Oral contraception or the pill is one of the most commonly prescribed medicines for women.
There are many reasons why women might go on the pill whether it's to prevent pregnancy, reduce acne or assist with certain types of menstrual symptoms.
While it definitely does help prevent pregnancies and may assist with some symptoms, it can also leave women feeling a number of side effects ranging from mild to severe.
These side effects may include:
- Nausea
- Gut Issues
- Sore Breasts
- Bloating
- Skin Changes
- Mood Swings
- Headaches
- Low Energy & Fatigue
- Increased Risk of IBD
- Blood Clots
While there are a large range of side effects women may experience, the one which is often not discussed is Nutrient Depletion.
In fact, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that the impact of oral contraceptives on nutrient requirements is of high clinical relevance and should receive great attention.
Whether you are on the Pill, coming off it or are post Pill, your nutrient requirements will drastically change and your body will need to replenish nutrient stores.
So What Nutrients Does the Pill Deplete
Oral contraceptives have been shown to deplete (1)(2):
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
- Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
- Vitamin B9 (Riboflavin)
- Vitamin B12
- CoQ10
- Magnesium
- Selenium
- Zinc
Nutrient deficiencies in any of these vitamins and minerals can cause a number of symptoms which women may just attribute as natural side effects of the pill rather than simple nutrient deficiencies which they can easily overcome.
Correcting these nutrient deficiencies is important as some deficiencies can be cause for concern. For example, one study concluded that blood clots caused by the pill may be partially due to changes in the calcium to magnesium ratio caused by the Pill (3).
There is A Simple Whole-food Solution
Fortunately, many of these vitamins are easily found in nutrient dense wholefoods and can be supported with a well rounded diet or supplementation.
|
Vitamin |
Concentrated Food Sources |
|
Vitamin B2 |
Beef Liver, Salmon, Avocado, Eggs |
|
Vitamin B6 |
Beef Liver, Salmon, Sweet Potato |
|
Vitamin B9 |
Beef Liver, Dark Leafy Greens, Fruit |
|
Vitamin B12 |
Beef Liver, Oysters, Muscle Meats |
|
CoQ10 |
Beef Liver, Beef Heart, Sardine, Broccoli |
|
Magnesium |
Dark Chocolate, Avocado, Tuna, Pumpkin Seeds |
|
Selenium |
Beef Liver, Brazil Nuts, Sardines, Oysters |
|
Zinc |
Beef Liver, Oyster, Crab, Nuts, Pumpkin Seed, Lentils |
If you are looking to cover the majority of your nutritional needs in one food then beef liver is an excellent wholefood choice.
It is considered ‘nature's multivitamin’ for good reason and contains close to all of the required nutrients the pill depletes in good amounts.
If the thought of eating or cooking liver is not for you then perhaps try a beef liver supplement which is freeze dried into a more neutral powder which can easily be added to sauces, smoothies and your other favourite dishes.
We offer an Organic, Grassfed, Grass Finished Beef Liver Powder which is sourced from Central Queensland Australia.
You Can Check it Out here if you're interested
References
- Palmery, M., Saraceno, A., Vaiarelli, A., & Carlomagno, G. (2013). Oral contraceptives and changes in nutritional requirements. European review for medical and pharmacological sciences, 17(13), 1804–1813.
- Palan, P. R., Strube, F., Letko, J., Sadikovic, A., & Mikhail, M. S. (2010). Effects of oral, vaginal, and transdermal hormonal contraception on serum levels of coenzyme q(10), vitamin e, and total antioxidant activity. Obstetrics and gynecology international, 2010, 925635. https://doi.org/10.1155/2010/925635
- Palmery, M., Saraceno, A., Vaiarelli, A., & Carlomagno, G. (2013). Oral contraceptives and changes in nutritional requirements. European review for medical and pharmacological sciences, 17(13), 1804–1813.