Discovered connection between vitamin D and contraception methods unearthed
New Take:
Sunshine Pills and Hormones: A recent study revels that women on estrogen-based birth control pills got more vitamin D than others. When ladies drop their hormone-filled contraceptives, their vitamin D levels plummet significantly.
Vitamin D: The Skipper of Calcium:This vitamin plays a significant role in regulating blood levels of calcium and phosphorus, and assists the body with absorbing calcium - a key building block for bones. Packed with the vitamin are foods like fish, eggs, and sunlight (yup, that's right, our good ol' sun!).
Approximately 90% of our vitamin D is generated in the skin due to a chemical reaction triggered by sunlight exposure. A deficiency in this vital nutrient can lead to diseases like rickets and osteomalacia (that's bone softening for you). Given its role in bone formation, vitamin D is indispensable during pregnancy.
Curious about the relationship between contraception and vitamin D? Dr. Quaker E. Harmon, a fellow at the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, NC, decided to dig into it.
Vitamin D on the Pill
Harmon's team analyzed data from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids — a project focusing on reproductive health. The study encompassed almost 1,700 African-American women living in and around Detroit, MI, aged 23-34. The study collected data regarding contraceptive use, sun exposure, and vitamin D supplements.
1,662 participants shared blood samples to measure their vitamin D levels, specifically the most common circulating form, 25-hydroxy vitamin D. During pregnancy, women produce more of the active form of vitamin D to support the growth of the fetal skeleton, which increases the risk of vitamin D deficiency and subsequent bone issues.
"Our study found that women who were using contraception containing estrogen tended to have higher vitamin D levels than other women," stated Harmon.
After considering confounding factors like seasonal light exposure, the effect remained significant. "We couldn't find any behavioral differences such as increased time spent outdoors to explain the increase," added Harmon. "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 controlling 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.
At the same time, current users of birth control had elevated vitamin D levels, while past users showed average vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D Deficiency in Early Pregnancy
The findings published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism raise a concern about women trying to conceive. According to Harmon, as a woman intends to stop using birth control, she faces the risk of becoming deficient in vitamin D. Her advice for such women: "For those 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."
Research by Harmon's team is ongoing, and they are looking into the relationship further. Additionally, they are working on another group of participants to investigate the variations in vitamin D throughout the menstrual cycle.
Why the Link Between Estrogen and Vitamin D?
Curious about why estrogen-based contraception might influence vitamin D levels? Harmon explains, "We do not 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. Further work is needed."
The current study only focused on African-American women. According to Harmon, "The same association has been observed in young and older women who are not African-American, so we believe this association is not related to race. In the United States, 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."
- The study by Dr. Quaker E. Harmon's team revealed that women on estrogen-based contraceptives have higher levels of vitamin D compared to others.
- Vitamin D, often referred to as the 'skipper of calcium', plays a crucial role in regulating blood levels of calcium and phosphorus, and aids the body in absorbing calcium, a key building block for bones.
- In the study, approximately 1,700 African-American women, aged 23-34, living in and around Detroit, MI, were analyzed for data regarding contraceptive use, sun exposure, and vitamin D supplements.
- After controlling for confounding variables, the use of contraceptive pills, patches, or rings containing estrogen was associated with a 20% higher level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D.
- For women planning to stop using birth control, it is advisable to ensure adequate vitamin D levels while trying to conceive and during pregnancy, according to Harmon's advice.
- Future research by Harmon's team will delve deeper into the relationship between estrogen-based contraception and vitamin D metabolism, potentially uncovering alterations in vitamin D metabolism during the use of such contraceptives.
