How Birth Control is Impacting Your Health (Hint: It Contains Iron)
Let’s talk about birth control for a minute.
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Aside from the synthetic hormones that completely shut down your reproductive system, did you know that many brands contain iron? Like:
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💊Lo Loestrin Fe
💊Microgestin Fe
💊Junel Fe
💊Estrostep Fe
💊Lo Minastrin Fe
💊Lo/Ovral-28
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As I’ve talked about before, our body has a very sophisticated iron recycling system that makes it so that we only need 1 mg of dietary iron each day. Each of the above brands contains 75 mg of iron in EACH pill (placebo). That’s A LOT.
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Plus, the type of iron in these pills is ferrous fumarate, the “dangerous” form of iron, which has to be converted into a more stable form.
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The sheer amount of iron will completely overwhelm our iron recycling system and deplete our copper stores. Not to mention, copper is exactly what we need to convert ferrous iron into the more stable form!
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The usual cocktail of ingredients also includes the below, most of which are possible carcinogens:
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☣️Iron oxide (rust)
☣️Talc
☣️Titanium dioxide
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Many women get prescribed iron-containing birth control pills to help them with their “anemia.” More on that soon.
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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
Corporate Europe Observatory. (2019). Toxic lobbying: the titanium dioxide label debate continues. Retrieved from: https://corporateeurope.org/en/2019/06/toxic-lobbying-titanium-dioxide-label-debate-continues#:~:text=The%20World%20Health%20Organisation's%20International,carcinogen%20when%20it%20is%20inhaled.
Drugs.com. (2019). Microgestin Fe. Retrieved from: https://www.drugs.com/pro/microgestin-fe-1-20.html#:~:text=Each%20brown%20tablet%20contains%2075%20mg%20ferrous%20fumarate.)&text=Fe%201.5%2F30-,(Each%20green%20tablet%20contains%201.5%20mg%20norethindrone%20acetate%20and%2030,contains%2075%20mg%20ferrous%20fumarate.).
FDA. (2017). Estrostep Fe. Retrieved from: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2017/020130s018lbl.pdf.
FDA. (2017). LO/OVRAL-28* AND FERROUS FUMARATE Tablets. Retrieved from: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2017/017612s043,018206s021lbl.pdf.
GoodRx. Lo Minastrin Fe. Retrieved from: https://www.goodrx.com/lo-minastrin-fe/what-is.
Live Science Facts. (2011). 7 Surprising Facts About the Pill. Retrieved from: https://www.livescience.com/14691-surprising-birth-control-pill-facts.html.
Lo Loestrin Fe. How to Take Lo Loestrin Fe. Retrieved from: https://www.loloestrin.com/taking-lo-loestrin.
Henshaw, A. Is it Safe to Take Iron Supplements While on the Birth Control Pill?. Retrieved from: https://www.nurx.com/faq/is-it-safe-to-take-iron-supplements-while-on-birth-control/.
RxList. (2018). Junel Fe. Retrieved from: https://www.rxlist.com/junel-fe-drug.htm#:~:text=Junel%20Fe%201.5%2F30&text=Each%20brown%20tablet%20contains%2075%20mg%20ferrous%20fumarate.
RxList. (2019). Yaz (Drospirenone). Retrieved from: https://www.rxlist.com/yaz-drug.htm.
US Food and Drug Administration. (2020). Talc. Retrieved from: https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/talc.
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