Exciting discovery reveals potential association between vitamin D and contraceptive methods
Juicing Up Your Bones with a Sunshine Hormone Boost
Brace yourself, folks! Here's a fusion of sunshine and hormones that's gonna rock your world, particularly if you're into maintaining those fabulous bones. It turns out that ladies who take estrogen-packed birth control pills have a surplus of the sunshine vitamin - Vitamin D - coursing through their veins. But once they ditch those little pill bottles, their Vitamin D levels take a nosedive.
So, let's rundown the deals with Vitamin D. This bad boy is like the Benny Hill of calcium and phosphorous, ensuring they're all hanging around where they're needed. It also helps the body gobble up calcium, a crucial component in the creation of strong bones. Fish and eggs are the Vitamin D superstars in the food world, but guess what? A whopping 90% of this essential nutrient gets synthesized right in your skin after a good ol' sunlight session.
But let's not forget about the dreaded deficiency. Failure to get enough Vitamin D can leave you with rickets (unfortunate for the kids) and osteomalacia (not-so-great for the grown-ups – bones become sponge-like). Since Vitamin D is crucial for fostering bones, it's extra important during pregnancy.
Enter Dr. Quaker E. Harmon from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, NC. She decided to dig deeper into the connection between Vitamin D and oral contraceptives.
Joined by her merry band of researchers, Dr. Harmon conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids (SELF). The project focused on almost 1,700 African-American women aged 23-34 living in and around Detroit, MI. The women were interrogated about their contraceptive use and other relevant lifestyle questions, such as sunlight exposure and Vitamin D supplement intake.
In total, the team hired 1,662 women who provided blood samples to identify levels of the most common circulating form of Vitamin D, called 25-hydroxy vitamin D. Dr. Harmon announced, "Our study found that women who were using contraception containing estrogen tended to have higher Vitamin D levels than other women."
Even after adjusting for probable confounding factors, such as seasons, the effect remained significant. "We didn't find any behavioral differences such as increased time spent outdoors to explain the increase," said Dr. Harmon. "Our findings suggest that contraceptives containing estrogen tend to boost Vitamin D levels, and those levels are likely to drop when women cease using contraception."
The researchers discovered that the use of contraceptive pills, patches, or rings containing estrogen was associated with a 20 percent increase in 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels. Women currently using birth control enjoyed higher Vitamin D levels, while those who previously used contraception had average levels.
Now let's talk about Vitamin D deficiency in early pregnancy. Dr. Harmon offers some guidance for those thinking about starting a family: "For women who are planning to stop using birth control, it's smart to take steps to ensure that Vitamin D levels are adequate while trying to conceive and during pregnancy."
Medical News Today asked Dr. Harmon why estrogen-based contraception might impact Vitamin D levels. She explained: "We don't know why Vitamin D levels are higher, but other research suggests that the levels of other Vitamin D metabolites are altered when women use estrogen-containing contraception. This suggests that there may be alterations in the metabolism of Vitamin D."
Dr. Harmon added a couple of interesting tidbits to the conversation. First, the current investigation focused solely on African-American women, but she suspects that the same association would be observed in women of other racial backgrounds. Second, she plans to keep following the participants in this study to further explore the relationship. Additionally, she's collaborating with another group to examine how Vitamin D varies across the menstrual cycle.
P.S. – Higher Vitamin D levels are linked to a decreased risk of cancer. Check out our article to learn more!
- Women who use estrogen-packed birth control pills might experience increased Vitamin D levels, which plays a significant role in nutritionally supporting bone health.
- In a study led by Dr. Quaker E. Harmon, it was found that oral contraceptives containing estrogen boosted 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels by 20 percent, particularly in African-American women.
- Science sheds light on women's health matters, including Vitamin D deficiencies during pregnancy. As a result, it's wise for women planning to stop using birth control to ensure adequate Vitamin D levels.
- The ongoing connection between Vitamin D and oral contraceptives has sparked curiosity in the realm of women's health and nutrition. This research might preserve the health-and-wellness vigor of countless women in the future.
- The cultural significance of proper women's health extends beyond avoiding deficiencies, such as rickets or osteomalacia, caused by Vitamin D deficits. It's important for health practitioners to stay informed about nutrient interactions within women's multivitamins.
- The use of Vitamin D supplements in women's vitamins could help maintain ideal Vitamin D levels in women during pregnancy and beyond, ultimately fostering overall health and wellness for themselves and their offspring.
