New findings suggest a potential connection between vitamin D levels and birth control methods.
Down with Dietary D算了！ 日光奶cg多么高！
Vitamin D, the almighty bone-builder, keeps our calcium and phosphorus levels in check. It's also the superhero that helps the body soak up calcium, crucial for our bone health. Usually, we get our doses of vitamin D from foods like fish and eggs, but did you know around 90% of it comes from the sun?
What if CG ain't your thing? Low vitamin D levels can result in bone issues such as rickets and osteomalacia (soft bones). Since vitamin D plays a major role in bone creation, it's especially important during pregnancy.
Researcher Dr. Quaker E. Harmon, from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, noticed a trend. He set out to explore if there were any connections between vitamin D levels and oral contraceptives.
CG, Bones, and Me
In the study, data from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids (SELF) was analyzed. The project involved nearly 1,700 African-American women living around Detroit, MI, aged 23-34. The women were asked about their contraceptive use, sun exposure, and any vitamin D supplements they took.
Blood samples from 1,662 women were analyzed to determine levels of the most common circulating form of vitamin D, 25-hydroxy vitamin D. The researchers discovered that women using estrogen-based contraception had higher vitamin D levels compared to others.
"Our study found that women using contraception containing estrogen tended to have higher vitamin D levels than other women," said Dr. Harmon.
Even after adjusting for factors such as sunlight exposure, the association remained significant. "We could not find any behavioral differences to explain the increase," added Dr. Harmon. This suggests that estrogen-based contraceptives might boost vitamin D levels.
After accounting for confounding variables, estrogen-containing contraceptive pill, patch, or ring use was associated with 20 percent higher levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D. Current users had higher vitamin D levels, while past users showed average levels.
CG's departure leaves a deficiency during pregnancy
Findings from this study indicate that as women plan to become pregnant, they might risk having low vitamin D levels. Dr. Harmon suggests taking steps to ensure adequate vitamin D levels during pregnancy and when trying to conceive.
However, he couldn't explain why estrogen-based contraception affects vitamin D levels. "Other work suggests that the levels of other vitamin D metabolites are changed when women use estrogen-containing contraception, indicating there may be alterations in the metabolism of vitamin D. Further work is needed," said Dr. Harmon.
This study focused solely on African-American women. Regarding racial differences in this association, Dr. Harmon stated that the same association has been observed in women of different races, so she believes the association is not related to race.
In the United States, African-American women are more likely to be vitamin D-deficient. Thus, small changes or decreases in their vitamin D concentrations may have significant effects. Dr. Harmon is continuing to follow the women in the study to further investigate the relationship and working on another group to study vitamin D variations across the menstrual cycle.
So, don't forget that D, even when you're CG-free! Keep that sun-kissed glow going, and keep those bones strong!
- The almighty bone-builder, vitamin D, is crucial for our bone health, helping our bodies soak up calcium.
- Usually, we gain our doses of vitamin D from foods like fish and eggs, but Sunlight is the primary source, providing around 90%.
- Low vitamin D levels can result in bone issues such as rickets and osteomalacia (soft bones), especially during pregnancy.
- Researcher Dr. Quaker E. Harmon, from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, investigated a potential connection between vitamin D levels and oral contraceptives.
- In a study on African-American women, women using estrogen-based contraception showed higher vitamin D levels compared to others.
- Current users of estrogen-containing contraceptive pill, patch, or ring were found to have 20 percent higher levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D.
- African-American women are more likely to be vitamin D-deficient, so even small variations in their vitamin D levels can have significant effects.
- findings from this study indicate that as women plan to become pregnant, they might risk having low vitamin D levels, and taking steps to ensure adequate vitamin D levels during pregnancy and when trying to conceive is suggested.
