Biotin is vitamin B7. There is a group in France studying Biotin. They published a small study a few months ago, and a larger study was presented at the AAN meeting last month. The results of the study were reported to show a benefit in patients with primary or secondary progressive MS. There were 154 patient enrolled in this study, half on biotin and half on placebo. The outcome measured was the number of people who improved on their disability at 9 months and who continued to be improved at 12 months. 13% improved in the biotin group compared to none in the placebo group. While this is encouraging, this has to be viewed with caution. First, it is surprising that there would be improvement after only 9 months since the nervous system is very slow to heal. Also, only 13 patients improved. This low number improving suggests that the biotin was not helpful for the majority of patients, but it also brings into question whether the results could be due to difficulties with study design such as inadequate numbers of patients or problems with blinding of the treatment/placebo arms. A larger study with a phase III design will be needed to determine whether biotin is truly helpful. This would need to include outcomes such as MRI, eye examinations or evoked potentials to demonstrate that any improvement was actually due to healing of the nervous system.
Most Recent Articles
Seattle's KING 5 hosted some of our pediatric specialists who discussed our world-class care for children. Watch these short videos to learn more.
Your care team can help you decide which immunizations are right for you and when to get them.
Watch video: Learn this simple method for recognizing stroke symptoms. It may help you save a life.
Providence Swedish is committed to fostering equity in mental health services and supporting previously overlooked populations. Learn more.
Swedish’s program, led by dedicated teams, has been recognized a radiopharmaceutical therapy center of excellence.
Research now shows hormone therapy is a safe and effective treatment during menopause. A women’s health expert at Swedish outlines its benefits and risks.
Post-traumatic stress disorder can cause significant difficulties for those affected. Learn more about the condition and how to help yourself or someone you love.
Dehydration is one of the most common causes of heat illness, including heat stroke, rash, cramps and exhaustion, so drink up! Learn more.
After John Benson's wife Debra passed away, his family had a special thank you for her nurses at Swedish Issaquah.
A Swedish expert offers guidance to keep the family fun going all summer long.
A cardiologist outlines atrial fibrillation, or AFib, and explains why more people under 65 are being diagnosed with this common heart rhythm disorder.
You need medical attention, but where should you go? Here's some helpful guidance.
Tips from a Swedish expert to help get the negative voices out of your head and you into the joys of summer.
It is completely normal and expected to experience a range of emotions after childbirth. Identifying and understanding these feelings can help you navigate them.
Advice from Swedish experts for protecting your skin and lowering your risk of sun damage and skin cancer.
Providence Swedish se compromete a ser líder en la prestación de atención informada a la comunidad LGBTQIA+ (lesbiana, gay, bisexual, transgénero, queer, intersexual y asexual) en Puget Sound.
Watch video: Providence Swedish physicians are team doctors for several local college and professional sports teams. Let’s meet two of them.
Watch video: A Swedish physical therapist has advice to help you start a sustainable exercise routine.
Research showed that even short episodes of anger can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Debido a un incremento en la incidencia del cáncer de mama en mujeres más jóvenes, las nuevas pautas recomiendan que las pruebas de detección comiencen a los 40 años de edad.