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Use of Oral Contraceptives Reduces Peak Bone Mass, May Lead to Osteoporosis 10-17-08
by: Barbara L. Minton
Mother Nature rewards those who get on board with her agenda. In many cases,
the attempt to resist her design results in life altering consequences, such as
those revealed about the use of contraceptives. A new study has shown that
contraceptive use during adolescence prevents peak bone mass acquisition,
leading to significantly increased risk of osteoporosis and fractures later in
life.
As reported in the September, 2008 journal Contraception, researchers designed a
four year follow up study with 122 adolescent women ranging in ages from 12 to
19. The collected data was divided into three groups based on estrogen-progestin
contraceptive use: nonusers, those with 1-2 years of use, and those with more
than 2 years of use. Height, weight, and the amount of exercise as well as bone
mineral content of the lumbar spine and femoral neck were measured repeatedly.
The researchers found a significant trend showing less of an increase in the
mean adjusted body mineral content of the lumbar spine in the group using the
contraceptive for more than 2 years compared with the two other groups. In the
mean adjusted bone mineral content of the femoral neck, there was a significant
trend of a smaller increase in the group using the contraceptive for more than 2
years compared with the group using the contraceptive for 1-2 years. These
findings led the researchers to conclude that estrogen-progestin preparations
suppress normal bone mineral accrual.
Peak bone mass is the maximum bone mass achieved throughout the body. The age at
which peak bone mass is achieved varies in different regions of the skeleton and
in different populations.
During the period from childhood to early adulthood, minerals are deposited in
bone as the skeleton grows. The highest rates of bone growth occur during
infancy and again in the pubertal growth spurt. During adolescence, the speed of
bone growth doubles and around 40% of peak bone mass is created. By the age of
about 20, up to 95% of peak bone mass is attained.
As the journey through the 20's continues, bone mass starts to decline. Minerals
and the collagen matrix begin to be removed from bone more rapidly than new bone
tissue is added. By old age, women have typically lost half of their trabecular
and one-third of their cortical bone.
It can be clearly seen that the amount of bone achieved at peak bone mass
dictates the amount of bone to be had in old age. There is increasing evidence
that the groundwork for the development of osteoporosis is laid during the
period of childhood and adolescence. Researchers are now at work determining the
extent to which the diet and lifestyle choices we make for our children can
predict their fracture risk for later in life.
What is already known is that a balanced diet of mineral rich whole foods sets
the stage for optimal peak bone mass growth. This outcome can be negatively
affected by the consumption of foods that deplete the mineral content of the
skeleton such as soft drinks that are high in phosphorus, or by lack of
exercise. And now we know that this outcome is also dependent on lifestyle
choices such as the choice to use contraceptives. The incredible recent rise in
the rates of diagnosed osteoporosis may be directly tied to the huge increased
use of contraceptives in the last 40 years.
The above noted study lends additional support to the conclusions of previous
research. In 2001, the Journal of the Canadian Medical Association reported
research to assess the relation between oral contraceptive use and bone mineral
density in a population based, 9 centre, national sample of women aged 25-45.
Premenopausal women who had been enrolled in the Canadian Multi-centre
Osteoporosis Study were classified as having ever been users of oral
contraceptives, or as having never been users of oral contraceptives. Data was
obtained through extensive questionnaires and by measuring participants' weight,
height and the bone mineral density of lumbar vertebrae and the proximal femur.
Of the sample of 524 women, whose mean age was 36.3, 454 had used oral
contraceptives. The mean age when they started using the contraceptives was
19.8, and the mean duration of use was 6.8 years. There was no difference
between the groups in age, age at menarche, parity, current calcium intake,
exercise, body mass index, irregular cycles, or amenorrhea. The mean bone
mineral density was 2.3-3.7% lower in contraceptive users, and significantly
lower in the spine and trochanter.
A study reported in the 1995 journal Contraception was designed to investigate
bone metabolism in young women taking an oral contraceptive for over 5 years.
Two hundred healthy women between 19 and 22 years of age were divided into two
groups. Group A received the oral contraceptive, Group B did not receive any
treatment. All the subjects underwent a bone mass density evaluation at spinal
level at baseline and every 12 months during the 5 years.
Results demonstrated that Group A did not show any significant bone mineral
density change after 5 years of oral contraceptive treatment, while Group B
demonstrated a significant increase in bone mass content at the end of the time
of observations (+7.8% after 5 years).
Comment:
The safest forms of contraceptives are rhythm method (obtain cycle beads), body temperature, ovulation method, Standard Days Method, sympto-thermal method, or lamb intestine, natural rubber, non lubricated and non-spermicidal condoms. Here are the instructions on each method:
- Standard Days Method
- Ovulation Method
- Rhythm/Calendar Method
- Sympto-thermal Method
- Basal Body Temperature Charting
- Fertility Computers
No matter what hormonal option you might choose there are risks and side effects that are not worth it.
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