Nutrition and "The Pill" - How Birth Control Affects Nutritional Status and Health

Birth Control Pills have become increasingly popular since they were first introduced to market in the 1960s. Birth control pills are now prescribed not only for contraceptive purposes, but also for alleviation of acne, menstrual cramps, and Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, and for prevention of anemia by causing iron to be retained in the body. While "the pill" has obvious benefits, however, it also has its downsides.

Like any drug, the pill introduces synthetic substances into the body in order to alter a specific metabolic system.  In this case, the system being altered is the reproductive cycle in women, specifically ovulation. The downside of introducing these substances to the body is that they are foreign, and so the body must process them out and detoxify them just as it would any other toxin.  The contraceptive pill, therefore, exerts its effects on the body, and then has to be removed from the body. During the detoxification process nutrition is stripped from the body as metabolic systems fight to return to normal.

The decision to take the pill is ultimately a personal choice that has to be discussed on an individual basis with the family members involved and the prescribing doctor, and although the best consideration for long-term health is to avoid the pill completely, this is simply not an option for some people. Therefore, for those who do take the pill, it is important to understand the effects the pill has on nutritional status and address them in order to prevent devastating side effects.

Side effects of birth control pills:

1. Stroke
2. Hypertension
3. Breast cancer
4. Skin cancer
5. Depression
6. Cervical dysplasia
7. Vaginitis
8. Weight gain
9. Sore or swollen breast
10. Chest pain
11. Eye problems
12. Cholestasis (obstruction of bile ducts)
13. Other side effects

The latter are a result of the metabolic effects of the pill, synthetic estrogen, and the subsequent depletion of nutritional components.  

Nutritional components depleted or excreted as a result of taking the pill:

1. Co-enzyme Q10 - An important molecule present in virtually every cell in the body (1,2). Deficiencies can lead to heart problems, muscle pain, fatigue, and compromised immune function. Birth control pills can significantly deplete CoQ10 levels (3). 
2. Magnesium - An important mineral necessary for hundreds of metabolic reactions in the body including those which produce energy, relaxation of smooth muscle, general heart health, and many other functions.  
3. Zinc - Necessary for hundreds of metabolic reactions in the body, immune function, brain function, sexual and reproductive function, and more.  
4. Folic acid, B1, B2, B6 -  B vitamins play critical roles in metabolism and allow the body to create energy and function properly.  
5. Vitamin C and Vitamin E - These vitamins act as antioxidants in the body. They prevent damage from free radicals by inhibiting lipid peroxidation (fat turning rancid within tissues).

Preventing toxic effects of estrogen:
People with healthy, nutrient-rich diets tend to live longer and function better in general.  A healthy diet provides the nutrition needed by the body to create energy efficiently and to adapt appropriately to the environment. In regard to drugs and their associated side effects, this seems to be the case as well.  Those who eat more healthily tend to have fewer side effects as their bodies have not been previously depleted in essential nutrients through poor diets. Supplementing the nutrients depleted by various drugs can be very helpful. In addition, there are many food components that act beyond basic nutrition to help remove toxic substances from the body.

Vitamin U - Vitamin U represents a powerful group of nutritional compounds called indoles. These nutrients are found in many cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and kale.  Indoles have been found to help the body convert toxic estrogen and estrogen metabolites to less toxic forms within the body. Specifically, two indole compounds, Di-indole methane (DIM)  and indole-3-carbinol (I3C) can be of great benefit to not only those taking the pill, but to anyone interested in promoting a healthy hormone balance. Due to these beneficial actions of  DIM and I3C on hormones, they have been studied for the prevention of cancer and many other hormone related ailments.

Herbs - Herbs such as chamomile, passionflower, and turmeric  reduce the toxic effects of estrogen and may help restore normal levels. A health care professional should be consulted before using passionflower.
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Resveratrol - Resveratrol is a potent antioxidant found in grapes, red wine, peanuts, dark chocolate (cocoa), blueberries, Japanese knotweed, and many other foods.  One means by which resveratrol may help prevent the toxic effects of synthetic estrogen is by functioning as a Phytoestrogen; specifically, it appears to beneficially interfere with the activity of Estradiol (an estrogen).  It binds to Receptors that would otherwise bind to Estradiol, and thereby prevents Estradiol from relaying cancer cell promotion "messages".

Organic, ethically raised animal products. -  Most commercial animal products contain excessive amounts of hormones, toxic fats, and antibiotics due to poor living conditions, drugs, and the diet of the animals. This changes the types of fats in the meat and creates an inflammatory food that wreaks havoc and creates further hormonal imbalance in the body.  

Beer, Wheat, and Soy - Beer and soy can exert estrogen-like effects and may cause issues for some people. Additionally, beer, soy, and wheat contain phytic acids that can leach zinc from the body.  This can be particularly problematic when consumed in excess and in combination with the pill as it could lead to zinc deficiency.  Zinc deficiency sometimes presents as greasy, red, flaky, skin around the nostrils.  Other skin issues and ailments can arise as well.  

Excessive Omega 6 fats - Omega 6 fats are essential in our diet and are important for health. However, most people consume far too many processed or rancid omega 6 fats in the form of processed foods, fried foods, or refined plant oils such as canola, soy, corn, rapeseed, or safflower.  Because omega 6 fats compete for absorption with omega 3's, it is important to pay close attention to dietary intake.  Omega 3s tend to balance hormones and reduce inflammation while omega 6s tend to be pro-inflammatory.   Many disease conditions arise from chronic inflammation. 

Co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10) - According to Suzy Cohen, Pharmacist and author of the book Drug Muggers, CoQ10 is a very important molecule to supplement when on drugs such as birth control or statins.  CoQ10 is extremely important for heart and brain function and is used in the mitochondria of virtually every cell in the body. Significant depletion of CoQ10 can lead to a myriad of side effects.  

For more information on drugs, various side effects, and nutritional deficiencies associated with them check out the book Drug Muggers by Pharmacist Suzy Cohen. A very important read for anyone taking prescription medications! Click picture to learn more.

Sources:

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3. Palan, P. R., et al. Effects of menstrual cycle and oral contraceptive use on serum levels of lipid-soluble antioxidants. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 194(5):35-38, 2006.
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5.  Webb, J. L. Nutritional effects of oral contraceptive use: a review. J Reprod Med. 25(4):150-156, 1980.
6.  Whitehead, N., et al. Megaloblastic changes in the cervical epithelium: Association with oral contraceptive therapy and reversal with folic acid. Journal of the American Medical Association. 226(12):1421-1424, 1973.
7.  Webb, J. L. Nutritional effects of oral contraceptive use: a review. J Reprod Med. 25(4):150-156, 1980.
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11.  Bradlow, H. L., et al. Long-term responses of women to indole-3-carbinol or a high fiber diet. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 3(7):591-595, 1994.
12.  Michnovicz, J. J., et al. Altered estrogen metabolism and excretion in humans following consumption of indole-3-carbinol. Nutrition & Cancer. 16(1):59-66, 1991.
13.  Yuan, F., et al. Anti-estrogenic activities of indole-3-carbinol in cervical cells: implications for prevention of cervical cancer. Anticancer Research. 19(3A):1673-1680, 1999.
14.  Alkhalaf, M., et al. Resveratrol-induced apoptosis is associated with activation of p53 and inhibition of protein translation in T47D human breast cancer cells. Pharmacology. 2007.
15.  Kopp, P. Resveratrol, a phytoestrogen found in red wine. A possible explanation for the conundrum of the 'French paradox'? European Journal of Endocrinology. 138(6):619-620, 1998.
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17.  Mgbonyebi, O. P. Antiproliferative effect of synthetic resveratrol on human breast epithelial cells. International Journal of Oncology. 12(4):865-869, 1998.
18. http://www.webmd.com/sex/birth-control/birth-control-pills?page=3
19. Drug Muggers by Suzy Cohen