If you ever got on a pill, you probably asked yourself this – does birth control make you gain weight? The short answer is “yes”, the long answer is “it’s possible, but it depends on a few things and this weight may not even be permanent”…
Does birth control make you gain weight or not is a highly debated topic. The idea that a pill you’ll be on for (potentially) many years may cause uncontrollable weight gain often deters many women from going on the pill. But is this true or just an old wives tale? (Kick start your brand new, healthy routine with Body Beautiful Online Personal Training Program!)
It’s hard to study issues surrounding weight in humans. The research is insufficient to demonstrate whether or not oral contraceptives cause weight gain or loss. Concerns about weight gain is one of the main reasons why women may avoid birth control, which in turn places them at greater risk for an unplanned pregnancy.
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Decades ago, hormonal contraception used hormones at levels much higher than we use today. It’s true that high levels of estrogen can increase appetite and invite fluid or water retention. Changes in hormonal birth control and advances in combination forms of the pill are addressing these issues. Most, pills lack high enough estrogen levels to cause weight gain from body fat.
Study after study has examined the relationship between today’s most popular forms of hormonal contraception and weight gain. The vast majority of these studies have found no reasonable evidence to support the claim. Weight gain that occurs in the first weeks or months after beginning birth control is typically due to water retention. It isn’t actual fat gain.
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That said, if your estrogen levels are already high and you start taking a pill that has a higher estrogen content, you may put some water weight as a result. Now the good news is that you will simply pee the extra weight out, when cycling off the pill.
That said, gaining weight may cause discomfort and could interfere with your weight loss plan. If you feel that you are retaining water, you might need to discuss other pills or methods with your doctor.
How Does Birth Control Make You Gain Weight?
Some pills still have a higher-dose of estrogen to progesterone can cause water retention. This is why many women feel bloated before their period, as estrogen levels are higher. The key to estrogen causing bloating, breast tenderness or general water weight gain is high dose of estrogen. For those concerned about water weight gain, make sure you ask your doctor about the lowest hormone dose pill that will work for you.
How Do I Take Birth Control Without Weight Gain?
Out of all birth control methods, only pills that contain drospirenone can keep you from unwanted water retention. This is because drospirenone acts as a diuretic and rids your body from the excess water.
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Are Some Women More Likely to Gain Weight?
Studies don’t show that any particular groups of women are more inclined to experience weight gain than another. The new generation pills varying in the type and amount of hormones estrogen and progesterone they contain, just as our bodies naturally produce different amounts of these. This is why side effects that women experience can be as varied as the options on the market. Don’t be afraid to talk with your doctor about side effects you are experiencing – there may be a better birth control option for you!
About the Author: Ana Plenter
