Unearthed connection between vitamin D and contraception: researchers findings suggest potential impact on hormonal balance and fertility
Scientists have uncovered a connection between estrogen-based birth control pills and increased vitamin D levels in women. Conversely, women who cease using these contraceptives may experience a drop in their vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D plays a crucial role in maintaining the optimal balance of calcium and phosphorous in the blood and aids in calcium absorption, an essential component for bone health. Rich sources of vitamin D include fish and eggs, while approximately 90% of it is generated in the skin through exposure to sunlight. Deficiency in vitamin D can lead to conditions like rickets and osteomalacia (softening of the bones), particularly relevant during pregnancy due to the importance of vitamin D in forming bones.
Dr. Quaker E. Harmon, from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, sought to investigate any associations between oral contraceptives and vitamin D levels. Harmon and her team conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids (SELF), an investigation focusing on reproductive health. The study involved approximately 1,700 African-American women aged 23-34 from Detroit, MI.
The study inquired about the women's contraceptive use and asked questions about sun exposure and any taken vitamin D supplements. Of these women, 1,662 provided blood samples, which were analyzed to determine levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D, the primary form of vitamin D in circulation.
Results indicated that women using contraception containing estrogen had higher vitamin D levels than other participants. Even after accounting for confounding factors, such as seasonal exposure to light, the effect remained significant. Harmon observed, "We found that women who were using contraception containing estrogen tended to have higher vitamin D levels than other women."
When women cease using contraception, their vitamin D levels may decrease. Harmon stated, "Our findings suggest that contraceptives containing estrogen tend to boost vitamin D levels, and those levels are likely to fall when women cease using contraception." After considering confounding variables, contraceptive pill, patch, or ring use containing estrogen was associated with 20% higher levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D.
Harmon emphasized the importance of ensuring adequate vitamin D levels for women planning to stop using birth control and during pregnancy. She added, "For women who are planning to stop using birth control, it is worth taking steps to ensure that vitamin D levels are adequate while trying to conceive and during pregnancy."
The researchers' findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, raise the concern that a woman attempting pregnancy may become vitamin D deficient. Further investigation is ongoing to better understand the relationship between estrogen-based contraception and vitamin D levels.
The study focused solely on African-American women, and it remains unclear whether race plays a role in this association. However, Harmon indicated, "The same association has been observed in young and older women who are not African-American." She is also continuing to research this group of women to further explore the relationship between estrogen-based contraception and vitamin D levels. Additionally, Harmon is working on another group of participants to investigate how vitamin D varies throughout the menstrual cycle.
- TheOptimal balance of calcium and phosphorous in the blood relies on adequate vitamin D levels, a nutrient essential for bone health.
- Contraceptives containing estrogen have been found to increase vitamin D levels in women, as discovered by a study involving 1,700 African-American women aged 23-34 from Detroit, MI.
- After a woman ceases using contraception, her vitamin D levels may decrease significantly, which Harmon and her team observed in the study.
- Harmon highlighted the importance of ensuring women who plan to stop using birth control or are pregnant maintain adequate vitamin D levels to prevent conditions like rickets and osteomalacia.
- The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism published the study's findings, raising concerns about a potential vitamin D deficiency in women attempting pregnancy due to the discontinuation of estrogen-based contraception.
- Furthermore, the research is ongoing to understand if race or the menstrual cycle might influence the relationship between estrogen-based contraception and vitamin D levels, as indicated by Harmon.
