Contraceptives

Contraceptives, especially oral pill types, come in hundreds of brand names but what is really important and relevant to YOU is how they are classified. What does this mean and do you care so long as they suit you? Well, I think you’ll find you’ll get much more attention (and gold plated service?) from your health care provider if he/she hears you asking about ‘monophasic’, ‘low dose combined’ and progestin only’ pills when you are considering which contraceptive pill will give you the least side effects.

Oral Pill Types Explained

This is an introductory explanation of the different types of oral contraceptive pills that may help you to select the one that is best for your body and if nothing else will place you in a position of strength during that consultation. 50 years on, we have discovered that the oral contraceptive pill for women still prevents pregnancy if it is made up of much lower doses of estrogen and progestin than in the early days. ‘The Pill’ used to contain 50-100 micrograms of estrogen and today it contains only 20-35 micrograms, with researchers trying to reduce this amount further to reduce side effects. Synthetic hormones (estrogen/ethinyl estradiol and progestin) used in contraceptive pills mimic the natural hormones (oestrogen and progesterone) produced by the ovaries, adrenal gland and liver.

Estrogen’s main job in the contraceptive pill is to prevent ovulation (release of an egg from a woman’s ovary). Progestin in the pill, while it does have some intermittent effect on ovulation (about 50% of the time) is relied on mainly to thicken the mucus around the cervix to stop sperm from getting through to an egg.

Contraceptive Pills come in two basic types: single hormone pills (progestin only) and combination hormone pills (estrogen + progestin) Pills are supplied in two basic packs- 28 day pill packs= 3 weeks of active hormone pills +1 week placebo pills and 21 day pill packs= 3 weeks of active hormone pills with no placebo pills.

PROGESTIN only pills (the ‘mini pill’) do not contain estrogen and only have a small amount of progestin in them. Breastfeeding women are often prescribed these ‘mini pills’ (estrogen may cause a reduction in milk supply) as well as women who cannot take synthetic estrogen for medical reasons. Side effects are less than pills containing estrogen and they are not associated with heart disease, however, irregular bleeding /spotting/mood swings may occur. Progestin only pills MUST be taken at the same time each day and are affected by vomiting or diarrhoea.This type of contraceptive pill is not affected by antibiotics.

COMBINATION PILLS- contain estrogen and progestin and can be further categorized as being Monophasic, Biphasic or Triphasic- so what do these terms mean? Pills are put into these categories according to whether or not the levels of hormones they contain stay the same throughout the first three weeks of a woman’s menstrual cycle (in 28 day pill packs, the pills for the fourth week in the pack are placebo or ‘reminder pills’ that are inactive and do not contain any hormones)

MONOPHASIC Pill- is one that contains the same amount of hormones in every ACTIVE pill so you are less likely to have mood swings as your hormone levels do not vary much throughout the month. Popular monophasic pills include:Alesse,Brevicon,Desogen, Levlen, Levlite, Loestrin, Modicon, Nelova, Nordette, Norinyl,Ortho-Cept, Ortho-Cyclen, Ortho-Novum, Ovcon, Yasmin. In 2003 the FDA approved a new packaging of a monophasic contraceptive pill called Seasonale. This pill is taken for 91 days, during which no periods occur -so in one year, women taking this pill will only have 4 periods (for the first year though, expect the same no. of menstrual days as with a traditional contraceptive pill till your body adjusts)

BIPHASIC Pill- is one that contains different amounts of hormones throughout the pack. These pills alter your hormone levels once during your cycle by increasing the dosage of progestin about halfway through your cycle and are thought to better match your body’s natural production of hormones- they contain smaller doses of hormones in total than monophasic pills. However, insufficient evidence has been gathered to favour these pills over monophasic ones, where much more reliable data is available so monphasic pills are preferred. Breakthrough bleeding has been reported as a side effect with these pills. Popular biphasic pills include : Jenest, Mircette, Necon 10/11, Nelova 10/11, Ortho-Novum 10/11. Attempts to decrease side effects led to the three-phase pill in the 1980s.

TRIPHASE Pill- is one that contains 3 different amounts of hormones in the ACTIVE pills over three weeks, i.e. a change in hormone levels within the body occurs every 7 days for the first 3 weeks.. The dose of estrogen is gradually increased and in some pills, the dose of progestin is also increased. Whether three-phase pills lead to fewer pregnancies than two-phase pills is unknown. Nor is it known if the pills give better cycle control or have fewer side effects. Look for the ‘TRI’ on the label such as:Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Triphasil, Tri-Levlen, Trivora, Tri-Norinyl, Cyclessa, Ortho-Novum 7/7/7.

The Best Pill to Take? All contraceptive pills are effective if taken correctly, with combination pills (containing estrogen and progestin) being more effective than the low dose ‘mini pill’. Monophasic pills may be the best to start with- they are cheaper and those with lower amounts of estrogen may have fewer side effects (but more breakthrough bleeding)

Always use back up (a condom or diaphragm) for the rest of the month if you miss a pill. Trial and error, side effects and talking to your doctor should help you to find a contraceptive pill that suits your body. Pregnancies occur mainly when women forget to take a pill or take them incorrectly, vomit, get diarrhoea or, in the case of the mini pill, do not take pills at the same time each day. It is very easy to start a pill packet late if you just forget or if you don’t have the next new packet on hand. The most dangerous time to miss a pill is at the end or beginning of a packet because it lengthens the pill free interval beyond seven days which means that you may not have absorbed sufficient synthetic hormones to prevent you from ovulating in the next month.

Phew! Well, that was a marathon read but at least you have some reference information and a few brand names to discuss with your doctor- not all of these brand names will be available in each country but there will be some generic brands that will be a ‘match’ for the types of contraceptive pill explained above.  Good luck!

After writing about one contraceptive pill (Desogen) for acne treatment in yesterday’s post, today I am going to focus on another brand, the Yasmin (or Yaz) contraceptive pill, which has the same synthetic estrogen hormone ingredient as other combined oral contraceptives but contains a different type of synthetic progestin hormone ingredient called DROSPERINONE that is not based on testosterone. Many acne sufferers would argue that Yasmin is the best birth control pill for acne.

Finding the best birth control pill to treat your acne really is just like finding the best birth control pill to prevent pregnancy- it’s an individual affair and one brand cannot universally claim to be ideal for everyone. The effectiveness of a birth control pill for acne treatment depends on how much MALE hormone (androgen) you produce and subsequently, how much oil (sebum) your skin produces. As I stated yesterday, this is the reason why one brand of birth control pill can be extremely effective or in some cases, just not be compatible with the level of androgen being produced in certain women so their acne seems to get worse. Ethinyl etradiol is the synthetic estrogen hormone in contraceptive pills that affects the level of androgen.

If you take a closer look at the YASMIN (Yaz) contraceptive pill, you’ll see that it is a low dose, combined, monophasic oral contraceptive pill that, when prescribed to protect against pregnancy, comes recommended for its for reduced side effects but Yasmin (Yaz) also has a following with acne sufferers. Why? Because this low dose birth control pill, unlike other combined oral contraceptive pills, contains DROSPERINONE, 3mg to be exact, that appears to have an excellent effect on skin and hair.

Another benefit of Yasmin (Yaz) contraceptive pill

During the first half of your menstrual cycle, estrogen produces water in your body and the natural progesterone helps your body to get rid of it. The synthetic progestin in all other contraceptive pills is based on testosterone and does not eliminate water, hence the tendency to put on weight and feel bloated. The synthetic progestin hormone, drospirenone, in Yasmin is less likely to have this effect.

If you decide to switch to the Yasmin (Yaz) contraceptive pill from another brand, YASMIN (Yaz)  should be started on the same day that a new pack of the other brand of oral contraceptive pill would have been started.

Precautions

Yasmin (Yaz) contraceptive pill may increase your potassium levels so READ MORE about the possible side effects and warnings when taking Yasmin then have that thorough chat with your doctor to see if it will be OK for you to change over, (especially if you are currently on other types of medications) There’s also a link on that page that will take you to a site that supplies Yasmin at the best on line price. Yasmin does not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases but you knew that didn’t you?

Yasmin (Yaz) Contraceptive Pill is claimed by many women to be the best birth control pill for acne following a decade of good results. It may be that you have never contemplated taking a contraceptive pill for acne, especially if you are not sexually active so as always, no matter how desperate or embarrassed you are about your acne symptoms, discuss your options with a health professional after reading this or any other DIY research information.

PS. Tomorrow I shall explain in simple terms the differences between pill types including monophasic, biphasic, triphasic and combined .

It is widely known that the birth control pill is often prescribed for the treatment of women’s acne but do you REALLY know what causes acne, WHY the birth control pill is prescribed for this condition and which is the best birth control pill for treating acne? This  post will answer the first two questions, tomorrow’s post will help you to answer the third.

The FDA approved the birth control pill for the treatment of acne  in 1997.  If you are considering asking your doctor for one of the popular brands of birth control pills such as Desogen  and Yasmin, there are some facts you should know, especially if you have certain health problems or inherited medical conditions. I’m going to deal with each pill, one post at a time.  This post will deal with Desogen, the next one will address Yasmin, which seems to have a bigger following for acne treatment, due to one MAJOR change of ingredient.
What exactly is Desogen and How does Desogen treat acne?

Desogen is an oral birth control pill that contains a combination of synthetic female hormones to stop an egg being released from a woman’s ovary. If an egg is not released, it cannot be fertilized by a male sperm- so the woman cannot become pregnant. Most women take Desogen to prevent them from falling pregnant but others have found it to be extremely effective for clearing up their acne or significantly reducing breakouts.
Desogen does this by controlling the level of androgen (a male hormone) connected with the production of oil in our skin (from our sebaceous glands). 

Why does acne occur and what does it look like?

On the surface of our skin are little ‘breathing holes’ or pores and ‘pockets’ (follicles) out of which each hair grows. The sebaceous gland in each follicle produces oil or sebum. When too much sebum is produced, these glands become blocked and inflamed which results in pimples, ‘zits’ and blackheads - a chronic outbreak is known medically as acne.  In acute cases, these pustules can result in cysts or abscesses that become infected and scar the skin’s surface.  If the production of sebum can be decreased then the acne is usually reduced also.

Why is the amount of oil produced by our sebaceous glands important?

Since the hormone, androgen, controls the release of sebum, it is not surprising that if there is an imbalance in hormone levels, especially during adolescence, then there is going to be an imbalance in the level of sebum produced. Even though contraceptive pills work effectively on acne treatment, they are not ideal for teenagers to take if they are not sexually active (unless they have had a thorough talk to their doctor first).

Desogen and acne is a ‘balancing act’.

Since Desogen affects the level of the androgen hormone within a woman’s body, it follows that every woman’s body will be operating on varying levels of hormone production so, to some degree,  it is trial and error with a contraceptive medication  such as Desogen for controlling the level of sebum produced and therefore controlling the severity of her acne. It is for this reason that Desogen can be extremely effective or in some cases, just not be compatible with the level of androgen being produced in certain women so their acne seems to get worse.  Ethinyl etradiol is the synthetic estrogen in contraceptive pills that affects the level of androgen.

The birth control pill, Desogen, resolves acne conditions in many women

Doctors prescribe Desogen specifically for the treatment of acne in woman they consider suitable for this combination of synthetic hormones. Woman who can take Desogen will find that this birth control pill balances their hormones effectively and is the ideal drug for helping them to manage their acne.

It should be noted though, that no single treatment for acne, including Desogen, should be relied upon to treat this severe skin condition. A dirty skin, make up and bacteria also aggravate acne so topical products, such as lotions, creams and anti bacterial skin cleansers should be considered for use in conjunction with Desogen.

Always consult your doctor if you wish to try Desogen for your acne treatment and tell him which other medications/topical products you are also using.

As with many medications, however, some women find they do experience various side effects when taking Desogen.
Some common side effects include nausea, headaches, slight bleeding, weight gain (less likely with Yasmin) and possible mood changes.
After taking Desogen for three months, many of these effects disappear but you should monitor your body closely and consider a different treatment, maybe switching to Yasmin, if they persist or if they worsen.

The clearly documented risks associated with all contraceptive pills  must be noted for Desogen also, whether taken for acne or as  your preferred birth control method. These risks include stroke, blood clotting and breast cancer (although the contraceptive pill has positive benefits in reducing ovarian and uterine cancer)

Smoking is bad for you anyway but the risks of developing heart disease increase if you are on the ‘pill’.

If you do take Desogen to prevent acne, take it as prescribed by your doctor - even if you save money by buying  it on line

Missing a dose of Desogen or Yasmin will not have such a bad effect on your acne but it will affect your risk of getting pregnant if you are sexually active.
Check the leaflet that comes with the Desogen pack if you miss a pill and of course, if you are unsure as to whether you can two pills on one day, check with your doctor or medical practitioner. To reduce the anxiety or stress further, it would be wise to use additional contraception at this time.

Desogen is ideal for reducing the painful and embarrassing condition of acne in many women but unfortunately it is unsuitable for a certain percentage of woman. It is probably worth trying though as the benefits can be excellent and it is likely that if you keep in contact with your doctor you will eventually find a combination of the ‘pill’ and a topical skin product that will help you through your acne ‘chapter’.

Come back here tomorrow to see what makes YASMIN different from all the other oral contraceptives and why many women would argue that this oral contraceptive, not Desogen, is the best birth control pill for acne.

Low Dose Birth Control Pills Minimize Side Effects

Today’s oral contraceptive pills,  called ‘new generation contraceptives’,  contain much lower doses of synthetic hormones than in the 1960’s when ‘The PILL’  (with 50 micrograms of estrogen) first went onto the market. “So how does that benefit me?”, you may be saying to yourself - here’s some information about low dose oral contraceptive pills that may help you to talk to your doctor if you’re not happy with the oral contraceptive that you are currently taking.

Trial and error with different pill types is likely to be ahead of you -bearing in mind that oral contraceptives are still not the perfect method of birth control for everyone. If you are on the ‘right pill’ to suit your body, you should feel exactly the same way as you do normally, if not a little better. Some women cannot tolerate the estrogen in combined oral contraceptive pills so are prescribed progestin only pills.  Estrogen seemed to be the main culprit where side effects were to blame so low dose  birth control pills were developed to minimise these.

Changing hormone levels within your body can result in side effects which vary for every individual. Keeping hormones at  a consistent level in your body is the job of an oral contraceptive so that you do not ovulate, your uterine lining thins and your cervical mucous thickens. These three events work together to prevent pregnancy.

Pills such as ALESSE and MIRCETTE are called ultra low dose birth control pills as they contain only 20mcg of estrogen. These oral contraceptives are effective at preventing pregnancy but some women find that they have more spotting and breakthrough bleeding with them than with pills containing 30 or 35 micrograms (considered the norm today) of estrogen. Spotting and breakthrough bleeding often disappear after a few months on a low dose birth control pill.

Women who prefer ALESSE and MIRCETTE say they reduce headaches, mood swings, breast tenderness and bloating. These two brands also may be better for ‘first timer pill users’ as a ‘low estrogen start’ to introducing synthetic hormones into their bodies.

Progestin only pills or ‘mini pills’

These oral contraceptives are 90-95% effective at preventing pregnancy compared to the 99% efficacy rate of combination pills.  However,  they do not cause the common side effects of estrogen pills such as nausea, breast tenderness and cramps. The risk of developing deep vein thrombosis and cardiovascular disease is lower with progestin only pills. Nursing mothers can use progestin only pills a few weeks after giving birth as progestin does not affect milk supply like estrogen does. ‘Mini pills’ must be taken every day at the same time with no break.  If you miss just one pill or take it more than three hours past the regular time, you need to use a backup method of birth control for 48 hours after taking the late pill.

Disadvantage of the ‘mini pill’ - apart from irregular spotting and breakthrough bleeding, is that it can increase the risk of ovarian cysts and ectopic pregnancy.

Latest Update

Low-dose birth control pills may increase risk for heart attack or stroke, especially in women who suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or metabolic disorder. However, this risk disappears when you stop taking the pill (according to a Virginia Commonwealth University study published in the July issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism).

PCOS is a condition that can affect a woman’s menstrual cycle, fertility, hormones, insulin production, heart, blood vessels and appearance.

“Despite the doubling of risk associated with the pill, the absolute risk for a cardiovascular event in an individual woman taking the pill is low - Women using the pill are not going to automatically have a heart attack,” states John Nestler, M.D., professor and chair of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism in the VCU School of Medicine. “However, our findings do raise the issue of whether oral contraceptives are optimal therapy for certain groups of women who are at baseline risk or who are taking the pill for a longer time, such as women with PCOS.”   Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com

So if you don’t have PCOS and you think a low dose birth control pill may suit you better, read more about Alesse and Mircette before asking your doctor which brand would ’suit’ your own medical history. Don’t forget to tell him/her which other medications you are also taking. The suppliers I have recommended on line are accredited and also offer the best prices.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Elizabeth Silverman,  obstetrician-gynecologist at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla. Dr. Pamela Deak, obstetrician-gynecologist at the University of California San Diego Medical Center.

It’s a good idea to start your ‘contraception career’ with a hormone check up first so that you and importantly, the person who will write your contraceptive pill prescription, knows exactly what state your body and its hormones are in. I thought I’d pass on this information from a doctor’s newsletter I subscribe to (link to Dr. Pete below) as it is relevant to anyone who is thinking of taking oral contraceptives AND also to those who aren’t.

OK. Let’s say you are NOT on the pill- if you suffer from painful, heavy or irregular periods, irritability and mood changes, (yes, I did say NOT on the pill!) poor memory, fatigue, lack of motivation, craving sugar and chocolate, fluid retention, bloating, night sweats, hot flushes,… it could be that your hormones are out of balance. If you haven’t seen a health professional about these symptoms maybe you should- especially if want to use any type of hormonal contraceptive.

Many of us know first hand the impact that a hormone imbalance can have on every breathing moment of your waking life AND how it is maddeningly and frustratingly underestimated by ‘himself’ and the kids! Taking oral contraceptives and hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) can be beneficial in adjusting hormone levels and reducing symptoms. However, some women find that they then replace one set of side effects with another so getting a hormone check before you start down that path will place you and your doctor in a position to make the most sensible and appropriate choice to trial first.

The ingredients (synthetic hormones) in contraceptive pills are often prescribed to alleviate painful periods and other symptoms rather than to prevent pregnancy. We in the western world are having fewer children on average and experiencing approximately 400 periods during our reproductive life. Even if we only have one painful day each cycle (you wish!) that equates to an average of 400 days, or more than ONE YEAR OF PAIN. According to Dr. Pete, if you accept that 90% of women experience period pain, this has the potential to create a significant health
and socioeconomic issue.

IN SUMMARY Dr.Pete states:

Hormone Imbalance causes:Period Pain, Premenstrual Syndrome, Endometriosis, Fibroids, Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and Menopause.

What Interferes with Hormone Balance?

• “oestrogen dominance”, associate with fertility problems- this is where high or relatively high (compared to progesterone) levels of oestrogen

activity cause increased tissue activity in oestrogen-sensitive tissues, such as the lining of the uterus, ovaries and breasts

• poor liver detoxification, which is often due to allergies, food intolerances or toxins, results in a build up of harmful oestrogen break down

products

• many environmental chemicals such as pesticides

Get to know your hormones and hopefully they’ll behave themselves for many years - Having a check up at the doc’s could save you a few prescription ’swaps’ in the long run and help you to successfully manage those controlling little juices.

If you would like to join Dr. Pete’s newsletter here is the LINK

The first oral contraceptives on the market contained much higher doses of hormones than those prescribed today and weight gain and fluid retention are two ‘associated ’side effects’ that seem to have lingered on. An average of five pounds gain in weight was estimated to be the result of taking oral contraceptives. Studies have concluded that overall, today’s low dose oral contraceptives do not cause weight gain. Before you jump up and down with a ‘Look at me, I’ve gained 2 kgs!’, it is a fact that those women who got nauseous on the pill actually LOST just as much weight

as others (who didn’t get nauseous) gained. However, there will still be some women who have certain factors in their bodies that respond even to today’s low dose pills and this may account for their weight gain when they take oral contraceptive pills.

One of the active ingredients in the contraceptive pill is estrogen, which in high doses is known to cause weight gain due to fluid retention. The fluid retention in turn causes increase in salt (sodium) retention. With the lower dose pills of today, this problem has been greatly reduced.

Do oral contraceptives increase your appetite?

They could do if they raise your insulin level - known as ‘insulin resistance’. Insulin levels rise in response to
carbohydrates and drive all energy into the fat cells and essentially prevent weight loss even with dieting. Not all women are susceptible to ‘insulin resistance’, therefore not all women will gain weight when they take oral contraceptives. This ‘condition’ can be diagnosed by a doctor and if you have it- it causes your blood insulin levels to be chronically higher which stops your fat cells from giving up their energy stores to let you lose weight.

Oral contraceptives can affect your metabolism- what does this mean?

Your metabolism or metabolic rate is the rate at which your body burns the fuel (food) that you put in it to ‘run’ it and give you energy - like putting petrol into a car. Not everyone has the same ‘metabolic rate’ or ‘metabolism’ - the heavier you are, the higher is your metabolic rate.

Many women complain about gaining weight when they start taking oral contraceptives. Did you ever notice that when you weren’t on the pill you also put on extra weight in the latter half of your menstrual cycle? This is quite normal and is due to the change in hormone levels.

Other medications can also cause weight gain, including pills for depression so it can be unfair to blame only the contraceptive pill. An honest conversation with a health care provider about weight gain as a side effect of taking an oral contraceptive and maybe a change of pill type may reduce the anxiety over this sensitive ‘image’ issue.

Are oral contraceptives less effective in overweight or obese women?

Studies have found that a female with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 29.9 who is on oral contraceptives has a 60% greater risk of pregnancy than a woman of normal weight (BMI 18.5 to 24.9). The percentage rises to 70% if she is has a BMI of over 30. Why is this? The reason is still not clear and there are probably many reasons but it could be that since the hormones in oral contraceptives are soluble in fat, they dissolve in the fat of an overweight person rather than entering the bloodstream.

The higher metabolism of an overweight person also reduces the ‘lasting effect’ of medications.
Your liver helps to metabolise the hormones in oral contraceptives. If you are overweight, the enzymes in your liver increase so you metabolise or ‘burn’ up the hormones in oral contraceptives much faster than normal. Today’s oral contraceptive pills contain much lower doses of hormones than they used to so if you are overweight they could quickly become ‘burned’ up hence their effect in your body could be of a shorter duration and thereby increase your risk of becoming pregnant.

What can you do if you have weight gain on the pills?

Use the lowest possible estrogen containing birth control pill - this should minimize weight gain and swelling from water retention. Two of the current 20 mcgm pills which are the lowest estrogen doses available are: Alesse and Mircette.

You’re probably wondering, ‘What on earth can a cup of cottage cheese have to do with me taking oral contraceptives? If moodiness is a side effect you suffer from- you need to read this. Personally, I am not a pill popper and much prefer to use ‘natural’ products whenever possible, including good quality, non synthetic supplements that have not been tested on animals. At the end of this post I have provided some links to an on line, direct supplier for this type of supplement, this source also has natural skin care products, shampoos, weight loss products and yes, even a ‘natural libido booster’ if life is a little ‘quiet’ for you right now!

Did your doctor tell you that oral contraceptives can increase your hunger (so you eat more and gain weight!) and also that they can deplete your body of certain essential nutrients? As though refined foods and sugary treats weren’t enough!

Have you been taking an oral contraceptive for more than 7 years? If so, it is likely that you are deficient in some nutrients and should be taking a supplement. Research has shown that the B group of vitamins are the most commonly depleted nutrients when taking oral contraceptives. Vitamin B is critical to keeping your nerves healthy (hence they are often sold as executive ’stress’ vitamins)

A high-potency, B-complex vitamin (with at least 50 -100mg of B6, 1,000 meg of B12, and 800 meg of folate) should be taken alongside contraceptive pills. An increased need for vitamins C (1-3g, yes, not mg), E,(400-600 IU’s) and K may also result from the use of birth control pills- Vit C especially can help to reduce the chance of vaginal infections.

Cells that are replaced frequently, like those in the mouth and gut can become ulcerated if folate is depleted.
Folic acid is a relative of Vit B and is important for brain health as well as cell repair and development.

You may never have heard of Tyrosine but you’ve probably heard of amino acids. Tyrosine is an amino acid which has many ‘jobs’ in your body but one is to keep your thyroid healthy. Low tyrosine can also contribute to depression. Depletion of tyrosine is one of the reasons ‘the pill’ is often associated with weight gain and moodiness. AH! Is that a penny dropping? OK , next time you pop out to collect your prescription for Alesse or other oral contraceptive pill, grab a tub of cottage cheese from the supermarket as this is the highest food source of tyrosine: 1 cup provides 1.5 g. (or you can take a supplement -1.5 g daily), particularly during the second half of your menstrual cycle.

It is likely that we are all slightly short of magnesium anyway so women who take oral contraceptives can become even more depleted. deficiency often shows itself as muscle cramps, weakness, insomnia, kidney stones, bone loss, depression, nervousness, anxiety and high blood pressure. Take 500 mg at bedtime in a liquid or powdered form for easy absorption.

Copper levels in the blood may be increased by the use of oral contraceptives which can lead to depression and
emotional problems. Limit supplement to 1mg. Whole grains, nuts, seeds, and vegetables will ensure that copper requirements are met.

If you normally take an iron supplement you may not need it if you take oral contraceptives. Iron levels may increase when you are on the pill as there is often less blood loss. Iron needs are probably reduced from the usual 18 mg. to around 12-15 mg per day. However, if your periods are heavy or you have anemia then you may need a different dose of iron. Check with your doctor first.

Zinc is another essential mineral depleted by oral contraceptives and is important for wound healing and combatting depression; supplement with 20 to 50 mg daily, which will also help to reduce copper levels.
“As if I don’t have enough side effects to worry about!”- well, at least a quick blood test will show you exactly where you stand with your body’s nutrients and you never know- that tub of cottage cheese may be just the thing to banish those monthly moods!

Source: Nutrition and Vitamin Therapy, Michael Lesser, M.D

Elson M. Haas M.D. Staying Healthy with Nutrition
Better Nutrition

Here are the links to the natural products I mentioned. Be kind to your body, be kind to earth, Vegetarian, chemical free, addictive free and All Natural- what more could you want?

Multi Vitamin Supplements
Get nature’s wholesome goodness of whole food ingredients with a combination of powerful nutrients, with Life Multi Complete a multivitamin and mineral combination.

Natural Skin Care products

Libido Booster