Mystery connection between vitamin D and contraceptive methods revealed
Estrogen-Based Birth Control and Vitamin D Levels
A recent study led by Dr. Quaker E. Harmon of the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, NC, has revealed an intriguing connection between estrogen-based contraception and vitamin D levels in women.
Vitamin D, a vital nutrient primarily responsible for maintaining correct calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood, is crucial for bone health. The vital vitamin also aids in the body's absorption of calcium, a critical component of bones. Major sources of vitamin D include fish and eggs, while approximately 90 percent of the vitamin is produced naturally through a chemical reaction triggered by sunlight exposure on the skin.
Researchers carried out a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids (SELF), focusing on 1,662 African-American women between 23 and 34 years old living in and around Detroit, MI. Participants answered questions regarding their contraceptive use, time spent outdoors, and whether they used any vitamin D supplements. Blood samples were collected to determine levels of the most common circulating form of vitamin D, called 25-hydroxy vitamin D.
The study found that women using contraception containing estrogen had significantly higher vitamin D levels compared to other women. After adjusting for confounding variables, the use of contraceptive pills, patches, or rings containing estrogen was associated with a 20 percent higher level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D. Moreover, current users of birth control had higher levels of vitamin D, while past users showed average vitamin D levels.
These findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, have significant implications for women planning to become pregnant. As they cease using birth control, they may face a heightened risk of vitamin D deficiency, which can lead to complications during pregnancy. Dr. Harmon advises these women to take steps to ensure adequate vitamin D levels while trying to conceive and during pregnancy.
Although the exact mechanism behind estrogen-based contraception's impact on vitamin D levels remains unclear, further research is ongoing. Preliminary findings suggest that the levels of other vitamin D metabolites may be altered when women use estrogen-containing contraception, indicating possible changes in the metabolism of vitamin D.
Dr. Harmon's research exclusively focused on African-American women; however, she believes that the association between contraceptive use and vitamin D levels is not race-specific. In the United States, African-American women have a higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, making even small changes or decreases in vitamin D concentration significant.
As the research continues, Dr. Harmon plans to further investigate the relationship between vitamin D and contraceptive use. She is also studying how vitamin D levels vary across the menstrual cycle in a separate group of participants.
Further study shows that higher vitamin D levels may lower cancer risk, offering additional insights into the benefits of maintaining adequate vitamin D levels, especially in specific population groups.
- The study reports that estrogen-based contraception may influence vitamin D levels, a vital nutrient proven essential for maintaining correct calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood, especially for women's health and bone health.
- In the study, African-American women using contraception containing estrogen exhibited higher vitamin D levels than others, with current users having higher levels compared to past users.
- As these findings suggest a potential risk of vitamin D deficiency for women halting estrogen-based contraception before pregnancy, it is important for them to ensure adequate levels of the nutrient.
- Future research may shed light on the specific mechanism by which estrogen-based contraception affects vitamin D levels or alters vitamin D metabolites, which could have implications for women's health, nutrition, and overall health-and-wellness.
- Recognizing the increased prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among African-American women in the United States, the connection between contraceptive use and vitamin D levels may not be race-specific.
- Beyond its impact on bone health and pregnancy complications, maintaining adequate vitamin D levels has been associated with a lowered risk of cancer, emphasizing the importance of vitamin D in women's vitamins and supplements for overall health and wellness.
