me up early in the morning STARVING!!!

It's significantly ramped up my appetite and made me warmer too.
Bare in mind I have incredibly good Free T3 levels and high T4.

Perhaps it is in fact inducing Hyper symptoms? Or is it related to suppression of Beta oxidation or Glucose/glycogen levels?

I definitely loaded up on a tonne of carbs before bed though...

I had ane opposite effect from biotin. What was your dose?
 

BrianF

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Wouldn't there be some benefit from simply lowered levels of TSH even if the T4 wasn't comverting into T3?
 

ChopSuey

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When doing blood work how long should we stop taking biotin so it doesn't affect the results? Would a few days before be ok?
 

Texon

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That too, but I think the study above actually found truly increased T4 levels as a result of biotin supplementation.
@Lokzo
Guys, this is an older thread, but I couldn't think of a better place to put this reference. It's a study concerning "biotin-thiamine-responsive basal ganglia disease".

Biotin-thiamine-responsive basal ganglia disease

Based on this, my age, b-12 absorption issues, eating scrambled eggs with whites not thoroughly cooked and an older blood test (NutrEval) that showed my B1 status in the "red" zone for which one of the symptoms is anorexia, I have decided that for some reason I have issues with adequate/efficient b-vitamin metabolism. I was feeling a lot of stress at the time of the B-1 test and had also lost 15% of my normal weight for no apparent reason. Along with unusual levels of stress lately, I have even been having a lot weird movement issues (shakiness, general weakness, depressed mood, etc.) but not all day. It's particularly troubling because I am used to being in very good shape. I am thinking it may be the 2 soft-scrambled eggs I have every day contributing. I have a high quality oral b-vitamin complex with several of the active forms, but what do you think about Energin in a case like this?
 

Lokzo

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@Lokzo
Guys, this is an older thread, but I couldn't think of a better place to put this reference. It's a study concerning "biotin-thiamine-responsive basal ganglia disease".

Biotin-thiamine-responsive basal ganglia disease

Based on this, my age, b-12 absorption issues, eating scrambled eggs with whites not thoroughly cooked and an older blood test (NutrEval) that showed my B1 status in the "red" zone for which one of the symptoms is anorexia, I have decided that for some reason I have issues with adequate/efficient b-vitamin metabolism. I was feeling a lot of stress at the time of the B-1 test and had also lost 15% of my normal weight for no apparent reason. Along with unusual levels of stress lately, I have even been having a lot weird movement issues (shakiness, general weakness, depressed mood, etc.) but not all day. It's particularly troubling because I am used to being in very good shape. I am thinking it may be the 2 soft-scrambled eggs I have every day contributing. I have a high quality oral b-vitamin complex with several of the active forms, but what do you think about Energin in a case like this?


Wow - good observations and connections - I think Energin can work well.
 

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