5 Nutrient Deficiencies Related To The Pill
5 Nutrient Deficiencies Related To The Pill
World wide the pill is one of the most commonly prescribed medication. There aren’t many women these days who hasn’t been on it at one point in their life. When I was a teenager it was normal to be given the pill in the early teen years when you started getting the pill. I was on the pill for around 10 years and at no point told about the essential nutrients that are commonly depleted by taking the pill.
Magnesium
We use magnesium for over 300 different processes in the body, including keeping your heart pumping and avoiding muscle aches. Medications with estogren have been linked with lowering magnesium levels. The average person typically doesn’t have a very high amount of magnesium in their diets and our modern, high stress lifestyles can cause levels to drop even further.
Zinc
Studies over many years have shown that women taking the pill have lower levels of zinc. Similar to magnesium, the body uses zinc for hundreds of processes every day. Zinc has a close see-saw like relationship with another mineral called copper so if you do take a zinc supplement, consider taking a zinc-copper mix to avoid developing a copper deficiency.
Folic Acid
We often think about folic acid when we think about pregnancy but we do need folic acid for many other functions in the body. Folic acid is important for energy product, nervous system function and immune healthy. The best form of folic acid is 5-MTHFR which is an ‘activated’ form of folate.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant which helps the body fight damaging free radicals. Studies have shown that use of the pill is related to higher levels of oxidative stress and lower levels of vitamin E. Vitamin E is also important for heart and skin health.
Vitamin B12
While all the B vitamins are essential, a B12 deficiency can be far reaching with it’s symptoms. B12 is needed for over 100 functions, including supporting your nervous system, immune system, hormones and even helping your blood carry oxygen.