Unveiled relationship between vitamin D and contraception: potential implications
Shedding Light on the Connection Between Contraceptives and Vitamin D:
Vitamin D, the crucial nutrient that regulates calcium and phosphorous levels in the body, is often found in food sources like fish and eggs, as well as produced by our skin after sun exposure. However, a recent study suggests that women taking estrogen-based birth control pills might have higher levels of circulating vitamin D.
Intrigued by this possible connection, scientists from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, led by Dr. Quaker E. Harmon, decided to investigate further.
The Study:
The researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids (SELF), an investigation focused on reproductive health. They examined nearly 1,700 African-American women aged 23-34 living in and around Detroit, MI, focusing on their contraceptive use, sun exposure, and supplements consumed.
For the study, 1,662 women provided blood samples to measure the most common circulating form of vitamin D, called 25-hydroxy vitamin D. Their findings revealed that women using contraception containing estrogen tended to have higher vitamin D levels than other women.
After adjusting for confounding variables, the use of contraceptive pills, patches, or rings containing estrogen was associated with approximately 20 percent higher levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D. Current users of birth control had higher levels of vitamin D, with past users maintaining average levels.
Implications and Advice:
These findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, highlight a potential risk for women who are trying to conceive or are pregnant. As they stop using birth control, their vitamin D levels may drop, making it essential for them to ensure adequate vitamin D levels while trying to conceive and during pregnancy.
Dr. Harmon explained that estrogen-based contraception may affect vitamin D levels due to changes in the metabolism of vitamin D, although the exact mechanism is yet to be fully understood. She emphasized that the association observed in the study does not seem to be related to race, but African-American women are more likely to be vitamin D-deficient, so small increases or decreases in their vitamin D concentrations may be more significant.
While this study only focused on African-American women, Dr. Harmon is continuing to follow the group to further investigate the relationship and is also working on another group of participants to investigate how vitamin D varies across the menstrual cycle. Stay tuned for more insightful findings!
[1] Enrichment data: Oral estrogen-based contraceptives increase the liver's production of vitamin D-binding protein, leading to higher measured total vitamin D levels in blood tests. However, this does not necessarily reflect an increase in active vitamin D. When contraception is stopped, total measured vitamin D may decrease, but this does not necessarily indicate a true deficiency unless other risk factors are present. (Source: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism)
- Women using contraception containing estrogen may have higher levels of vitamin D, as revealed by a study conducted by scientists from the National Institutes of Health.
- The use of contraceptive pills, patches, or rings containing estrogen was associated with approximately 20 percent higher levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D in the study.
- When women stop using birth control, their vitamin D levels might drop significantly, which could be a potential risk for women trying to conceive or pregnant.
- Estrogen-based contraception may affect vitamin D levels due to changes in the metabolism of vitamin D, although the exact mechanism remains unclear.
- This study focused on African-American women, but Dr. Harmon is continuing to investigate the relationship to gain further insights.
- It's essential for women, particularly those who are trying to conceive or pregnant, to ensure they have adequate women's multivitamins with nutrients like vitamin D for maintaining their health and wellness, and women's health in general.
