Kinds
Let's first look a little at the types of OK. Be sure to note: choosing an effective contraceptive product is the task of your doctor . The prescription of a hormonal drug should be preceded by a consultation with a gynecologist (endocrinologist) with a complete examination of the body.
Only after first examining your medical history and asking you about your habits, the doctor makes a choice in favor of a specific drug. Any amateur activity in this matter is strictly not allowed!
There are two types of contraceptives:
- combined oral contraceptives ( COCs );
- mini - drank based on one hormone (gestagen).
Combined drugs can be monophasic, when the level of synthetic analogues of female hormones changes during the course of taking the drug, and triphasic (the change occurs throughout the menstrual cycle).
Combined oral contraceptives (depending on the number of hormones in them) are:
- Microdosed : contain minimal amounts of hormones. They are most comfortably tolerated by patients compared to other types, which explains their widespread use by young girls.
- Low-dose : contain a low dose of hormones. This is also a popular COC used by patients of all ages, including nulliparous patients.
- High-dose : prescribed only by a doctor for obvious hormonal imbalances (systemic diseases, premenopause).
The listed products contain both progestin (an analogue of the male hormone) and estrogen (the female sex hormone produced by the ovaries). The ovulation process is accompanied by the release of a large amount of female sex hormones, and COCs taken make it possible to regulate their ratio in order to prevent the fertilization process.
If for some reason the doctor does not advise taking COCs, then you can limit yourself to products containing only estrogen (mini-pills). This type of tablet is prescribed during the lactation period.
“These” days, your body and training
Contraceptives that don't make you fat
Numerous clinical studies have shown that birth control pills containing less than 20 mcg of estrogen have minimal effect on weight changes and shape deterioration.
One of the most popular contraceptives with such a minimal estrogen content is the monophasic drug “Jess”. These pills are more suitable for young nulliparous girls. For women after 30 years of age, it is still better to use other contraceptives with a higher estrogen content, because at this age its level in the body begins to decrease.
Modern contraceptives contain from 20 to 30 mcg of female hormone, and in 99% of cases this does not affect the figure in any way. This feature is especially pronounced in monocomponent birth control pills, which contain only a progesterone analogue. But, unfortunately, these drugs are not suitable for every female body.
Do birth control pills cause weight gain?
So, we must admit that a similar problem existed due to the high content of hormones in OC. Previously, oral contraceptives contained a very high estrogen content (50 mcg), which actually caused weight gain. Modern drugs contain about 30 mcg, and low-dose ones - 20-15 mcg.
So, contraceptives by themselves do not provide any weight gain . Weight gain can only happen if you, “on the advice of a friend or the Internet,” prescribe pills for yourself without consulting a doctor.
Let's be honest and note that some studies do find a relationship between birth control medications and energy intake and some increases in overall calorie and fat intake; other studies have found no associated effects.
Because these data are limited, it is difficult to say whether different types of birth control or individual differences make a difference. De facto, of course, the female body reacts extremely differently to contraceptives.
But the same can be said about the behavior of women during the menstrual cycle in general. Some people calmly, as they say, “on their feet”, endure all the hardships, some begin to hamster everything that is nailed down, others can barely move from pain. Many factors influence this: differences in hormone levels, sensitivity, etc.
Menstruation and hunger: what to do if you are overcome by a constant feeling of hunger during your period?
The same is true for energy expenditure, while one study found a small increase in basal metabolic rate of 5% due to contraceptive use, another study found no change. Again, drug type and individual characteristics likely played a role.
Conclusion : in most cases, not a single significant change in body weight was registered in connection with taking birth control pills, although many have a tendency to increase body weight by 2-3 kg in the first months of taking, but after a few months of taking the stabilized.
This is due to several reasons:
- increased appetite;
- fluid retention in the body - an analogue of progesterone, which is contained in OCs, provokes a slower removal of fluid from the body; if edema is detected, you should read our article “Eedema: causes and remedies” ;
- hormonal imbalances - if weight gain is observed while following a diet, normal physical activity and the absence of edema, then weight gain while taking OCs may indicate disturbances in the functioning of the thyroid gland and hormonal imbalance, in such cases it is necessary to consult an endocrinologist .
Why do people gain weight from hormonal pills?
Hormonal drugs are a timeless medical horror story. There will always be a colleague, an aunt or a stranger in line who is ready to vehemently speak out against the fact that unwise doctors are prescribing these terrible pills. One of the main side effects associated in the popular mind with hormonal therapy is an almost inevitable weight gain.
Losing weight after taking hormonal drugs is no different from any other weight loss, the secret of which is a combination of proper nutrition and an optimal level of physical activity. However, it is much more important to pay careful attention to the individual prescription of the drug and not to neglect yourself during the course of treatment, discussing all doubts and problems with your doctor in a timely manner.
To whom and why are hormonal drugs prescribed?
There are seven major endocrine glands in the human endocrine system, and there are many cells scattered throughout the gastrointestinal tract, for example, that also have the ability to produce hormones. There are several dozen hormones themselves, natural biologically active substances produced by the human body.
There are many hormonal medications that can be prescribed to women for one reason or another. And it is wrong to combine them into one frightening whole, overgrown with myths and superstitions. If the drug is prescribed by a doctor and the patient takes it correctly, there is no point in raising the question of the advisability of treatment. There are situations when hormonal therapy is irreplaceable.
As a rule, hormonal drugs are prescribed in order to compensate for the insufficient formation of some hormones in the body, or in order to suppress their excess production. Some types of hormonal drugs, such as glucocorticoids, are prescribed for diseases that are not directly related to the endocrine system - for example, bronchial asthma, severe allergic reactions, rheumatoid arthritis, and so on.
One of the diseases for which hormones, in particular the hormone insulin, can be prescribed is diabetes mellitus. The most commonly prescribed groups of hormonal drugs are synthetic thyroid hormones in the form of levothyroxine sodium alone (for example, L-thyroxine and Eutyrox), in the form of a combination of levothyroxine and liothyronine, that is, T4 and T3 (Thyreotom, Novotiral) or in combination with iodine ( Yodtyrox, Thyreocomb). These drugs are used to treat hypothyroidism or underfunction of the thyroid gland.
A large number of women periodically or constantly use hormonal drugs with a contraceptive effect. Gynecologists can prescribe such pills not only for family planning, but also as a treatment for certain gynecological diseases. Contraceptives are also prescribed to change the level of estrogen in the blood in estrogen-dependent diseases, such as uterine fibroids and endometriosis.
Sometimes, with the help of progesterone drugs, they compensate for their own deficiency of this hormone in case of a common reproductive problem known as second-phase insufficiency of the cycle (impaired function of the corpus luteum, which can interfere with the desired pregnancy).
But drugs for hormone replacement therapy, when lost hormonal functions are restored with the help of pharmacology, are still used quite rarely in our country. Although in European countries the prescription of such medications has long been practiced with success.
Why doesn’t everyone get fat “on hormones”?
“People” have a strong opinion that as soon as you start taking these insidious “hormones”, in any form, you will definitely get better. And, it must be admitted, such a view cannot be called fundamentally wrong.
When using glucocorticoid drugs for a long time (we are talking about months and even years), for example, due to systemic connective tissue disease, or bronchial asthma, patients get better because glucocorticoids increase glucose levels, which, that is, indirectly contribute to an increase in the volume of adipose tissue .
Weight gain is also common in people with diabetes due to an overdose of insulin. Insulin is an anabolic hormone, that is, it stimulates the processes of utilization and storage of glucose, amino acids and fatty acids, and at the same time inhibits the catabolic processes of the breakdown of glycogen, fats and proteins.
But the use of thyroid hormones in itself cannot provoke weight gain. These hormones speed up metabolism, increase the body's heat production, and increase the activity of the cardiovascular system, that is, they cause processes that are associated with weight loss.
If you are participating in a discussion about the fact that a friend, acquaintance, colleague from the next office, or a TV celebrity has gained weight “on hormones,” do not rush to apply this information to yourself. Starting to take hormonal medications does not automatically mean that it’s time to buy clothes to grow.
The first question that arises when you hear about “hormonal” weight gain: how did the woman eat? Body weight cannot increase in the absence of excess nutrition. In any case, if the drug was prescribed to you by a doctor after a thorough examination and strictly according to indications, and you cannot not take it, you must first of all take a close and honest look at your diet and the degree of physical activity.
If you are sure that you are eating right, moving enough, and the weight continues to “gain”, you should understand the reasons individually and together with your doctor. Under no circumstances should you cancel and replace treatment on your own, go on a strict diet, and especially starve. Just like using other people’s experience of losing weight after taking hormonal drugs.
These high-calorie contraceptives!
Contraceptives can be called the most “massive” of all hormonal drugs; accordingly, the lion’s share of the discussion of the problem of losing weight “due to hormones” is associated with their use.
There are three main reasons why women who use hormonal birth control for a long time may gain weight:
- Progesterone, one of the hormones contained in contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy, contributes to some fluid retention in the body.
- Taking hormonal pills can affect changes in eating behavior, namely, increase appetite.
- Relatively new data: if a woman gains weight when prescribed contraceptives, then most likely at the time of prescription she had subclinical hypothyroidism, which “worsened” with changes in hormonal levels. When thyroid function decreases, weight gain is common.
No hormonal drugs have their own calorie content. Accordingly, they themselves are not incapable of causing weight gain. If this happens, the reason lies deeper, and one should get rid of the consequences of its manifestation under the supervision of a specialist, without rash experiments and haste.
Do outdated hormonal hormones make you gain weight, and new ones make you lose weight?
Also, we must not forget that the drug is different from the drug. The first artificially synthesized female sex hormones - estrogen and progesterone - were obtained in 1929 and 1934, and the first contraceptive pill appeared on the market in the 60s of the last century. Since then, the doses of hormones in the drugs have been significantly reduced, and the active ingredients themselves have become bioidentical. For example, the latest generation of contraceptives uses estradiol valerate, which is converted in the intestine into estradiol, identical to its own.
Varieties of gestagens have appeared that are part of contraceptives and drugs for hormone replacement therapy. These substances, for example, drospirenone, have the property of removing excess fluid from the body. Also, to reduce the risk of side effects, you can ask your doctor to prescribe progressive contraceptives: for example, a gel applied to the skin that minimally participates in metabolic processes “inside” the body.
Studies of the latest drugs containing female sex hormones demonstrate that the latest generation of drugs not only does not contribute to weight gain, but also reduces fasting glucose levels and insulin resistance, and also improves the lipid profile, reducing the level of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipids.
It is important for women of any age to know about this: correctly selected drugs for hormone replacement therapy during menopause will help avoid the sad and unpleasant manifestations of the metabolic syndrome characteristic of this period, including not only weight gain and the appearance of fat deposits in the abdominal area, but also “hot flashes.” ", thinning hair on the head and growth on the face, the risk of osteoporosis, vascular pathology, atrophic processes in organs.
But! With all the advantages of properly prescribed hormonal therapy, it is necessary to remember that you cannot start taking hormones of your own free will just because wonderful pills helped someone from your environment. All, even the most modern drugs, have contraindications. Hormonal medications are prescribed by a doctor strictly individually, and for long-term treatment, you must visit the doctor at least twice a year. This is the only way you can achieve safe medication use and avoid unwanted consequences.
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