This week we’re chatting about oral hormonal contraceptives (aka the birth control pill) and bone loss.

 

This is a common recommendation I see for my clients who’ve lost their period after eating less, exercising more or losing weight.

 

Sometimes, they’re blood tests will show low estrogen levels, and since prolonged exposure to low estrogen can lead to a decrease in bone density, some doctors will prescribe the birth control pill to protect bone.

 

While it’s true: the research to date (that I’m aware of, at least) shows that oral hormonal contraceptives CAN protect against further bone loss, this does not always mean starting the pill ASAP is necessary - and it can actually be unhelpful.

 

Here’s who I DO recommend the pill to in order to prevent further bone loss:

 

Those who are not yet ready to start the period recovery process (eating more, exercising less, and allowing weight gain) or are doing it very slowly, making small changes.

 

Here’s who I do NOT think this is a good idea for:

 

Those who are ready and willing to *significantly* increase their calorie, carbohydrate and fat intake, and decrease intensity/frequency/duration of exercise.

 

This is because these behaviors are the things that are going to bring your estrogen levels back up and protect your bones.

 

And do not carry the same side effects that the birth control pill does for many women of increased depression/anxiety, increased appetite and cravings, water retention and weight gain.

 

These side effects can be very difficult when you’re already trying to work through deeply held body image issues, as well as letting go of restrictive behaviors around food or compulsive exercise which served as emotional coping mechanisms.

 

Listen to the full episode for more deets and let me know if you have any questions!

 

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👩🏼‍🏫 Resources for this episode:

 

Birth control and bone health:

• https://www.noperiodnowwhat.com/.../progesterone-and...

• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5501329/

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18180975/

 

This Is Your Brain on Birth Control by Sarah E. Hill, PhD: https://www.sarahehill.com/