Truth About Birth Control Pills. Health or Harm?

Birth control pills (pills) have been around for around seventy years and have proved itself as safe and effective in pregnancy prevention. Some doctors also prescribe pills to treat migraines, irregular periods, acne, PMS, and cramps.

Unfortunately, pills DO NOT treat those conditions. It is a temporary measure that might or might not help. Furthermore, pills synthetically alter your hormones changing many body functions long-term.

How does birth control work?

Menstrual cycle is composed of changing levels of estrogen and progesterone through the month. The pills keep estrogen levels very high to make your body think you are already pregnant, which prevents ovulation from happening. No ovulation – no pregnancy.

High levels of estrogen have long-term negative health impact. PCOS, endometriosis, and cancer are associated with high levels of estrogen.

Why you should STOP taking birth control pills :

1 . The Pill Increases Your Risk of Cancer: Perhaps one of the only good things about taking birth control pills: it can reduce your risks of endometrial cancer and ovarian cancer. But did you know that scientists have questions about the Pill’s link to breast cancer, cervical cancer, and liver cancer? In fact, the pill is actually classified as a carcinogen, putting it in the same class as toxins like tobacco and asbestos, according to the World Health Organization. Not exactly something I want to put into my body every day!

2. The Pill Screws Up Your Gut : We all know how badly antibiotics can affect our digestive tracts. But did you know birth control pills are just as bad as antibiotics for your gut? It’s true: the pill is throwing your gut out of whack, and in the process impairing your overall wellbeing. Take a look: first of all, you have hormone receptors everywhere in your digestive tract and the added hormones in your body from the pill can affect those receptors, often leading to candida. In fact, yeast overgrowth has been closely linked to estrogen dominance in a woman’s body, which as we’ve learned, the Pill makes all women. So if you’re using hormonal birth control, you may have more yeast infections, which can lead to other problems like migraines, infertility, fibromyalgia, endometriosis, psoriasis, PMS, depression and digestive disorders. What’s more? Oral contraceptives impact gut flora, adversely affecting estrogen metabolism, which can increase your risk for inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease, and cause weight-loss resistance.

3. The Pill Lowers Testosterone:  Maybe your doc put you on birth control to help you treat your acne. But the same reason this works is because birth control suppresses the male hormones, called androgens, like testosterone. Why is this a bad thing? Other than it being unnatural, it can cause a decrease in libido, energy, and muscle tone, meaning if you’re on the pill, you’ll likely be less interested in sex (and enjoy it less when you actually do have it due to less lubrication, pelvic pain and trouble orgasming).

4. The Pill Causes Mood Disorders : Although your PMS could potentially be relieved with birth control pills, most women actually experience an increase in mood swings, depression and/or anxiety when on the Pill. There’s evidence that with estrogen and progesterone levels in the body out of their natural equilibrium, the brain’s response system is altered, leading many to experience psychological side effects.

NATURAL BIRTH CONTROL ALTERNATIVES

If you’re ready to ditch the Pill, but aren’t ready to start a family, here are some natural birth control alternatives to consider:

If none of those options will work for you, consider a non-hormonal IUD, which is generally a better bet than the Pill when it comes to gut health, partly because it’s not ingested directly.