How does birth control affect your body

His research team put a group of men and women through 10 weeks of resistance training — slow, punishing exercises such as crunches and lifting heavy weights.

Then participants were weighed to see if they had more muscle than they started with. The team also gathered information on various lifestyle factors so that they could make sure any gains were caused by genetics and not, for example, the medications they were on. Eight women open up about the side effects they experienced from the pill.

Watch the video below. The average man has 72lbs 33kg of brawn , compared with a measly 46lbs 21kg in women. This includes an important but little-known steroid called DHEA. The hormone used to be extremely popular with athletes, partly because of its extraordinary muscle-building power, and partly because doping with it was legal until fairly recently.

But women produce anabolic hormones too — and the team found that those on the pill had much lower levels of DHEA in their blood. One possibility is that by competing for the same binding sites, the hormone may be blocking signals to grow more muscle.

Just as it has an impact on the proportion of muscle in our bodies, it could be exerting subtle influences on fat — particularly where it is stored in the body. The hormones are also often given to transsexuals for the same reason. For example, subcutaneous fat — the kind of chub that women carry around their thighs, hips and breasts — contains lots of oestrogen receptors.

Some research has borne this out: one early study found that women on pills with higher levels of oestrogen tended to have pear-shaped bodies and more subcutaneous fat , though not necessarily more fat overall. That icky, swollen feeling happens because oestrogen also affects the way the body metabolises water, by influencing the production of certain proteins in the kidneys. The end result is that the body retains more fluid than it usually would. This can contribute to delays in diagnosis and treatment.

Hormonal contraception can affect your skin. COCs can treat acne 10, 13 , due to the acne-reducing effects of estrogen. Conversely, the development of acne, melasma, or negative changes to the appearance of skin are also common side effects of hormonal contraception 14, These negative effects seem to be most strongly related to POCs, so switching to COCs or other forms of combined hormonal contraceptives may help address these concerns.

Nausea, headaches, and breast tenderness are also commonly reported side effects 14, 16 , though there is evidence to suggest these side effects are strongest in new users and diminish over time 14, Hormonal contraceptives may also reduce breast tenderness with long term use Weight gain and changes to libido sex drive are concerns for many people taking hormonal contraceptives 14, Other than the contraceptive shot, which has been found to increase weight in users 14 , most research suggests the average hormonal contraceptive user experiences little or no change Some people might notice their libido is higher or lower overall, though many people report no change If you experience uncomfortable side effects from your hormonal contraceptive, talk to your health care provider.

They may recommend switching to a contraception with a different combination of ingredients. Hormones impact brain function. Special proteins on cells respond to specific chemicals for progesterone and estrogen. These receptors are found in many regions of the brain. Progesterone and progestin indirectly reduce the amount of serotonin, an important mood-regulating neurotransmitter, in the brain The relationship between hormonal contraceptives and depression 21, 22 has been a major area of research.

In one recent study of over one million Danish women aged 15 to 34, researchers found women using hormonal contraceptives were more likely to be prescribed an antidepressant or be diagnosed with depression than women not using hormonal contraception Women using the contraceptive patch were twice as likely to be prescribed an antidepressant as compared to women not using hormonal contraception, while women taking POCs were 1. The risk for women taking COCs was lower than that of POCs, but still significantly higher than non-users of hormonal contraception Despite this strong evidence, the relationship between depression and hormonal contraception is not clear cut, and is likely different for different people.

And even in the case of an increased risk, the overall risk may still be very small. People using OCPs have no change in risk and may have a decreased risk of fibroids , colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, and endometrial cancer In contrast, OCP use has been linked to the development of breast cancer 10, People who have used OCPs for many years may be at an increased risk for breast cancer, whereas short-term use seems to have no effect on breast cancer risk 10, Research on this topic is mixed.

Different formulations of OCs may have different effects on breast cancer risk and certain groups of people, such as those with a family history of breast cancer, may be at an increased risk in comparison with those without such a history 10, 23, Using hormonal contraceptives comes with the potential of serious cardiovascular side effects 3, 14, 25—30 , though such complications are rare.

Hormonal contraceptive use is also associated with changes to metabolic function. COC use is linked to changes in the levels of amino acids, fatty acids lipids , vitamin D, inflammation markers, and insulin in the body 3 , in addition to changing the levels of estrogen and progesterone in your body. Some of these changes, such as to inflammation markers, are linked with the development of cardiovascular disease CVD or stroke 3.

These changes seem to disappear after cessation of OCP use 3. Conversely, POCs do not seem to have a relationship with metabolic processes 3 , which suggests that these changes are associated with estrogen or that progestin needs estrogen to create changes in the body.

People who take hormonal contraceptives are at increased risk of blood clots , medically referred to as thromboses , particularly in their veins 25— This risk may be modified by the type of estrogen and the amount of progestin Strokes and heart attacks are related to the increased risk of blood clots, as both ischemic and thrombotic strokes are more likely to occur in OC users than non-OC users 29, Despite increased risks, the likelihood of developing a serious medical problem from typical use of hormonal contraception is low.

The ACS also report that taking birth control for more than 5 years may increase the risk of cervical cancer. The longer people take the pill, the higher their risk. However, the risk should go back down gradually when someone stops taking the pill. A large-scale study published in looked at the cancer prevalence in over , women aged 50 to 71 who were currently taking birth control pills.

The study indicated that long-term use of birth control decreased the risk of both ovarian and endometrial cancer. Researchers are not sure why birth control pills may lower the risk of certain cancers. It may be because the pill decreases the number of ovulations a person has in their lifetime, which exposes them to less naturally occurring hormones. People who smoke may be especially at risk for developing blood clots when using birth control pills.

Most people can safely use hormonal contraceptives for many years, provided their doctor has recommended it. However, many long-term birth control methods contain hormones.

Doctors may advise some people to avoid using certain types of birth control. If a birth control pill causes side effects, people can speak to their doctor and change pills until they find one that works for them.

People with a history of blood clots may prefer progesterone-only birth control pills or the hormone-free IUD. There are several long-term birth control options. All hormonal methods of birth control, including the pill, patch or implant, may cause similar side effects and long-term risks. Most long-term birth control options involve the use of hormones. The hormones work in two main ways: stopping ovulation and thickening the cervical mucus, which makes it difficult for the egg and sperm to meet.

Using hormonal birth control is safe for as long as you need, provided that a doctor has given the okay. People should discuss their individual needs and risk factors with a doctor when deciding whether to stay on hormonal contraception for an extended period. Consider all the options and discuss all possible health risks and benefits with a healthcare provider.

People often lose birth control pills in their handbags or down the drain. Losing a pill is not usually a problem.