What You Need to Know if You’re on the Pill

• Acne
• Irregular periods/heavy periods
• Menstrual cramps
• Endometriosis
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Aside from birth control, many women and girls go on the Pill to help control the above symptoms.  While the Pill may seem to help, is the best solution to add synthetic estrogen or is there a root cause to these issues?  Furthermore, by taking the Pill, are we creating more problems down the road?

There may be many root causes, but let us explore two common sources of the above imbalances.

For acne, a common root source is high carbohydrate consumption. Do you know anyone who is on the Pill to control acne and they seem to eat cereal for breakfast, pizza or sandwich for lunch and pasta for dinner and maybe candy in between?  Of course while eating large amounts of carbs may affect everyone differently, it does seem to be a common trigger for acne (yes, for boys, too!).  Perhaps altering dietary habits to eat protein at every meal may be the first course of action for teens suffering with acne.

The other four symptoms on the above list are due to hormonal imbalance.  One possible root cause is the often- overlooked thyroid.  Simply stated, your thyroid gland produces hormones that affect every cell in your body with one of its main duties being to create energy for you. Thyroid disorders translate to many other symptoms that range from fatigue to pain to mental disorders to sex hormone imbalance to name just a few. We discuss thyroid disorders more in depth here, where you will see thyroid disorders that may influence the above symptoms as well.

Most of us want simple solutions for our discomfort.  However, if we don’t treat the source, we could be adding even more symptoms to the mix.

In Drug Muggers by Suzy Cohen, Registered Pharmacist, she says that “…contraceptives are the most dangerous drug muggers I can think of because of their nutrient depletion effects on your body range from fatigue and weight gain to stroke and heart attack.” 

In her book, Cohen talks about how certain drugs deplete vital nutrients and vitamins.  To follow are key vitamins and minerals that are “mugged” by oral contraceptives which typically contribute to deficiencies.

• Iodine- needed to make thyroid hormone
• Magnesium- deficiency may result in depression, anxiety, high blood pressure or chronic pain
• Zinc- deficiency may result in weight gain, hypothyroidism, loss of libido
• Vitamin B (complex)- deficiency may result in depression, poor memory, muscle pain spasms, fatigue, headache, etc.
• Vitamin C- makes happy hormones, supports immune system and keeps us looking youthful

Do any of you on the Pill suffer from weight gain, depression, anxiety, chronic pain, fatigue, headaches…?  Furthermore, taking the pill can make it harder to get pregnant after going off the pill and is correlated to breast cancer (look at your inserts!)

As you can see, the pill may also actually contribute to thyroid disorders by stealing away the vitamins and nutrients needed to support the thyroid.

Therefore, if using the pill for purposes other than birth control, perhaps a thorough exam and lab work including a full panel of thyroid testing may help reveal the real culprit.

For those of you who wish to continue on the Pill, be sure to supplement the above nutrients (under your doctor’s guidance) to keep your body from being robbed of what it needs to operate efficiently.

Please visit JilltheHealthCoach.com for a FREE consultation.  We look forward to hearing from you as you let us HEALTH you!