How to Balance Your Hormones After Hormonal Birth Control
The oral contraceptive pill (aka “the pill”) is one of the most common forms of birth control used by women. While it is primarily used to prevent pregnancy, the pill is also commonly prescribed by doctors for many other reasons, such as irregular, absent or painful menstrual periods, acne, and conditions like endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
While many doctors and other medical professionals continue to support the use of birth control, there has been more and more research and information in the media highlighting the potential side effects of its long term use. This has led to more and more women seeking alternative treatments, exploring the impact of the birth control pill on their own bodies, and often stopping the pill all together.
This brings up the question of something referred to as “post-pill syndrome”. This article will discuss what this means, symptoms to watch out for, and ways to support your body while on and off of the pill.
Is post-pill syndrome a real thing?
“Post-pill syndrome” refers to a set of symptoms that many women experience after discontinuing hormonal birth control. These symptoms can begin as far out as 4-6 months after stopping the pill, but may also present much sooner.
Post-birth control syndrome is not recognized formally in conventional medicine, but just because your gynecologist may not acknowledge it doesn't mean your symptoms and struggles are not not real.
Common symptoms clients come to with me with after stopping the pill include:
Absent or irregular periods
Painful periods
Breakouts
Bloating
Mood changes
Anxiety
Hair loss
Infertility
Note that not all women will experience any or all of these symptoms. The severity or likelihood of them occurring may be influenced by how long the pill was being used for, its purpose for use, your age when starting the pill, and any hormone imbalances that may have been present before starting the pill.
So what is causing these symptoms? The pill contains hormones that suppress the body’s natural reproductive processes, including interfering with ovulation. When transitioning off of these synthetic hormones, the body can go through a state of withdrawal, and may have difficulty re-establishing communication between the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland and the ovaries leading to imbalances and the symptoms described which affect not just the reproductive system, but other parts of the body as well.
Women may discover issues arise after stopping the pill that they didn’t know were there, due to the pill “masking” the symptoms while being used. Underlying issues may not have been identified and may even have become worse over time. If you went on the pill to address acne or an irregular cycle, the birth control pill may have masked these symptoms and there is a good chance you will be dealing with these same issues when you come off the pill (and possibly more pronounced symptoms).
This can be incredibly frustrating for women who stop birth control because they want to become pregnant, only to find that their period is absent.
Ways to support your body when transitioning off the pill
The good news is that there are many ways to support your body to ease the transition off of birth control with nutrients, herbs & lifestyle behaviors.
If you’ve already stopped birth control or you’re on it currently and considering this transition, these tips will help you focus on some of the key areas for restore balancing and minimizing symptoms.
Replace nutrients depleted by the pill
Studies have shown that the pill can deplete many essential nutrients in the body, which can contribute to unpleasant symptoms. The most notable deficiencies brought on by the pill include a variety of the B vitamins (including folate and B12), magnesium, zinc, and the antioxidants selenium, vitamin C, and vitamin E. To help counteract this, it is super important to highlight these nutrients consistently through food and to replete these nutrients via high quality supplementation as needed. Getting these nutrients from whole food sources is super important, but may not cover all of the bases or prevent deficiency so supplementation is still warranted. You can learn more about the supplements I recommend when transitioning off birth control here. Always speak with your provider before supplementing.
Balance blood sugar
Being on the pill can interfere with the way your body balances blood sugar and even contribute to insulin resistance. Imbalanced blood sugar can lead to or exacerbate a variety of hormonal issues, potentially leading to worsening symptoms and other long-term side effects. I always tell clients that stabilizing blood sugar is the foundation of hormone health. There’s a lot that can be said on this topic, but prioritizing eating plenty of quality protein and healthy fats at each meal as well as gradually cutting back on intake of highly processed, high sugar foods and beverages are great first steps.
Support circadian rhythm
Also called the sleep/wake cycle, this is basically the 24-hour internal clock that is running in the background of your brain which cycles between sleepiness and alertness. Modern habits of watching late night TV, constantly looking at screens on our phone or computer, and being exposed to artificial light can all disrupt these natural rhythms. This becomes a problem due to the fact that circadian rhythms impact not just sleep, but many hormones and bodily processes like hunger levels, digestion, weight, and stress management. The reproductive system can be affected here as well by not getting the proper signals it needs to regulate the menstrual cycle. Limiting your screen time, setting a consistent bedtime, practicing good sleep hygiene, and exposing yourself to natural light in the morning are all ways to help support and restore this natural cycle.
Ensure that you are taking in enough energy
Under-eating is closely linked to hormonal imbalances, which can make the side effects of the pill worse. Not eating enough can be both intentional, such as during restrictive eating as a means to lose weight, or unintentional (I see this ALL the time), such as being a result of being so physically active that your energy intake doesn’t keep up. It is super important to make sure you are eating a well balanced diet that is adequate in fiber rich carbohydrates and includes a variety of food groups. Following strict/rigid diet trends during this time (or really ever) is not recommended.
Support your gut
Research shows that the pill can lead to imbalanced gut bacteria and increased intestinal permeability, which creates an environment that allows for overgrowth of harmful bacteria. Because your gut is responsible for removing excess hormones from your body and regulating estrogen levels in the body, restoring gut health is crucial for balancing your hormones both on and off the pill. You can read my tips on supporting your gut naturally here, which include things like eating adequate fiber, pre and probiotics, and stress management. Supplements like L-glutamine and DGL can also be helpful.
Show your liver some love
The liver is responsible for processing and packaging up hormones to get them ready for elimination from the body. Since the pill is introducing extra hormones into your body, your liver might benefit from extra support throughout the process of your body beginning to cycle on it’s own. Frequently consuming things like quality animal proteins, dandelion root tea, dark leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, garlic and antioxidant rich berries are all excellent ways to help support the liver's ability to detox naturally. Talk to your provider about targeted herbs and supplements that help support hormone detoxification.
Manage stress
Chronic stress causes disruption of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, also known as the HPA axis. Because the hypothalamus and pituitary gland both play a role in regulating the menstrual cycle, chronic stress can have a harmful impact on normal reproductive functioning. Birth control itself is actually a stressor on the body that causes disruptions to cortisol and the stress response system. It’s super important create awareness around stress and to prioritize taking steps towards managing your stress in a way that feels genuine to you. This might include activities like gentle exercise, meditation, journaling, reading, and setting boundaries in your life so you have time for these self-care activities daily. Supportive herbs and supplements like adaptogens, such as ashwagandha, may also help — always consult your provider before starting supplements.
Grab our FREE Post Pill Supplement Guide
Learn about our top recommended supplements for effectively supporting a seamless transition off hormonal birth control in this FREE guide! Click here to access.
Post Birth-Control Supplement Guide
Learn about our top recommended supplements for effectively supporting a seamless transition off hormonal birth control in this FREE guide!
Final Thoughts
If you’re on the pill currently or you’ve had any experience taking birth control, the last thing I want is for you to feel guilty for doing so (I was personally on the pill for over 10 years!). I am by NO means anti-birth control. I want all women to have enough information to make an educated decision that works best for them. Whether you are transitioning off birth control, struggling with post-pill symptoms, or want to support your body better while on the pill, I hope that reading through this information helps you to feel empowered to take action and support your body. With a little intervention, your body can and will become balanced again!
If you’re interested in getting personalized support from our team of functional medicine dietitians with the transition off of birth control and with balancing your hormones, you can apply to work with us 1:1 below.