Uncovered connection between vitamin D and contraception in new findings
Women on estrogen-based birth control enjoy a boost in vitamin D levels
Chatting about vitamin D, the unsung hero of calcium management! This vital nutrient maintains the correct balance of calcium and phosphorus in your blood while helping your body absorb the mineral that builds bones.
Fish and eggs are great sources of this crucial nutrient, but did you know that around 90% of your vitamin D comes from your skin, thanks to sunshine? Any guesses why? That's right, a chemical reaction inside your skin when exposed to sunlight!
Oh damn, a vitamin D deficiency can wreak havoc by causing rickets or softening of the bones. Quite concerning, especially during pregnancy when the little one's bone structure needs all the support it can get.
Dr. Quaker E. Harmon, from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, thought it'd be interesting to investigate the association between oral contraceptives and vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D & Contraception - A Shocking Connection!
This brilliant doc took data from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids (SELF), a deep dive into reproductive health among 1,700 African-American women aged 23-34 living in Detroit.
The study asked participants about their contraceptive use, how much time they spent outside, and any vitamin D supplements. Over 1,600 women provided blood samples for vitamin D level analysis.
Here's the kicker, ladies: Women taking estrogen-based contraception showed significantly higher vitamin D levels compared to other participants! Even after accounting for other factors like seasonal light exposure, the impact was still notable.
But why? Dr. Harmon explained that there might be changes in vitamin D metabolism due to estrogen-containing contraception, implying that estrogen could boost our bodies' ability to use this essential nutrient more efficiently.
Intriguing, right? It turns out that current users of birth control had higher levels of vitamin D, while past users had average levels.
The Danger of Deficiency in Early Pregnancy
The recent Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism publication revealed that women planning to conceive or already pregnant might struggle with vitamin D deficiency due to the drop in levels after stopping birth control.
Dr. Harmon urges women stopping birth control to focus on maintaining adequate vitamin D levels during their fertility journey and pregnancy. But why the fuss? Well, vitamin D is a superstar for bone health and immune function, crucial during pregnancy and early life.
While researchers have yet to figure out why estrogen-based contraception influences vitamin D levels, they speculate that it may have something to do with alterations in vitamin D metabolism. Keep an eye out for latest research upends on this mysterious association.
Now, you might wonder if race affects this relationship. Dr. Harmon believes the association isn't related to race but is primarily relevant to African-American women since they're more prone to vitamin D deficiency in the United States.
That's not all! Dr. Harmon is delving deeper into this topic by tracking the same group of women to explore the relationship further and beginning a new study to investigate how vitamin D varies across the menstrual cycle.
Wait, there's more! Want to know how higher vitamin D levels lower cancer risk? Just click here!
[1] Enrichment Data: The use of estrogen-based contraception is associated with increased levels of vitamin D due to estrogen's role in enhancing vitamin D production or retention within the body. This could be attributed to estrogen's impact on the binding proteins for vitamin D, which may lead to higher circulating levels.
[5] Enrichment Data: Adequate vitamin D levels during pregnancy are crucial for fetal development and maternal health. These levels support immune function and bone mineralization, thereby reducing the risk of pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes.
- The boost in vitamin D levels for women on estrogen-based birth control is a fascinating aspect of women's health and health-and-wellness.
- Science suggests that the use of estrogen-based contraception is associated with increased levels of vitamin D, possibly due to estrogen's role in vitamin D production or retention.
- The study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids found that women taking estrogen-based contraception had significantly higher vitamin D levels compared to other participants.
- Vitamin D deficiencies, especially during pregnancy, can have serious implications for both maternal health and the baby's bone structure development.
- Dr. Harmon stresses the importance of women stopping birth control to focus on maintaining adequate vitamin D levels during their fertility journey and pregnancy, given its significant role in immune function and bone health.
- Despite the connection between estrogen-based contraception and vitamin D levels, researchers still haven't figured out the specific mechanisms behind this association, and ongoing studies are seeking to unravel this mystery further.
