Discovered connection between vitamin D and birth control revealed
Exploring the Connection Between Estrogen-Based Birth Control and Vitamin D
Turns out, ladies on estrogen-based birth control pills might have higher levels of Vitamin D in their system, while those who stop using these contraceptives may face a significant drop. Here's what you need to know about this fascinating find.
.Vitamin D's primary role is maintaining the correct balance of calcium and phosphorus in the blood. It also helps the body absorb calcium, a vital component of bones. Foods like fish, eggs, and sun exposure are all high in vitamin D, with around 90% of our daily supply produced in the skin after exposure to sunlight.
Vitamin D deficiency can lead to severe health issues like rickets and osteomalacia (softening of the bones). Given its importance in bone development, it's particularly crucial during pregnancy.
Fascinatingly, a group of researchers led by Dr. Quaker E. Harmon from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences investigated any changes in vitamin D levels associated with oral contraceptives.
Vitamin D and Contraception
The researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids (SELF), a project focusing on reproductive health. The study included almost 1,700 African-American women aged 23-34 living in and around Detroit, MI.
The study asked women about their contraceptive use and included questions about outdoor exposure and any vitamin D supplements. In total, 1,662 women provided blood samples to determine levels of the most common circulating form of vitamin D, called 25-hydroxy vitamin D.
Dr. Harmon observed that women using contraception containing estrogen tended to have higher vitamin D levels than others. After adjusting for confounding factors such as seasonal exposure to light, the effect remained significant.
"Our study found that women who were using contraception containing estrogen tended to have higher vitamin D levels than other women."
Dr. Quaker E. Harmon
Interestingly, current users of birth control had higher levels of vitamin D, and past users had average vitamin D levels. After adjustments for confounding variables, the use of contraceptive pills, patches, or rings containing estrogen was associated with a 20 percent higher level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D.
As a woman starts trying to become pregnant, she might face the risk of becoming deficient in vitamin D. Dr. Harmon advises taking steps to ensure adequate vitamin D levels while trying to conceive and during pregnancy.
Potential Reasons for This Relationship
While the exact reasons for this association are unknown, potential explanations include hormonal influence, vitamin D receptor interaction, and complex metabolic pathways involving both estrogen and vitamin D[1][2][3][4]. Further research is needed to confirm these hypotheses and understand the underlying mechanisms.
This study focused solely on African-American women. Dr. Harmon believes that the association may not be related to race, as similar observations have been made in women of different racial backgrounds[5]. She continues to follow this group of women and is working on another group to investigate how vitamin D varies across the menstrual cycle.
Stay tuned for more exciting discoveries in the fascinating world of hormones and vitamins!
Enrichment Data:The relationship between estrogen-based contraceptives and vitamin D levels is likely influenced by hormonal effects, vitamin D receptor interaction, and complex metabolic pathways. Understanding this relationship better requires further research. Potential explanations include hormonal influence[2], vitamin D receptor interaction[3], and metabolic pathways involving both estrogen and vitamin D[2][3].
- Vitamin D, a crucial nutrient, helps maintain the balance of calcium and phosphorus in the blood, and aids in absorbing calcium, which is vital for bone health.
- Foods like fish, eggs, and sunlight exposure are high in vitamin D, providing around 90% of our daily requirement.
- Deficiency in vitamin D can lead to severe health issues like rickets and osteomalacia, and it's particularly important during pregnancy due to its role in bone development.
- Research led by Dr. Quaker E. Harmon found that women using contraception containing estrogen tended to have higher vitamin D levels compared to others, even after adjusting for confounding factors.
- The study, including 1,662 African-American women, showed that current users of birth control had higher levels of vitamin D, and past users had average levels.
- The use of contraceptive pills, patches, or rings containing estrogen was associated with a 20 percent higher level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D.
- As a woman tries to conceive or is pregnant, ensuring adequate vitamin D levels becomes important due to the risk of deficiency.
- Further research is needed to confirm the hypotheses and understand the underlying mechanisms of the relationship between estrogen-based contraceptives and vitamin D levels, especially in relation to hormonal influence, vitamin D receptor interaction, and complex metabolic pathways.
