Birth controls that don't cause weight gain | HealthInfi

Birth controls that don’t cause weight gain

Birth control pills are designed for oral intake, being used to prevent unwanted pregnancy in women of reproductive age. Birth control pills contain synthetic analogues of natural hormones: progestational compound and estrogenic compound. Birth control pills block the maturation of oocyte that is ready for fertilization (ovulation). Although birth control pills provide good protection from pregnancy, some women avoid to take them, because they are afraid that birth control pills cause weight gain. But modern medications rarely cause this side effect.

How can birth control pills cause weight gain?

The first oral birth control pills appeared in the middle of the 20th century, called Enovid. These birth control pills were in great demand, very effective and convenient to use. However, Enovid have caused side effects: nausea, skin rash, change of biochemical indices of blood and weight gain. Since that time people started to think that hormonal contraceptives would necessarily provoke weight gain. Still, the reason of Enovid side effects was only the fact that this drug contained high amount of hormones, including estrogen and progestational hormones.

Estrogen stimulates work of adrenal glands, contributing to delay of fluid and accumulation of salts in the body, thereby increasing the body weight. Therefore birth control pills that contain high doses of estrogen, can cause the delay of water in the body and edemas. Weight gain is a dose-dependent factor. According to clinical trials, birth control pills containing up to 30mg of estrogen, have no impact on weight gain. Those pills that contain 50mg estrogen and more, may cause delay of liquid and weight gain, yet only 1 to 3 kg.

Birth control pills with high concentration of estrogen indirectly contribute to the increasing of appetite. Sometimes estrogens can increase the insulin levels, thereby forming resistance to its action. Symptoms of this state, are: increased appetite, strong thirst and weight gain. However, the insulin resistance arises mostly in those women, who have had high levels of blood glucose before the use of birth control pills. Therefore if woman is having weight gain of over 5% a year when taking birth control pills (despite the fact she is on diet), this might be the symptom of type 2 diabetes.

Types of birth control pills

Because estrogen levels influence on body mass, birth control pills that don’t cause weight gain are pills with minimal of estrogenic compound (ethinyl estradiol). For example, such pills as Microgynon, Yaz and Loestrin. All these three medications are produced in several dosages, containing ethinyl estradiol 20mcg or 30mcg, depending on the pharmaceutical form. Women, who are afraid to gain weight, should choose pills with minimal amount of ethinyl estradiol (20mcg). Birth control pills with low estrogenic compound are recommended for young women, who have never given birth before. It is also recommended for those women, who use hormonal birth control method for the first time.

Birth control pills with average amount of estrogenic compound rarely cause weight gain as a rule. For instance, Cilest and Ortho Tri-Cyclen (ethinyl estradiol dose is 35mcg). These tablets are often prescribed for women, who have already given birth.

Theoretically, high estrogen containing pills may cause weight gain. This kind of pills are mostly prescribed for treatment of hormonal diseases, yet can be used as birth control means. For example: Milvane, Non-Ovlon or Triquilar. Herewith Milvane and Triquilar contain 40mcg of ethinyl estradiol, while Non-Ovlon contains 50mcg.Read More