Discovered connection between vitamin D levels and birth control methods explored
Hear This: By taking estrogen-based birth control pills, women might observe increased levels of circulating vitamin D in their system. Conversely, halting the use of these contraceptives may cause a noticeable drop in vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D is a vital nutrient that plays a significant role in maintaining proper calcium and phosphorous levels in the blood. It's also responsible for absorbing calcium, an essential component in bone formation. Fun fact: Approximately 90% of our vitamin D isn't obtained from food but produced in the skin through sunlight exposure.
Deficiency in vitamin D can lead to health issues such as rickets and osteomalacia, where bones soften. Given its crucial role in bone development, it's particularly important during pregnancy. Dr. Quaker E. Harmon, from the National Institutes of Health, decided to investigate the connection between vitamin D levels and oral contraceptive use.
Contraception and Vitamin D
To delve into this mystery, researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis on data from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids (SELF)—an examination of reproductive health. A whopping 1,662 African-American women in and around Detroit, MI, aged between 23-34, participated in the study, providing blood samples to measure 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels.
The participants were questioned about their contraceptive use, including time spent outdoors and any consumed vitamin D supplements. Dr. Harmon's study found that contraceptives containing estrogen were associated with significantly higher vitamin D levels compared to other women.
Even after considering confounding factors like seasonal light exposure, the link remained significant. Dr. Harmon explained that they could not find any behavioral differences to account for the increase in vitamin D levels. The results suggest that estrogen-based contraceptives might boost vitamin D levels, and these levels may drop when women discontinue their use.
With 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. Current users of birth control exhibited higher vitamin D levels, while past users maintained average vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D Deficiency in Early Pregnancy
This research, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, raises concerns. It indicates that women planning to conceive or those in the early stages of pregnancy may become deficient in vitamin D upon quitting birth control. Dr. Harmon advises that women planning to stop using birth control should pay attention to their vitamin D levels during the pre-conception and pregnancy periods.
Throughout the interview, Dr. Harmon speculated that estrogen-based contraception might affect vitamin D levels because studies suggest that levels of other vitamin D metabolites change when women use estrogen-containing contraception. Further research is needed to uncover the exact relationship between estrogen and vitamin D.
Notably, the current study focused solely on African-American women. Although the same association has been observed in women of different racial backgrounds, Dr. Harmon emphasized that African-American women are more likely to be vitamin D-deficient. Small increases or decreases in their vitamin D concentrations may have a greater impact regarding health risks.
Dr. Harmon is continuing to study this group of women to further explore the relationship between contraception and vitamin D levels. Additionally, she is working on another group of participants to investigate how vitamin D varies across the menstrual cycle.
Medical News Today reached out to Dr. Harmon to learn more about the relationship between estrogen and vitamin D. She further explained that to fully understand this intricate interaction, additional research is required. It's essential to explore various factors, like sun exposure, individual metabolic differences, and the role of estrogen receptors in controlling vitamin D receptor expression. Stay tuned for more updates!
- Researchers found that contraceptives containing estrogen were associated with significantly higher levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D compared to other women, even after considering confounding factors like seasonal light exposure.
- Dr. Harmon's study suggests that estrogen-based contraceptives might boost vitamin D levels, and these levels may drop when women discontinue their use, which could be concerning for women planning to conceive or those in early pregnancy.
- The current study focused solely on African-American women, who are more likely to be vitamin D-deficient, and small increases or decreases in their vitamin D concentrations may have a greater impact on health risks.
- Dr. Harmon is continuing to study this group of women to further explore the relationship between contraception and vitamin D levels, and she is also working on another group of participants to investigate how vitamin D varies across the menstrual cycle.
- Further research is needed to uncover the exact relationship between estrogen and vitamin D, including exploring factors like sun exposure, individual metabolic differences, and the role of estrogen receptors in controlling vitamin D receptor expression.
- This study adds to the growing body of evidence surrounding women's health, health-and-wellness, and nutrition, as well as the connection between vitamin D deficiencies and potential health issues like rickets and osteomalacia.
