Birth Control Pills Are Not Real Hormones

By: Pamela Egan, MN, NP, CDE, ABAAHP

I had a thirteen year old patient with her Mother present to my clinic for Birth Control Pills to treat her acne.

I’m asked on a daily basis to prescribe Birth Control Pills to younger and younger women, and must admit that I don’t condone the use of Birth Control Pills despite the lower dose. I am appalled that these synthetic chemicals have been approved for use in young girls with acne. How will their breast tissue be affected?

Synthetic chemicals that interfere with our body’s hormone balance aren’t really needed, but we are brainwashed to think that we need them. The literature shows that high-estrogen birth control pills contributed to breast cancer, embolisms and stroke. The newer, lower dose birth control pills, although popular, continue to cause serious health risks for women.

Currently, 17 million plus American women are using birth control pills, spending $3 billion plus per year. The pill is being used today in young girls with painful, irregular, or heavy periods. Cramping, painful and irregular periods are often due to a deficiency of progesterone and excess estrogen. Synthetic Estrogen birth control pills often compound the problem. Side effects seen with these pills include weight gain, mood swings and breast tenderness.

Other birth control methods substitute synthetic Progestin for natural Progesterone. Unlike natural Progesterone which is an anti-depressant, anti-anxiety, and sleeping pill, Progestin can cause depression, anxiety, insomnia and mood swings. It is not uncommon for a 20 year old new to the birth control pill to follow up with her clinician complaining of depression and anxiety only to be placed on an anti-depressant.

It is important to realize that medications lead to nutritional deficiencies. All synthetic birth control methods lead to deficiencies in vitamins B2, B3, B6, B12, Vitamin C, Folic Acid, Magnesium, Selenium, & Zinc. Anti-depressants lead to deficiencies in Vitamin B-12 and Coenzyme Q-10. In addition to nutritional deficiencies, birth control pills lead to yeast overgrowth.

Furthermore, when estrogen levels remain high without being balanced by progesterone, some side effects we know about include: Increased risk of breast cancer, increased risk of blood clots, heart attack and stroke, migraines, gall bladder disease, increased blood pressure, weight gain, mood changes, nausea, irregular bleeding or spotting, benign liver tumors, breast tenderness.

With the introduction of the birth control pill women thought we would have better, stress free lives. Ironically, we now have an epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases, cervical cancer, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and weight gain, not to mention Breast Cancer and Heart Disease that can be linked to birth control pills.

So from an acne standpoint, I treated my young patient with Vitamin D3, pharmaceutical grade probiotics, & Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Her face cleared up within one week. From a birth control standpoint, Male condoms continue to have a 98% effectiveness rate when used correctly, and are nearly as effective as birth control pills, diaphragms, cervical caps. How did they manage prior to the 60’s?

Pamela Egan, MN, NP, CDE, ABAAHP Diplomat (American Board of Anti-Aging Health Practitioners), is a board certified Adult & Family Nurse Practitioner, Certified Diabetes Educator, and Clinical Specialist in Gerontology/Mental Health. She can be reached @ 893-3737 or www.pamelaegan.com.