Vitamin C and Birth Control Pills - The Risk

In discussing vitamin c and birth control pills, we will also look at the effect of oral contraceptives on other nutrients.

Basically, using birth control pills means you require more vitamin c, magnesium, zinc, selenium, and the B complex vitamins. If you also suffer from depression, you may need more vitamin B6. Folic acid levels can also be affected. This may increase your risk of "cervical dysplasia and vascular thrombosis, stroke, and possibly megaloblastic anemia". Birth control pills interfere with your body's metabolism of vitamin c. (Source: http://www.diagnose-me.com/cond/C378603.html)

Nutritional deficiencies can place you at increased risk of getting diseases, so its important to take a good multi vitamin if you continue using the pill.

Other major side effects of the birth control pill, apart from vitamin c deficiency, include: disturbances to blood sugar metabolism, possibly leading to diabetes or hypoglycemia; increased risk of blood clots, and gall bladder disease/gall stones; liver tumors (greater risk with longer use of the pill); increased risk of a stroke; increased risk of an ectopic pregnancy; greater risk of more rapid development of pre-existing cancers; and osteoporosis. (Source: Sherril Sellman, "Hormone Heresy: What Women Must Know About Their Hormones").

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