Does birth control make you gain weight? Deciding whether to use birth control pills has been serious concern to many women. The fear has always been that these pills cause weight gain.
We will try to answer some of the frequently asked questions that you may also wish to know the answer to as much as we can.
What is the relationship between birth control pills and weight gain?
There are numerous birth control options available to help se xu ally active people avoid getting pregnant. The pill is one of the most practical and common contraceptive methods.
Birth control tablets come in two different varieties:
Progestin-only pills
Progesterone (progestin), a hormone secreted by the ov a ries that aids the uterus in preparing for pregnancy, is a component of progestin-only pills. The progestin in the pill thickens the cervix’s mucus, making it more challenging for sperm to pass through and enter the uterus. The lining of the uterus also thins as a result. It might stop the ovulation process.
Combination Pills
Progestin and estrogen are both present in combined pills. In order to prevent pregnancy, these contraceptives function by maintaining hormone levels.
Why does birth control make you gain weight?
One of the frequent questions I have heard people ask concerning contraceptive pills is “does birth control make you gain weight?” Well, some people do gain a little weight when they first start using birth control pills, but this side effect is typically caused by moderate fluid retention rather than an increase in body fat. Additionally, there is evidence to support the notion that combined contraceptives, which contain both progesterone and estrogen, may stimulate appetite, which may eventually result in weight gain.
Higher estrogen levels
Estrogen, which suppresses ovulation, is often present in combined hormonal contraceptives including birth control tablets, patches, and even vag inal rings. This happens because the increased estrogen flowing through your body stimulates a substance (renin-angiotensin) produced by your kidneys. Your body responds by retaining extra water before your period. Basically, those taking the pill may experience a little increase in water retention due to elevated estrogen levels. However, once your period is finished, you’ll return to your normal shape.
The majority of birth control pills include between 30 and 35 micrograms of hormones, but if you’re concerned about the amount of estrogen in your pills, it’s advisable to talk to your doctor and choose a low-dose estrogen tablet, which will only have about 20 micrograms of estrogen.
Higher estrogen concentrations may potentially enhance hunger, leading some women to consume more calories.
Does progestin make you gain weight?
Women who can’t take estrogen or can use progestin-only contraceptives (POCs). Many POCs are effective at preventing pregnancy, have a longer half-life than some other treatments, and are less expensive. Some people are concerned that using these birth control techniques may result in weight gain. Women who are worried about weight gain may avoid using this pill.
Over the course of 6–12 months of use, 22 studies involving more than 11,000 women reported an average weight gain of 4.4 pounds (2 kg). In three of the studies, taking an injectable type of contraception was associated with increased weight gain.
Also read:
How Birth Control Pills Increase Your Appetite
The next way birth control can help you gain weight is if you can’t control how some of them make you feel about eating more than you normally would. Yes, certain birth control pills have the ability to increase hunger. The majority of wise dietary decisions may still be made despite an increased hunger, but when they aren’t, taking birth control plus consuming heavier and more satisfying foods can make you gain weight.
The reason for this is that oral contraceptives frequently induce an increase in insulin levels, and when insulin levels increase, more energy from carbs in diet is transferred to fat cells than would otherwise be the case. Unluckily, many of the foods that women may yearn for when their appetites are stimulated are usually high in carbohydrates.
Another factor to consider is that the appetite stimulation and weight gain adverse effects of birth control pills are more pronounced in women with a poor glucose metabolism.
Birth control that doesn’t cause weight gain
If you are worried that birth control will cause you to gain weight, you might want to try one of the following:
Combination birth control patches
A 2001 study found that using combined birth control patches did not increase the risk of weight gain. Additional research has revealed a weight gain of no more than 0.6 pounds (0.3 kilos) throughout the course of at least 13 cycles.
COCs (combined oral contraceptives)
Some COCs contain a particular type of progestin that doesn’t cause fluid retention.
Vaginal ring
A 2006 study revealed a modest weight gain of 0.8 pounds (0.37 kg) over the first year of contraceptive treatment.
According to a 2006 study conducted in Brazil, there was no difference in weight gain between hormonal and non-hormonal IUD users.
How to lose weight on birth control
Whether you take birth control or not, there are many various methods you might employ to lose weight. These tactics, which are very popular, include:
A balanced diet
Although there isn’t a single ideal diet that works for everyone, epidemiologist and nutritionist Eric Rimm advises that the Mediterranean diet may be effective for weight loss. Fruits, vegetables, healthy vegetable oils, fish, and whole grains are all abundant in this diet.
Regular exercise
In addition to keeping us fit and energised, exercise can aid in calorie burning and weight loss. It’s best to select the sports or forms of exercise that you enjoy and that work best for you. It’s important to incorporate it into your daily routine because doing so is much simpler if you find enjoyment in it.
Enough rest and sleep
Insufficient sleep can cause hormonal imbalances, which might impact your weight. Make sure you get enough sleep; most individuals require 7-9 hours each night.
After using birth control for a few months, you might want to think about speaking with your doctor about switching contraceptives if you suspect that it is creating problems like fluid retention or an increase in hunger.
Which birth control methods cause weight gain?
There are a limited number of methods of birth control that are more likely to result in some degree of weight gain.
Studies on the contraceptive injectable have shown that some users report weight gain, particularly when the injection is administered for more than two years. An average of five pounds are gained per year (or 2.2 kilograms). With the progestin-only injection, the average weight gain after five years is 9.5 pounds (4.3 kilograms).
Here are some birth control methods that cause weight:
Implant
A little amount of weight gain has also been linked to the contraceptive implant. However, these weight changes might vary, and many people either don’t gain weight or lose weight while they are using the implant.
Progestin-only contraceptives
Weight gain using progestin-only contraceptives was determined to be about 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms) over 6–12 months of usage in 22 trials involving more than 11,000 women. In three of the studies, taking an injectable type of contraception was associated with increased weight gain.
Keep in mind that many people naturally experience some weight gain as they age and that it is also possible to acquire weight owing to lifestyle factors unrelated to your birth control. When this happens, it can be simple to wrongly attribute the changes in your weight to contraceptives even though this is not the case.
Does water retention from birth control cause weight gain?
The truth is that a woman may experience fluid retention if her birth control tablet contains higher amounts of estrogen. If there is at least 50 mcg or even more in the pill, the issue becomes more serious. It’s easy to understand. The kidney chemicals renin-angiotensin, which are in charge of water retention, are stimulated by higher estrogen dosages. Women who are experiencing fluid retention may become heavier since water retention also causes weight gain.
Originally posted 2022-10-09 12:34:21.