Surprising discovery of a connection between vitamin D and contraceptives revealed
Talkin' 'Bout Vitamin D and Contraceptives
Got a little secret about estrogen-based birth control pills—women who take 'em have higher levels of vitamin D in their systems, while those who stop see a significant drop in the D levels.
That vitamin D you're hearing about? Well, it plays a crucial role in maintaining the right calcium and phosphorous levels in your blood and helping your body absorb calcium, a key ingredient for building those bones.
You can find vitamin D in foods such as fish and eggs, but approximately 90% of it gets made in your skin after soaking up some sunlight.
Not having enough vitamin D can lead to diseases like rickets and osteomalacia, with bones becoming all soft and weak-like. And, since vitamin D is essential for the development of bones, it's crucial during pregnancy.
Dr. Quaker E. Harmon, from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, NC, decided to get to the bottom of any connections between vitamin D levels and oral contraceptives.
Vitamin D and Contraception
Dr. Harmon and her team conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids (SELF), a research project focusing on women's reproductive health in Detroit, MI. The project interviewed 1,662 African-American women aged 23-34 about their contraceptive use, the amount of time they spent outside, and any vitamin D supplements they took. They collected blood samples to measure levels of the most common circulating form of vitamin D, called 25-hydroxy vitamin D.
During pregnancy, women produce increased levels of the active form of vitamin D to support the growth of the fetal skeleton. Pregnant women have a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency, increasing their risk of developing bone problems.
The study found that women using contraception containing estrogen had higher vitamin D levels than non-users. Even after adjusting for factors such as seasonal exposure to light, the effect still remained significant.
Dr. Harmon and her team couldn't find any behaviors, such as increased time spent outdoors, that could explain the rise in vitamin D levels. "Our findings suggest that contraceptives containing estrogen tend to boost vitamin D levels," said Dr. Harmon, "and those levels are likely to fall when women cease using contraception."
After controlling for confounding variables, the use of contraceptive pills, patches, or rings containing estrogen was linked to 20 percent higher levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D.
Vitamin D deficiency in early pregnancy can be a problem, and Dr. Harmon offers some advice: "For women who are planning to stop using birth control, it's a good idea to ensure that vitamin D levels are adequate while trying to conceive and during pregnancy."
Vitamin D Deficiency in Early Pregnancy
These findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, raise concerns that as a woman starts trying to get pregnant, she may become deficient in vitamin D.
Dr. Harmon was asked about estrogen-based contraception's impact on vitamin D levels, and she said, "We don't know why vitamin D levels are higher. Other work suggests that the levels of other vitamin D metabolites are changed when women use estrogen-containing contraception. This suggests that there may be alterations in the metabolism of vitamin D."
While the study examined only African-American women, Dr. Harmon mentioned that the same association has been observed in other populations, so it doesn't seem related to race.
Dr. Harmon is continuing to monitor this group of women to further investigate the relationship between estrogen-based contraception and vitamin D levels. Additionally, she is working on another group of participants to examine how vitamin D varies across the menstrual cycle.
Keep in mind, getting too little vitamin D can increase the risk of several health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and skin conditions. Standard tests for vitamin D levels are a simple blood test and, if you're low, supplementation can help. Your doc can advise on the best steps to take!
- Among women taking estrogen-based birth control pills, there is an observation of higher vitamin D levels in their systems compared to those who do not use such contraceptives.
- The study conducted by Dr. Harmon and her team on a sample of African-American women found that use of contraceptive methods containing estrogen was linked to 20 percent higher levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D.
- The research suggested that estrogen-based contraceptives may boost a woman's vitamin D levels, and these levels could drop significantly when she stops using such contraception.
- In early pregnancy, vitamin D deficiency can pose a problem, and it is advisable for women planning to stop using birth control to ensure adequate vitamin D levels while trying to conceive and during pregnancy.
- Dr. Harmon's findings also indicated that the same association between estrogen-based contraception and vitamin D levels has been observed in various other populations, suggesting that the association is not limited to a specific cultural or racial group.
- Apart from affecting vitamin D levels, estrogen-based contraception could potentially influence the metabolism of vitamin D, possibly leading to changes in the levels of other vitamin D metabolites.
