What to avoid before blood tests; Who owns the supplements you use? Is it Pfizer, Bayer or Nestle? What an investigation revealed about your food.

Dec 17, 2022

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About Biotin

Biotin, also known as B7, supports blood sugar regulation, neurological function, and DNA stability (NIH, n.d.). Hair, skin, and nail health may benefit from adequate biotin intake. Foods rich in biotin include egg yolks, legumes, nuts and seeds, liver, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, banana, broccoli, nutritional yeast, and avocado (NIH, n.d.). There is no RDA for biotin, and the daily value is 30 mcg. daily, which was reduced. The FDA decreased the DV to 30 mcg from 300 mcg in 2016. This may be adequate for most people, but many may still need 150 to 300 mcg daily, with others requiring higher therapeutic doses. Check your multivitamin to see how much it includes.

What Can Deplete Biotin

Beneficial bacteria can help produce biotin, so if you have candida or SIBO or have been on antibiotics for a prolonged period (more than the typical 10-14 day antibiotic duration), you may end up with low biotin levels. Biotin is usually dosed under 50 mcg, but for MS, it may warrant higher doses of 200 mg per day under health care supervision. Alcoholics may need higher dosing of biotin (NIH, n.d.). Research indicates biotin intake of up to 200 mg daily is safe (NIH, n.d.). However, this is a high dose, so best to work with your health professional.

When to Stop Taking Biotin When Running Lab Tests

Biotin should be discontinued before lab testing and can be resumed afterward. There is no consensus on how many days before testing you should discontinue use, but most agree that higher doses of 50 mg or more daily should be stopped 14 days before testing. For a low dose, such as 250 mcg and lower, you should discontinue use 24 to 48 hours before lab tests. If you have renal impairment or have been supplementing with biotin for 6 months or longer, discontinue use at least 7 days before testing.

Which Tests May be Altered by Biotin Supplementation

Tests that biotin can interfere with include: thyroid, other hormone tests such as PTH, FSH, ACTH, DHEA-sulfate, estradiol, progesterone, and cortisol, cardiac markers such as troponin, HIV, Hepatitis A, B, and C, tumor markers, vitamin markers such as vitamin D, B12, and folate, at home pregnancy tests, and IgE allergy tests.

Note that biotin can interfere with the test results, NOT the organ function. For instance, biotin can alter thyroid lab markers making it look like you have hyper or hypothyroidism when you do not. Still, it does not impact actual thyroid function, causing the lab alterations.

You may not take a biotin supplement but if you take a multivitamin/mineral, check the label. If you are unsure what tests your doctor will run, to be on the safe side, discontinue taking your multivitamin for 24-48 hours before testing.

Source

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/biotin-HealthProfessional/

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Often we do not give much thought to the larger company owning the supplements we use. Still, as big corporations are buying up smaller supplement businesses, this is important to know.

Why?

Because typically, a company like Bayer is not as concerned with the quality and quantity of your supplement and focuses on reducing costs and increasing profit. When they purchase the supplement brand, they may change the ingredients without you noticing unless you check the label regularly and compare the label from the previous owner.

It is getting more challenging to purchase small reputable brands. Several brands I once liked and recommended I have changed my stance on. Since sales of supplement ownership are happening rapidly, you may need to do a quick search online regularly to ensure your supplement has not changed hands.

Buyer Beware

For example, a division of Nestle called Nestle Health Science now owns the following brands: Pure Encapsulation, Douglas Foods, Garden of Life, Vital Proteins, Nuun, Wobezym, Persona Nutrition, Genestra, Orthica, Minami, AOV, Kleen Athlete, Bountiful (owner of Solgar, Osteo Bi-flex, Puritan’s Pride, Ester-C, and Sundown).

Know Your Brands

I am doing my best to stick to brands I know the source, such as Standard Process, Euromedica, and Nordic Naturals. For example, NN has been owned since 1995 by Joar Opheim, who is still the company CEO. Standard Process has been family owned since 1929, and Terry Lemerond founded and still owns Euromedica.

A quick search is all it takes to find out the more extensive owner of your supplements. Knowing that your supplement of choice is owned and managed by big brands such as Bayer or Nestle may not matter to you, but for others purchasing brands from owners who have an interest in health and nutrition may be important.

McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and Walmart, and Antibiotic Resistance

According to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) (Stockton & Wasley, 2022), these food chains source beef that originates from farms using a specific category of antibiotics linked to the spread of superbugs, meaning infections that are resistant to antibiotics.

Superbugs can be deadly, especially for those who are immune compromised. Other ways to reduce your risk of antibiotic resistance are to use these antibiotics less frequently and only when necessary and wash your hands with natural soap instead of relying on antibacterial liquid soaps.

Food prices are skyrocketing, making it more difficult for meat eaters to consume healthy beef and poultry options.

What to do?

We consume too much meat, and we eat large portions, often two to three times daily. Instead, splurge on quality meats, eat smaller portions, and only several times per week. It does not have to be labeled organic. Many ranchers raise grass-fed cattle not injected with hormones and antibiotics, but you will need to ask.