Unveiled connection between vitamin D levels and birth control methods revealed
温和地: Research has discovered that women on estrogen-based birth control pills have higher amounts of vitamin D in their bloodstream. Conversely, women who stop taking these contraceptives might experience a significant drop in vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D plays a critical role in maintaining the perfect balance of calcium and phosphorus in the blood, and it aids the body in absorbing calcium, a crucial component of bones. Food sources rich in vitamin D include fish, eggs, and, interestingly, around 90% of our vitamin D comes from sunlight exposure, triggering a chemical reaction in the skin.
Deficiency in vitamin D can lead to rickets and osteomalacia (softening of the bones), particularly during pregnancy when the active form of vitamin D significantly increases to support the growth of the fetal skeleton. This increased risk of vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy makes the vitamin even more significant.
Dr. Quaker E. Harmon of the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, NC decided to investigate any changes in vitamin D levels related to taking oral contraceptives.
Vitamin D and Contraception:
The researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids (SELF), a study exploring reproductive health. The project involved almost 1,700 African-American women living in and around Detroit, MI, aged 23-34. The study asked women about their contraceptive use and included questions about time spent outside and any vitamin D supplements they took.
In total, 1,662 women provided blood samples to determine levels of the most common circulating form of vitamin D, called 25-hydroxy vitamin D.
Dr. Harmon explained that their study found women who were using contraception containing estrogen had higher vitamin D levels than other women. This significant increase remained even after controlling for confounding factors such as seasonal exposure to light.
"After adjusting for confounding variables, the use of contraceptive pills, patches, or rings containing estrogen was associated with around 20 percent higher levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D," Dr. Harmon added.
Current users of birth control had higher levels of vitamin D, while past users had average vitamin D levels. These findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, may indicate that women starting to try to become pregnant run the risk of becoming deficient in vitamin D.
Dr. Harmon provided further advice, saying, "For women 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."
Medical News Today asked Dr. Harmon about the reasons behind estrogen-based contraception affecting vitamin D levels, and she explained, "We do not yet fully understand why vitamin D levels are higher when women use estrogen-containing contraception. Some studies suggest that the levels of other vitamin D metabolites are changed, indicating alterations in the metabolism of vitamin D."
Dr. Harmon also mentioned that she is continuing to follow this group of women to further investigate the relationship and is working on another group of participants to investigate how vitamin D varies across the menstrual cycle.
** discrete warming**: Estrogen-based contraception (assorted with both estrogen and a progestin) is typically used for birth control and hormone regulation, and its relationship with vitamin D levels is still an emerging field with unclear conclusions. Although most guidelines, such as those focusing on menopause and bone health, encourage adequate intake of vitamin D and calcium, particularly in women with reduced estrogen due to menopause or after discontinuation of hormonal therapy[5][3], there is less direct evidence linking estrogen-based contraception use to specific changes in vitamin D levels.
Potential Effects of Estrogen-Based Contraception on Vitamin D- Hormonal Contraception and Vitamin D Metabolism: Certain studies suggest that oral contraceptives might influence vitamin D binding proteins and calcium metabolism, potentially altering the interpretation of vitamin D status. Estrogen can increase the production of vitamin D binding protein, leading to higher total but not necessarily bioactive vitamin D levels.- Clinical Relevance: In practical terms, most guidelines do not suggest that women using estrogen-based contraception require different vitamin D supplementation compared to non-users, unless other risk factors (such as limited sunlight exposure or low dietary intake) are present[5][3].- Importance of Vitamin D: Adequate levels of vitamin D are generally encouraged for all women, especially for bone health, immune function, and overall well-being[1][5].
Association with Race- Race and Vitamin D Status: Race, particularly skin pigmentation, can affect vitamin D synthesis. People with darker skin synthesize less vitamin D from sunlight than those with lighter skin. Therefore, Black women and others with darker skin may be at higher risk for vitamin D deficiency.- Interaction with Contraception: There is little evidence that the effect of estrogen-based contraception on vitamin D levels differs by race. However, because individuals with darker skin are more likely to be vitamin D deficient to begin with, they may be at higher risk for complications if serum vitamin D is further affected by medication or other factors[5].- Clinical Practice: Clinicians should be aware of baseline vitamin D status and may consider more regular monitoring or supplementation in individuals with darker skin using hormonal contraception, as a precautionary measure, but this is not currently a standard recommendation solely based on contraception use.
Summary Table
| Factor | Effect on Vitamin D Levels | Notes ||-------------------------------|----------------------------|--------------------------------------------|| Estrogen-based contraception | Possible increase in total vitamin D binding protein, no clear change in bioactive vitamin D | May alter lab test interpretation || Race (darker skin) | Lower baseline vitamin D synthesis from sunlight | Higher predisposition to deficiency || Interaction: contraception & race | No strong evidence of differential effect | Higher monitoring/supplementation may be prudent in darker-skinned individuals
- Women on estrogen-based contraceptive pills have higher amounts of vitamin D in their bloodstream, which is a crucial nutrient for maintaining bone health and absorbing calcium.
- Deficiency in vitamin D during pregnancy, due to a significant increase in the active form of vitamin D, can lead to risks like softening of the bones (osteomalacia).
- In a study involving African-American women, it was found that women who were using contraception containing estrogen had higher vitamin D levels, indicating a possible association.
- After adjusting for confounding variables, the use of contraceptive pills, patches, or rings containing estrogen was associated with around 20 percent higher levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D.
- Medical experts advise women planning to stop using birth control to ensure adequate vitamin D levels while trying to conceive and during pregnancy, considering that a sudden drop in vitamin D levels might occur after discontinuation of estrogen-based contraception.
- Despite the findings, most guidelines do not suggest that women using estrogen-based contraception require different vitamin D supplementation compared to non-users, unless other risk factors like limited sunlight exposure or low dietary intake are present.
