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Reports often circulate about the pros and cons of taking birth control pills — weight gain, weight loss, increased chances of breast cancer, decreased chances of endometrial cancers — but a recent study revealed a little-known side effect that hasn’t been researched until now.
At a recent conference of the American Physiological Society, a study detailing the effect of contraceptive pills on muscle mass was introduced. Researchers found that women taking an oral contraceptive who performed 10 weeks of resistance training gained 40 percent less muscle mass than women who were not taking oral contraceptives.
Exercise physiologist Chang Woock Lee, along with several other researchers at Texas A&M University, attributes this to the way that oral contraceptives affect a woman’s hormone levels. Lee also found that certain pills made muscle gain less likely, such as medium and high androgenic progestins, whose users achieved less than .5 percent gain during the study.
The study focused mainly on lean muscle gain and found that muscle mass increased in both the legs and arms at nearly the same rate for all women regardless of contraceptive use.
Another researcher in the study, Dr. Mark Newman from the University of Pittsburg, explained how they looked at the effects of certain contraceptives on hormone levels.
"In the blood concentrations of women in the study who were taking oral contraceptives, we found lower levels of anabolic or muscle building hormones and higher levels of catabolic or muscle breaking hormones as opposed to women who were not taking oral contraceptives," he said.
So if you’re a birth control user who has been hitting the gym in hopes of increasing your muscle mass and haven’t been successful, this study may offer some insight into why your regimen isn’t working. And if gaining muscle is a top priority on your list, it’s probably time to make an appointment with your doctor to discuss oral contraceptives with lower levels of androgenic progestins or non-oral contraceptives.
Add a Comment4 Comments
I used 4 tablets of ovral g 2 tablets 12 hours apart within 24 hours of unprotected sex.i have bloating throught out the next month especially a week before period leading to bleeding.i wonder if the pill restrict my muscle gain as i am bodybuilder and also i am teenager.any response will be welcomed
January 3, 2019 - 12:06amThis Comment
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October 20, 2009 - 4:31pmThis Comment
Wow this is really disapointing as I do not wish to go off the pill but I do want to gain lean muscle.I have been lifting heavy weights for the past two years and have not gained the amount of muscle that I would like to, I wonder if the bc has anything to do w/ this. And does anyone know of a supplement out there that might counteract the catabolic effects of birth control, or at least help w/ this issue?
September 2, 2009 - 10:42amThis Comment
I was considering taking the pill but as someone who enjoys the gym and a lot of running, I'm seriously considering other options. I would also like to know if anything can be done to counteract these affects as well. It's disappointing.
September 17, 2009 - 3:09pmThis Comment