Unveiled discovery of a potential connection between vitamin D and hormonal contraception
Scrapping the Sun: Estrogen-based Pills Boost Your Vitamin D, But at What Cost?
Vitamin D, the bone-boosting nutrient, plays a pivotal role in maintaining healthy levels of calcium and phosphorus in your blood. It also helps your body absorb the calcium essential for strong bones. Surprising food sources like fish and eggs are packed with vitamin D, but did you know that about 90% of it is produced in your skin thanks to good ol' sunlight?
However, Vitamin D deficiency can lead to troublesome issues like rickets (weak bones in kids) and osteomalacia (softening of bones). Since Vitamin D is crucial for forming bones, it's particularly important during pregnancy, ensuring the growth of the fetal skeleton.
Dr. Quaker E. Harmon from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park decided to delve into this area, investigating the potential changes in vitamin D levels connected to oral contraceptives.
Sunscreen and Sabotaged Vitamin D
Dr. Harmon and the researchers conducted a study analyzing data from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids (SELF), a research project focusing on reproductive health. The investigation involved almost 1700 African-American women aged 23-34 from Detroit, MI.
The study questioned participants about their contraceptive use and inquired about their time spent outdoors and any vitamin D supplements they might take. In total, more than 1600 women provided blood samples to determine their levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D, the most common circulating form of Vitamin D.
Result? Women using contraception containing estrogen had higher vitamin D levels than others. This effect persisted even after controlling for confounding factors like seasonal exposure to light.
"Contraceptives containing estrogen appear to boost vitamin D levels, and those levels drop when women cease using them," reported Dr. Harmon.
On average, the use of contraceptive pills, patches, or rings containing estrogen led to a 20% increase in Vitamin D levels. Woman past users showed average Vitamin D concentrations, while current users displayed higher levels.
The Deficiency Dilemma in Early Pregnancy
The recent findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, raise concerns about Vitamin D deficiency during the pre-pregnancy phase.
Dr. Harmon suggests women planning to stop using birth control may want to consider ensuring their Vitamin D levels are adequate before trying to conceive and throughout the pregnancy, to avoid potential deficiency issues.
Reasoning behind the estrogen-Vitamin D connection is yet to be revealed. But Dr. Harmon's research indicates that other work suggests changes in the metabolism of Vitamin D could be at play.
The study focused solely on African-American women, but Dr. Harmon suggested that the association might not be related to race, as similar findings have been observed in other ethnicities. Continued research is necessary to uncover more insights into the relationship between contraceptives, Vitamin D levels, and pregnancy outcomes.
Keen to learn more about Vitamin D, including its role in cancer prevention? Stay tuned!
- The study on the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids (SELF) focused on reproductive health revealed that women using contraception containing estrogen have higher vitamins D levels.
- The increase in Vitamin D levels is associated with the use of contraceptive pills, patches, or rings containing estrogen, leading to an average increase of 20%.
- Women who have stopped using contraceptives have average Vitamin D concentrations, while current users display higher levels.
- The higher Vitamin D levels in women using estrogen-based contraceptives could pose concerns about Vitamin D deficiency during the pre-pregnancy phase and pregnancy, highlighting the need for adequate Vitamin D levels before trying to conceive.
- While the reason behind the estrogen-Vitamin D connection remains unclear, the research suggests changes in the metabolism of Vitamin D could be a possible explanation.
- The study's results, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, imply that the association might not be race-specific and call for continued research on the relationship between contraceptives, Vitamin D levels, and pregnancy outcomes.
