Discovered Connection: Vitamin D and Contraceptive Implications Examined
In the pursuit of understanding vitamin D levels and their connection to estrogen-based birth control, researchers at the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences have recently delved deeper.
Vitamin D's main responsibility is to keep the right balance of calcium and phosphorus in the blood. Not only that, but it is crucial for the body to absorb calcium, a vital component of bones. While foods like fish and eggs are rich in vitamin D, around 90 percent of it is produced in the skin due to a chemical reaction triggered by sunlight exposure. A deficiency in vitamin D can result in diseases such as rickets and osteomalacia (softening of the bones).
Given that vitamin D plays a significant role in bone formation, it is essential during pregnancy. To investigate the potential changes in vitamin D levels resulting from the use of oral contraceptives, Dr. Quaker E. Harmon and her team carried out a study using data from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids (SELF) —a project focusing on reproductive health.
The researchers studied 1,700 African-American women aged 23-34 living in and around Detroit, MI. Through questionnaires, they gathered information on contraceptive use, including outdoor time and vitamin D supplements taken. By collecting blood samples from 1,662 participants to determine levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D, the most common circulating form of vitamin D, they discovered a correlation: women using estrogen-based contraception showed 20 percent higher levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D.
"Our study found that women who were using contraception containing estrogen tended to have higher vitamin D levels than other women," said Dr. Harmon.
The researchers considered and controlled for various factors, yet the association remained significant. Current users of birth control showed higher levels of vitamin D, while past users had average levels.
When questioned about the possible reasons for this increase in vitamin D levels, Dr. Harmon explained that further research is needed to explore changes in the metabolism of vitamin D due to estrogen-containing contraception.
This finding emphasizes the need for women planning to become pregnant and cease using birth control to take steps to ensure adequate vitamin D levels during the preconception period and throughout pregnancy. Although the study focused on African-American women, the same correlation between estrogen-based contraception and vitamin D levels has emerged in younger and older women regardless of their racial background.
Dr. Harmon noted that she is continuing to monitor this group of women to examine the relationship more closely and is also involved in another study to investigate variations in vitamin D across the menstrual cycle.
Medical News Today provided some valuable insights into the association between estrogen-based contraceptives and vitamin D levels. Aside from this, research indicates that higher vitamin D levels may lower cancer risk. It is essential to note that the relation between estrogen-based contraceptives and vitamin D levels, particularly in African-American women, has room for more comprehensive examination to ensure accurate health implications and nutritional guidance.
- The study by Dr. Quaker E. Harmon and her team, focusing on reproductive health, unveiled a correlation between estrogen-based contraception and higher levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D.
- In the quest to understand vitamin D levels and their connection to estrogen-based birth control, researchers have found that around 20 percent higher levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D can be observed in women using such contraception.
- Although the study specifically focused on African-American women, the same correlation between estrogen-based contraception and vitamin D levels has emerged in women regardless of their racial background.
- With the correlation established, it is crucial for women planning to become pregnant to take steps to ensure adequate vitamin D levels during the preconception period and throughout pregnancy.
- This finding in women's health adds to the growing body of knowledge regarding the impact of endocrinology on bone health and nutrient requirements, particularly for nutrients like vitamins crucial for bone formation and calcium absorption.
- Advanced studies are currently being pursued to explore changes in the metabolism of vitamin D due to estrogen-containing contraception, as well as variations in vitamin D across the menstrual cycle.
- To bridge the gap in the understanding of the association between estrogen-based contraceptives and vitamin D levels, more comprehensive research is needed for accurate health implications and nutritional guidance.
- The health-and-wellness community emphasizes the significance of auxiliary nutrients such as women's vitamins, particularly those containing vitamin D supplements, to maintain optimal nutrient levels during the preconception period and beyond.
