things I wish I knew before taking birth control: part 5
Let’s continue the series: Things I Knew Before Taking Birth Control. A friendly reminder, this post comes from a place of absolute love and genuine curiosity. There is no judgement or shaming here, and any such comments will be removed.
Today’s post is about how hormonal contraceptives can mess with our adrenal glands and cortisol production:
⏩Hormonal contraceptives increase oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. This can lead to an increase in the production of cortisol.
⏩They can increase cortisol-binding globulin, which can prevent the body from properly utilizing cortisol.
⏩They can potentially cause cortisol resistance.
⏩They can also lead to hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation.
⏩The organs in the ovarian-adrenal-thyroid (OAT) axis work together. Direct interference with the adrenals can potentially lead to issues with the others.
⏩The relatively large levels of synthetic estrogen in hormonal contraceptives can also drive cortisol levels up.
When I look back on a few of the things I was experiencing, they connected a lot to adrenal dysregulation:
↝Constantly sick
↝Development of an autoimmun3 disease
↝Exhaustion/low energy
↝Slow healing
↝Weight gain
↝Blood sugar issues
Of course, hormonal contraceptives can affect people differently. I just wish I had known this before I started taking them.
What about you: Did you or are you experiencing any of these issues with hormonal contraceptives? Share your story!
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Not medical advice.
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This is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare professional before pursuing any changes to your personal healthcare regime.
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References
Brighten, J. (2019). Beyond the Pill. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.
Peat, R. (2006). Immunodeficiency, dioxins, stress, and the hormones. Retrieved from: http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/immunodeficiency.shtml.
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