Unveiled Connection: Vitamin D and Birth Control Methods Found Intertwined
Spillin' the Tea on Vitamin D and Birth Control
Taking estrogen-based birth control pills could bump up your vitamin D levels, while quitting those pills might result in a significant drop, according to a recent study. So, let's dive into the why's and how's of this nutrient that keeps your bones strong and calcium levels balanced.
Vitamin D, the veritable bone ninja, plays a crucial role in maintaining the correct balance of calcium and phosphorus in your bloodstream. It assists in the absorption of calcium, a key component of your skeleton. While foods like fish, eggs, and sun-kissed goods are vilifiers' delight, a whopping 90% of your vitamin D is manufactured in your skin after a dose of sunlight.
A deficiency in vitamin D can lead to health issues like rickets and osteomalacia, both causing your bones to soften like butter. Since vitamin D is essential for the formation of bones, it's especially important during pregnancy.
Dr. Quaker E. Harmon from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, NC, decided to investigate this intriguing link between vitamin D and oral contraceptives.
Vitamin D's Intriguing Connection to Contraception
Dr. Harmon and her team conducted a study using data from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids (SELF), which studies reproductive health. The project involved nearly 1,700 African-American women living in and around Detroit, MI, aged between 23-34. The study asked women about their contraceptive use, how much time they spent outside, and if they took any vitamin D supplements.
The researchers found that women who used estrogen-based contraception had generally higher vitamin D levels compared to other women, even after accounting for factors such as seasonal light exposure. However, they couldn't find any changes in behavior, such as increased time spent outdoors, that would explain this increase.
After adjusting for confounding factors, the use of contraceptive pills, patches, or rings containing estrogen was associated with around 20 percent higher levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D. This finding means that when women stop using birth control, they might be at risk of becoming deficient in vitamin D as they start trying to conceive or during pregnancy.
Vitamin D Deficiency in Early Pregnancy
As women plan to stop using birth control, it's worth taking steps to ensure that vitamin D levels are adequate during this period and throughout pregnancy. The study's findings suggest that if you're planning to conceive, it's a good idea to maintain healthy vitamin D levels.
While the current study focused on African-American women, Dr. Harmon believes the association may not be influenced by race. In the US, African-American women are more likely to be vitamin D-deficient, so even small increases or decreases in vitamin D concentrations could have a more significant impact on their health.
Dr. Harmon is continuing to follow the study participants to further investigate the relationship between vitamin D and contraception. She is also working on another group of participants to study how vitamin D varies throughout the menstrual cycle.
While the study provides some fascinating insights into the relationship between vitamin D and estrogen-based contraception, more research is needed to understand better the underlying mechanisms behind this association.
Sources:[1] Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism[2] MedlinePlus: Vitamin D supplements[3] ScienceDirect: Estrogen and vitamin D[4] Hormones and Metabolic Research[5] American Family Physician: Over-the- counter preparations and drug interactions
- Dr. Harmon's study on the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibrods (SELF) revealed that women using estrogen-based contraception often have higher levels of vitamin D.
- The study, which involved over 1,600 African-American women, found that use of contraceptive pills, patches, or rings containing estrogen is associated with around 20 percent higher levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D.
- When women stop using birth control, they might be at risk of developing multi vitamin D deficiencies as they start trying to conceive or during pregnancy.
- Women planning to conceive should consider maintaining adequate vitamin D levels, as the study suggests, to ensure their overall health and the health of their unborn child.
- Dr. Harmon's research is ongoing, with the aim of further investigating the relationship between vitamin D and contraception, as well as studying how vitamin D varies throughout the menstrual cycle.
- Despite the interesting findings, more research is needed in the health-and-wellness field to fully understand the underlying mechanisms behind the connection between vitamin D and estrogen-based contraception.
