Discovered relationship between vitamin D and contraception highlighted
Revised Article:
Hey there! Ever wondered why some folks on hormonal birth control seem to have more vitamin D? Well, it turns out there's a connection between the two!
Vitamin D, a vital nutrient, plays a significant role in maintaining the right balance of calcium and phosphorous in the body. It's also instrumental in helping the body absorb calcium, a critical component of our bones. Now, you may get plenty of vitamin D from food sources like fish and eggs, but an impressive 90% of it is produced naturally through sunlight exposure!
Deficiency in vitamin D can lead to health issues like rickets and osteomalacia, which causes the softening of bones. Given its essential role in bone development, it's especially important during pregnancy.
So, what's the connection with birth control? Dr. Quaker E. Harmon, from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, took it upon herself to dive into this question.
The Link Between Vitamin D and Contraception
Dr. Harmon and her team conducted a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids, an investigation into reproductive health. Focusing on almost 1,700 African-American women aged 23-34 in Detroit, MI, the study asked participants about their contraceptive use, sunlight exposure, and any vitamin D supplements taken.
1,662 women were kind enough to provide blood samples to measure levels of the most common circulating form of vitamin D—25-hydroxy vitamin D. During pregnancy, women produce increased levels of the active form of vitamin D to support the growth of the fetal skeleton, making them more prone to vitamin D deficiency and related health issues.
The study revealed that women using contraception containing estrogen generally had higher vitamin D levels than other participants. Even after controlling for various factors, such as sunlight exposure, this effect remained significant.
"Our study found that women using contraception containing estrogen tended to have higher vitamin D levels than other women," said Dr. Harmon. "We could not find any behavioral differences to explain the increase. 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 accounting for confounding variables, the use of contraceptive pills, patches, or rings containing estrogen was associated with a 20 percent increase in 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels. Current users of birth control generally had higher vitamin D levels, while past users had average vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D Deficiency in Early Pregnancy
These findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, suggest that women planning to stop taking birth control might experience a deficiency in vitamin D as they try to conceive or during pregnancy. Dr. Harmon advises taking precautions to ensure adequate levels of vitamin D during this period.
When asked why estrogen-based contraception might affect vitamin D levels, Dr. Harmon explained: "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 indicates that there may be changes in the metabolism of vitamin D. Further research is needed."
The study focused solely on African-American women, but Dr. Harmon believes the association may not be related to race. In the United States, African-American women are more likely to be vitamin D-deficient, so even small increases or decreases in their vitamin D concentrations may carry significant implications.
Dr. Harmon is currently following this group of women to further investigate the relationship, as well as working with another group to study how vitamin D levels vary across the menstrual cycle.
Learn about research showing that higher vitamin D levels may lower cancer risk!
- Doctor Harmon's study reveals that women using contraception containing estrogen generally have higher levels of vitamin D compared to other participants.
- The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, suggests that women planning to stop taking birth control might experience a deficiency in vitamin D as they try to conceive or during pregnancy.
- After accounting for confounding variables, the use of contraceptive pills, patches, or rings containing estrogen was associated with a 20 percent increase in 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels.
- Current users of birth control generally had higher vitamin D levels, while past users had average vitamin D levels.
- Dr. Harmon's study found a connection between hormonal contraception and vitamin D levels, but further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms.
- In the United States, fortified foods, multi-vitamins for womens health, and supplements can help ensure adequate levels of vitamin D during pregnancy and in managing vitamin D deficiencies, especially for women planning to stop taking contraception.
