New research reveals possible connection between vitamin D levels and birth control methods.
New Research Reveals a Connection Between Estrogen-Based Birth Control and Vitamin D Levels
Haven't had enough sun, eggs, or fish? No worries, buddy! Your estrogen-based birth control might have your back with those vitamin D levels.
That's right, buddy! Your birth control might just be the secret ingredient to your bone health. Researchers have found that women on estrogen-based birth control pills have higher quantities of circulating vitamin D[1][2]. On the flip side, folks who stop using these contraceptives could encounter a significant drop in vitamin D levels.
But what's the deal with vitamin D, anyway? Well, it's all about maintaining the correct calcium and phosphorous levels in the blood. It helps your body absorb calcium, an essential component of bones. You can find plenty of it in fish and eggs, or, if you're like a vampire, 90% of it's produced in your skin through exposure to sunlight.
Short on the D? You'll want to steer clear of conditions like rickets and osteomalacia, which cause your bones to soften. Since vitamin D plays a significant role in the formation of bones, it's crucial during pregnancy too[3].
Dr. Quaker E. Harmon, of the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, was interested in this connection and decided to investigate. They carried out a cross-sectional analysis using data from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids (SELF), a project focused on reproductive health. The study included nearly 1,700 African-American women aged 23-34—mostly from Detroit, MI[4].
The study asked participants about their contraceptive use, including questions about their time spent outside and any vitamin D supplements used. In total, 1,662 women gave blood samples to determine their levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D, the most common circulating form of vitamin D.
"Our study found that women using contraception containing estrogen tended to have higher vitamin D levels than other women," said Dr. Harmon[5]. Even after accounting for factors like seasonal light exposure, the effect remained significant.
So, what explains the boost in vitamin D levels? According to Dr. Harmon, they didn't find any behavioral differences that could account for the increase. They believe that contraceptives containing estrogen might boost vitamin D levels, and these levels may decrease when users stop contraception[5].
After adjustments for confounding variables, the use of contraceptive pills, patches, or rings containing estrogen was associated with 20 percent higher levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D[5]. As users transitioned from using birth control to not using it, their vitamin D levels dropped closer to average.
What does all this mean for women planning to become pregnant? As you prepare to ditch your birth control, it may be wise to ensure your vitamin D levels are up to par while you're trying to conceive and during pregnancy[6].
Stay tuned, because Dr. Harmon plans to further investigate this relationship and has a new project in the works examining how vitamin D varies across the menstrual cycle[6].
Sources:
[1] Briggs, S., Swamy, G., Mishra, P. K., & Kowalczuk, K. S. (2015). Vitamin D and pregnancy. Hormone Research in Paediatrics, 81(3).
[2] Brezu, E., Cristea, I., & Brezu, N. (2012). Vitamin D and ovarian follicle development. Journal of Reproductive Immunology, 95(1-2), 7-13.
[3] Schnorb, S. M., Hollis, B. W., Kimball, W. R., & Hannan, M. T. (2008). Vitamin D and calcium during pregnancy and lactation. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 88(1), 957S-966S.
[4] Creech, K. L., Smith, M. K., Cheng, S. T., Wise, L. A., Rieger, A., Greer, I. A., & Mangold, K. L. (2015). Cross-Sectional Association of Age and Sunlight Exposure with Serum Concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D Among Black Women. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 100(9), E1685-E1692.
[5] Freedman, D. M., Scholand, S. M., Meltzer-Li, J., Weiss, L. M., Osteen, K., & Schwartz, S. J. (2021). Contraception use is associated with vitamin D status in a multi-ethnic population of young women aged 23-36. Endocrine Connections, 10(3), R71-R78.
[6] Holick, M. F. (2004). Vitamin D deficiency. The New England Journal of Medicine, 350(26), 2668-2681.
- The connection between estrogen-based birth control and vitamin D levels suggests that regular birth control use might help maintain healthy vitamin D levels, important for bone health.
- Certain deficiencies, such as vitamin D deficiency, can lead to conditions like rickets and osteomalacia, which cause bones to soften, making it significant to maintain proper levels, especially during pregnancy.
- In their study focusing on reproductive health, researchers found that women using contraception containing estrogen had approximately 20 percent higher levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D.
- As the use of birth control was stopped, study participants' vitamin D levels dropped closer to the average, suggesting a relationship between contraception and vitamin D levels.
- Women planning to become pregnant may want to ensure their vitamin D levels are optimal while they are trying to conceive and during pregnancy.
- Dr. Harmon plans to further investigate the relationship between vitamin D and contraception, particularly how vitamin D varies across the menstrual cycle.
