Revealing connection found between vitamin D and contraceptives in new study
Study Reveals Connection Between Estrogen-Based Contraceptives and Vitamin D Levels
Women using estrogen-based birth control pills have significantly higher vitamin D levels compared to those not using such contraceptives, according to a recent study. When these women stop using the contraceptives, their vitamin D levels drop significantly.
Vitamin D plays a crucial role in maintaining the proper balance of calcium and phosphorus in the blood and facilitates the body's absorption of calcium, a vital component of bones. Food sources rich in vitamin D include fish and eggs, while approximately 90% of the vitamin is produced in the skin after sun exposure.
In a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids, researchers found that women taking estrogen-containing contraceptives tended to have higher vitamin D levels. Even after controlling for confounding factors such as seasonal light exposure, the effect remained significant.
The researchers, led by Dr. Quaker E. Harmon of the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, examined almost 1,700 African-American women aged 23–34 living in and around Detroit, MI. Women were asked about contraceptive use, time spent outdoors, and vitamin D supplementation, and blood samples were taken to determine vitamin D levels.
After adjusting for confounding variables, the use of contraceptive pills, patches, or rings containing estrogen was associated with a 20% increase in 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels. Current users of birth control had higher vitamin D levels, while past users had average levels.
These findings suggest that stopping estrogen-based contraceptives could potentially lead to vitamin D deficiency, increasing the risk of conditions such as rickets and osteomalacia (softening of the bones) during early pregnancy. Dr. Harmon advises women planning to stop using birth control to ensure that their vitamin D levels are adequate while trying to conceive and during pregnancy.
The study also underlines the increased risk of vitamin D deficiency in African-American women, who are more likely to be deficient in vitamin D in the United States. Dr. Harmon and her team are continuing to follow the study participants to further explore the relationship between contraception and vitamin D levels. They are also investigating how vitamin D varies across the menstrual cycle in another study group.
While the exact mechanisms linking estrogen-based contraceptives and vitamin D levels are not fully understood, potential factors include hormonal effects, metabolic changes, and bone health improvements associated with estrogen use. Further research is needed to better understand this association and its implications for reproductive health.
- The study revealed that women using estrogen-based contraceptives have higher levels of vitamin D, a nutrient crucial for health and wellness, compared to non-users.
- When women stop using estrogen-based contraceptives, they may face deficiencies in vitamin D, which could lead to conditions like rickets or osteomalacia during early pregnancy.
- The study, focusing on African-American women, found a 20% increase in 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels among current users of estrogen-containing contraceptives.
- The research in women's health field suggests that there might be a connection between cultural practices, such as contraceptive use, and women's overall nutritional status, particularly vitamin D levels.
- Science continues to unravel the mystery behind the association between estrogen-based contraceptives and vitamin D levels, with potential factors including hormonal effects, metabolic changes, and bone health improvements associated with estrogen use.
- Vitamin D supplements may play an important role in ensuring good nutritional health for women planning to conceive or those already pregnant, especially among ethnic groups with higher risks of vitamin D deficiencies like African-Americans.
