12 Reasons Why You Should Seriously Reconsider Taking Birth Control Pills
Birth control is a very commonly prescribed hormonal drug. It can have some benefits but it can also have many negative side effects on the body in the long run. Birth control use can also trigger thyroid disease and autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s.
Here are some things to be aware of:
1.Birth control pills increase your risk for breast, ovarian and liver cancer.
2.Birth control pills can decrease bone density which can lead to osteoporosis.
3.Birth control pills increase your risk of stroke and blood clots. This risk is increased in women who smoke and women who are older than 35.
4.Birth control pills deplete key nutrients in your body such as zinc, selenium, folic acid, vitamins B12, B6 and the amino acid tyrosine. These deficiencies can lead to impaired thyroid function, anemia, birth defects, depression and many other conditions.
5.Birth control pills impair your ability to build muscle, despite exercise.
6.Birth control pills suppress testosterone and can decrease sexual desire.
7.Birth control pills often contain lactose as a filler which can be a problem for those who cannot tolerate dairy.
8.Birth control pills with high dose estrogen increase the activity of thyroid binding globulin (TBG) which binds thyroid hormone. Therefore more TBG leads to lower levels of free thyroid hormone available for use by our body.
9.Birth control pills can change your normal flora in your digestive system and therefore allow yeast and other pathogenic organisms to thrive.
10. Birth control pills stimulate “false” pregnancy, this stimulates a shift in the immune system (shift from Th1 to Th2 immunity). This can produce a state of imbalance in the immune system which can perpetuate autoimmune conditions
11. Birth control pills can create hormonal imbalances and lead to estrogen dominance.
12. Birth control pills lower production of the anti-aging hormone DHEA. Many autoimmune conditions have been associated with low DHEA.
Adapted from: Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis – Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause – Izabella Wentz, PharmD
