Your Gut Health on the Pill
If you are like me, you probably accepted and maybe even got used to annoying symptoms like bloating, IBS, recurrent yeast infections, widespread inflammation, migraines, food sensitivities, and skin rashes.
If you are like me, you might have just thought it was a part of getting older; a part of being a woman.
I bet you didn’t think your hormonal birth control could be to blame.
It’s time to think again.
Hormonal birth control (HBC) has a huge impact on your gut microbiome, which ripples across nearly every system of your body. Everything comes back to the gut. Taking HBCs long-term can seriously alter the balance of good bacteria in your digestive tract, leaving you susceptible to IBS, leaky gut syndrome, bacterial vaginosis, and yeast infections.
As if that wasn’t enough, poor gut health is also linked to anxiety, depression, brain fog, blood sugar imbalances, and diabetes.
PLUS, if your gut health is off, PMS symptoms get exponentially worse. In fact, bad PMS symptoms are signs that something deeper is going on in your body and your gut health is a good place to start.
So how exactly do HBCs affect your gut health?
It impacts your gut microbiome.
HBCs affect the number of good bacteria in your gut, which over time can lead to intestinal permeability, or leaky gut syndrome. This means that instead of staying in your digestive tract, undigested proteins can permeate your gut and enter your bloodstream. Your immune system is not a fan and you may experience this as digestive discomfort, mood swings, skin rashes, and / or food sensitivities.
Estrogen is metabolized in the gut but bad bacteria from HBCs can interfere. When this happens, the estrogen is reactivated and reabsorbed into your body instead of being eliminated through your stool. This can lead to estrogen-dominant conditions like heavy periods and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS for short).
It depletes essential nutrients.
Not only do HBCs affect your gut microbiome, they also affect your body’s ability to absorb and metabolize important vitamins and nutrients, specifically: folate, vitamin B6, zinc, selenium, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin E just to name a few. Deficiencies in these essential nutrients can be at the root cause of many “normal” and / or PMS symptoms.
Folate- an essential nutrient for fertility and pregnancy health, HBCs can severely interfere with folate absorption. Get it from liver, organ meats, and eggs; if you supplement, choose a methylated formula which is more easily absorbed by your body.
Vitamin B6- a deficiency can increase your risk for depression and PMS symptoms as well as impair cervical mucus production. Get it from liver and organ meats, red meat, seafood, green vegetables, chickpeas, bananas, sweet potatoes, and sauerkraut.
Magnesium- a cure-all for nearly every period symptom, it works by calming your nervous system and aiding sleep, detoxing estrogen, reducing inflammation, regulating your HPA-axis, and optimizing insulin and thyroid hormone function. Get it from magnesium glycinate supplementation (Ned’s Mellö is an excellent source!), Epsom salt baths, and magnesium-infused lotions and sprays. The code SPRINGTOLIFE will save you 15% off your Ned purchase.
Zinc- an essential for the function of every single hormone, zinc reduces inflammation, regulates your HPA-axis, and nourishes your ovarian follicles to promote ovulation which promotes progesterone. Get it from red meat or Zuma Nutrition’s Liposomal Guava Leaf Zinc which is better absorbed than capsules or tablets. The code SPRINGTOLIFE will save you 15% off Zuma Nutrition products.
Selenium- crucial for thyroid function, a selenium deficiency can lead to autoimmune thyroid functions. Get it from Brazil nuts (2 / day!!), organ meats, seafood, and dairy products.
Vitamins C and E- these antioxidant powerhouses shield your thyroid gland from exposure to toxins. Get it from citrus fruits, nuts, seeds, and fruiting vegetables like tomatoes.
Vitamin A- a deficiency can lead to infertility, specifically irregular ovulation and disrupted hormone production resulting in PMS symptoms, failed implantation, and miscarriage. Get it from beef liver (plant sources are beta-carotene which does not significantly affect your absorption levels).
It impairs your liver function.
Your liver is essential for removing unwanted substances from your body such as used hormones, digested food, alcohol, and caffeine, toxins, medications, chemicals, and oh yeah, hormonal birth control. To do this effectively, your liver requires an ample supply of vitamins B and C, glutathione, selenium, and amino acids. Most of these essential nutrients are depleted by HBCs so you’re already at a disadvantage.
So what can you do?
Take a probiotic.
This is a truly simple way to support your gut microbiome on a daily basis. It will encourage healthy digestion and regular bowel movements. I love Zuma Nutrition’s Multi Strain Probiotic (use code SPRINGTOLIFE for 15% off).
Eat enough fiber.
Getting about 25 grams of fiber from whole food sources daily will help eliminate estrogen and regulate bowel movements (you should be having at least 1 / day!). Chia seeds are a great way to add more fiber by mixing them into your yogurt bowl.
Replenish essential vitamins and nutrients.
Whole food sources are listed above but supplementation is sometimes necessary. The best way to determine your unique needs is through a blood test showing nutrient absorption which can be done by your primary care provider. If you need support in this area, I’d be happy to help!
Support your liver.
Remove toxins from your environment- this could mean stopping your HBC, cleaning out your personal care products, and reducing stress in your life.
Eat cruciferous vegetables because they contain I3C or indole-3-carbinol which assists your liver to help it metabolize estrogen more efficiently and reduce the effects of estrogen excess in your body.
Even if you are not ready to stop taking your hormonal birth control, applying the rest of these actions to your life will greatly improve your gut health and quality of life. You do not need to live with the symptoms of HBCs, in fact you deserve so much more!
If after reading this, it has inspired you to take control of your gut health and feel empowered about your body again, the wait list is now open for Get Synced! This program is a hybrid of self-guided learning and 1-on-1 attention from me that addresses your routines, nutrition, exposure to endocrine disruptors, nervous system regulation, and fitness in order to balance your hormones and sync your life to your unique cycle. Fill out this form to secure your spot today!
