My blood on (and off) the pill
I am incredibly privileged to be able to get a quarterly full blood work-up through my job. Otherwise, I definitely would not have the ability to track years worth of my bloodwork results (since I’ll admit this is quite an intense amount of testing done for an otherwise healthy 20-something).
But my benefit is also yours, since I experiment on myself a bit. I captured the trends in my blood while on and off the pill while switching to an IUD. I’ve pulled 4 markers of interest to highlight in this blog: cortisol, hsCRP, SHBG, and Vitamin B12.
These are interesting markers with respect to birth control for a few reasons:
There is scientific literature regarding the oral contraceptive pill’s effect on the marker
It’s a marker not commonly talked about, yet it’s important to know how the pill can influence it
Or it’s a marker you hear a lot about in connection to the pill, but my blood didn’t seem to be impacted by being on/off it. (AKA why it’s so important to know your levels and tailor the information to you personally!)
What is cortisol? Cortisol is referred to as our “stress hormone.” It’s produced by our adrenal glands in response to stressful situations or emotions, and acute stressors like exercise.
Why is it important? It is what curbs any bodily systems that are not involved in our fight or flight (sympathetic nervous system) response. Cortisol tells the liver to release stored glucose for fast and immediate energy. However, having chronically elevated cortisol can cause issues with sleep, inflammation, metabolism, and you guessed it… reproduction!
How can the pill impact it? Studies show that women on the pill are more likely to have higher baseline cortisol levels, and a blunted cortisol response to stressors, such as exercise or emotional stress. My blood results follow this pretty closely! Even though I was able to achieve “normal” levels once while on the pill (likely due to a time of really good sleep) my levels didn’t truly trend downward until I came off it.
What is hsCRP? High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is a marker that indicates there is inflammation in the body. hsCRP is made in the liver in response to inflammation.
Why is it important? Chronic inflammation is an underlying cause of most diseases. If unaddressed, it can contribute to issues like metabolic cardiovascular problems.
How can the pill impact it? Research has shown a clear link between oral contraceptive use and high levels of hsCRP. This was very clear in my case - my levels were always pretty high until I transitioned off the pill, and finally achieved normal levels. Interestingly though, my results of other inflammatory indicators (like white blood cell counts and metabolic markers) did not show patterns of high chronic inflammation the same way my hsCRP did. This could likely be due to another pathway that the pill influences - such as activating the liver to produce more hsCRP (which means I wasn’t just walking around chronically inflamed)!
What is SHBG? Sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG) is a protein made in the liver that attaches to and carries reproductive hormones (like estrogen and testosterone) through the blood.
Why is it important? SHBG helps to control the amount and activity of hormones in our body. When hormones are bound to SHBG, they are inactive - or unable to carry out their functions until they get “free.” Binding to SHBG also allows them to move safely though the bloodstream.
How can the pill impact it? Since SHBG is produced in the liver in response to testosterone and estrogen concentrations, the synthetic estrogen in the pill can cause a dramatic increase in SHBG levels, as the liver is being told to produce more of estrogen’s carrier. In women on the pill, SHBG levels can get up to 10x as high as they normally would. This held pretty true in my case. And interestingly, my testosterone levels remained healthy and normal across all tests.
What is vitamin B12? Vitamin B12 (also called cobalamin) is a water-based B-vitamin that is found primarily in animal-sourced foods.
Why is it important? Vitamin B12 supports energy levels, nerve cells, and DNA synthesis. All of the B vitamins works together to help your body turn food into fuel.
How can the pill impact it? There is a quite a bit of evidence that talks about the pill’s vitamin-depleting nature. However I wanted to include my trend for this marker because it did not seem to be highly influenced by being on the pill! I managed to have normal - and even increasing - B12 levels all while being on the pill (this is mostly without any supplementation and a diet rich in animal products).
IMPORTANT NOTES:
This blog has zero intent to recommend one form of birth control (or its use in general) over another. Anything that works best for you in your life, feels best, and aligns with your goals is going to be right for you.
The purpose of this blog is to show the results of my n-of-1 experiment and to underscore the importance of personalization in your care, as well as empower you to get the information you need to make the best decisions for yourself.
Written by Michelle Cawley, MS. 4/9/23
The information on this website is provided for educational purposes only and should not be treated as medical advice. WTT Nutrition makes no guarantees regarding the information provided or how products may work for any individual. If you suffer from a health condition, you should consult your health care practitioner for medical advice before introducing any new products into your health care regimen. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.
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