4 things you should know about the contraceptive pill

When you’re experiencing period troubles, sometimes it feels that the contraceptive pill is the best and only option. 

A study in the US found that 58% of women use the pill for reasons other than contraception including reducing menstrual pain, acne and migraines (1). The problem is that if you have underlying hormonal issues, the pill will not fix the root cause and the longer you have a hormonal problem, the more complicated it is to treat.

The question you should ask yourself is: why did you have these symptoms in the first place? The contraceptive pill will mask your symptoms but it will not cure you. If you decide at some point to come off the pill to become pregnant, you will be at risk of post-birth control syndrome. All your symptoms that were never addressed may come back and often worse than before. These symptoms can happen 4 to 6 months following the discontinuation of the pill (2). 

Although it is undeniable that the oral contraceptive pill is highly effective for birth control, it also affects the women’s body more than we may realise. Here are 4 important facts that you may not already know:

1.It depletes essential nutrients in your body

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the pill influences a woman's nutrient requirements - it affects vitamin and mineral levels (3).

Unfortunately, drug-nutrient interactions often get overlooked by conventional medicine but if you’re on the pill you will want to pay more attention to the following key nutrients (3,5,6):

• The minerals magnesium, zinc and selenium

• Folic acid, vitamins C, B2, B6, B12 and E 

This is of particular concern for women in the 21st century as our soils are not as nutrient rich as before and our busy and modern lifestyle (aka chronic stress, high sugar intake, processed foods and lack of sleep) already depletes our body from important nutrients. For instance, did you know that stress depletes magnesium and that sugar depletes vitamin C?  (4)

All these factors combined is a recipe for nutrient deficiencies and the problem is that nutrient depletion can lead to serious health complications. Therefore, improving your dietary intake and taking appropriate dietary supplements may be necessary to help counter these possible negative side effects. 

2. It impacts your mental health  

The side effects of the pill go beyond feeling a bit moody! In fact, studies showed that taking synthetic estrogens and progestins could potentially interact with the neurotransmitter metabolism that impacts mood (serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, GABA and peptides) (7). 

Back in 2016, the Journal of the American Medical Association released a study that associated the use of the pill with an increased risk of antidepressants (...). The risk was even greater among adolescents suggesting depression as a potential adverse effect of the contraceptive pill (8).

3. It alters your gut microbiota 

The gut microbiota (also called gut flora), refers to all the microorganisms that live in our digestive system. This includes fungi, bacteria, viruses, and protozoa (single cell organisms) and they live mainly in our large intestine. We’re talking about both beneficial and harmful microorganisms and you have about 100 trillion of them living in your gut. These beneficial gut bugs are very much needed for good health and support many different functions in our body.

Our gut bacteria help us to digest and extract nutrients from the food we eat. They also create vitamins that are key for giving us energy. Gut bacteria play a role in developing our immune system, regulating our blood sugar and appetite, managing hormonal balance, preventing us from getting infections, communicating with our nervous system and brain (the gut-brain axis) and so much more.

It is fair to say that a healthy gut is required for good health!

Studies have shown that the contraceptive pill can negatively impact the gut microbiome making us more vulnerable to dysbiosis (a bad mix of the wrong type of bacteria) and leaky gut (where the walls of our intestines become damaged and unwanted substances such as bacteria, toxins and undigested food particles enter the bloodstream).. (9). 

This can engender various digestive issues and an increased risk of autoimmune disease - which brings us to the next point!

4. It triggers autoimmune disease 

Estrogens and progestins have profound effects on the immune system and there is good evidence that the pill triggers autoimmune disease especially Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Lupus and interstitial cystitis.(10,11,12). 

These are only 4 facts but what’s even more worrying is that it doesn’t stop here. The contraceptive pill also increases the risk of blood clots, breast cancer and diabetes (2).

The pill is not the solution for hormonal balance, it will without a doubt make things worse for your body. It is important not to mask your symptoms and instead try to get to the root cause. Don’t let your period dictate how you feel! 

References:

1. Jones, R., (2011) Beyond Birth Control: The Overlooked Benefits Of Oral Contraceptive Pills. [online] Guttmacher Institute. Available at: <https://www.guttmacher.org/report/beyond-birth-control-overlooked-benefits-oral-contraceptive-pills> [Accessed 18 July 2021].

2. Dr Brighten, J. (2019) Beyond the pill, Harper One

3. Palmery M, et al. (2013) Oral contraceptives and changes in nutritional requirements. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2013 Jul;17(13):1804-13. PMID: 23852908 [online] PubMed. Available at: <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23852908/> [Accessed 18 July 2021]

4. Weatherby, D. (2004) Signs and Symptoms Analysis from a Functional   Perspective, 2nd edition, Bear Mountain Publishing

5. Lussana, F., et al., (2003) Blood levels of homocysteine, folate, vitamin B6 and B12 in women using oral contraceptives compared to non-users. Thrombosis Research, [online] 112(1-2), pp.37-41. Available at: <http://10.1016/j.thromres.2003.11.007> [Accessed 18 July 2021]

6. Wakeman, M., (2019). A Review of the Effects of Oral Contraceptives on Nutrient Status, with Especial Consideration to Folate in UK. Journal of Advances in Medicine and Medical Research, [online] pp.1-17. Available at: <http://10.9734/jammr/2019/v30i230168> [Accessed 15 July 2021].

7. Hall, K., et al., (2015) Contraception and mental health: a commentary on the evidence and principles for practice. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, [online] 212(6), pp.740-746. Available at: <http://10.1016/j.ajog.2014.12.010>  [Accessed 18 July 2021]

8. Skovlund, C., et al. (2016) Association of Hormonal Contraception With Depression. JAMA Psychiatry, [online] 73(11), p.1154. Available at: <http://10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.2387> [Accessed 18 July 2021]

9. Adlercreutz, H., et al., (1984). Studies on the role of intestinal bacteria in metabolism of synthetic and natural steroid hormones. Journal of Steroid Biochemistry, [online] 20(1), pp.217-229. Available at: <http://10.1016/0022-4731(84)90208-5> [Accessed 16 July 2021].

10. Khalili, H., et al., (2012). Oral contraceptives, reproductive factors and risk of inflammatory bowel disease. Gut, [online] 62(8), pp.1153-1159. Available at: <http://10.1136/gutjnl-2012-302362>  [Accessed 18 July 2021]

11. Khalili, H., et al. ( 2016) Association Between Long-term Oral Contraceptive Use and Risk of Crohn’s Disease Complications in a Nationwide Study. Gastroenterology, [online] 150(7), pp.1561-1567.e1. Available at: <http://10.1053/j.gastro.2016.02.041> [Accessed 16 July 2021].

12. Williams, W., ( 2017) Hormonal Contraception and the Development of Autoimmunity: A Review of the Literature. The Linacre Quarterly, [online] 84(3), pp.275-295. Available at: <http://10.1080/00243639.2017.1360065> [Accessed 16 July 2021].