Researchers divulge potential connection between vitamin D and contraceptive methods
Hear This: Taking estrogen-based birth control pills can boost women's vitamin D levels, while stopping the pills can cause a significant drop. Here's what you need to know!
Vitamin D, the star of the show, maintains the perfect balance of calcium and phosphorus in the blood and helps the body absorb essential calcium for bone health. Most of this magical vitamin D comes from sunlight (around 90%) or foods like fish and eggs.
A study by Dr. Quaker E. Harmon of the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, investigated the association between vitamin D levels and oral contraceptives. They analyzed data from 1,662 African-American women, aged 23-34, living in Detroit, MI. The women answered questions about their contraceptive use, time spent outdoors, and any vitamin D supplements taken.
The results? Women using estrogen-containing contraception had higher vitamin D levels than other participants, even after controlling for confounding factors. Post-analysis showed a 20% increase in 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels for current users of birth control.
Since pregnant women have an increased risk of vitamin D deficiency, it's essential for women trying to conceive or during pregnancy to ensure sufficient vitamin D levels. So, if you're planning to stop using birth control, here's a tip: make sure your vitamin D levels are adequate!
Yet, the study didn't provide insights on how estrogen affects vitamin D levels. Dr. Harmon believes that estrogen might interact with vitamin D metabolism through alterations in metabolite levels. More research is needed in this area to completely understand the relation between contraceptives and vitamin D.
The study was conducted solely on African-American women. To find out if race plays a role in this relationship, Dr. Harmon mentioned that similar associations have been observed in non-African-American women. In the US, African-American women are more likely to be vitamin D-deficient, making even small increases or decreases in their vitamin D concentrations more significant.
Dr. Harmon is continually following the study participants to further investigate the relationship and is working on another group of participants to examine vitamin D's variations across the menstrual cycle.
Taking estrogen-based contraception may have indirect effects on vitamin D levels through hormone regulation and metabolism. However, research is needed to clarify specific mechanisms connecting birth control pills and vitamin D levels. Stay tuned for more updates!
- Women on estrogen-containing contraception often have higher vitamin D levels compared to others, as suggested by a study led by Dr. Quaker E. Harmon.
- The study, focusing mainly on African-American women, revealed a 20% increase in 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels for current users of birth control pills.
- It's crucial for women who are planning to conceive or are pregnant to maintain adequate vitamin D levels due to an increased risk of deficiency during these stages.
- The relationship between contraceptives and vitamin D levels is multifaceted, with estrogen possibly interacting with vitamin D metabolism, although more research is needed to understand this connection fully.
- In the US, African-American women are more likely to experience vitamin D deficiency, making even minor changes in their vitamin D concentrations more noteworthy.
- Further research is being conducted by Dr. Harmon on long-term effects of birth control on vitamin D levels and variations across the menstrual cycle.
