Avoid Birth Control Pills

An article in Family Practice News contained the headline:  Oral Contraceptives May Be Linked to Atherosclerosis.  The article contained information from 1,301 Belgian women aged 35-55.  Each 10 year use of oral contraceptives was associated with a 42% increase risk of bilateral carotid (the arteries in the neck) plaque.  There was also a 34% increase risk of femoral artery (leg) plaque. This study also showed much higher markers of inflammation in oral contraceptive users as compared to non-users.  The biggest shock of this report was the summary which stated, “The finding was quite a shock.  But, there is no need to panic. The next step should be to look at other data sets that include women who used oral contraceptives to see if the finding is replicated.”

Can you imagine if a supplement was found to cause a 42% increase risk of plaque in the carotid arteries?  There would be an immediate call for the removal of the supplement and congressional hearings would commence. I am not quite sure what the “shock” is all about.  Oral contraceptives totally disrupt the normal hormonal cascade, as I have discussed in The Miracle of Natural Hormones, 3^rd Edition.   When the hormonal system is disrupted, cardiovascular disease, cancer, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and other serious illnesses will increase.  My clinical experience has clearly shown that it is impossible to adequately treat these illnesses if there is an imbalanced hormonal system. 

I do not recommend the use of oral contraceptives for any reason.  There are other safer and effective methods of contraception that are available.  I have seen many women who have overcome serious chronic illnesses by removing oral contraceptives and taking the appropriate supplements to help rebalance the hormonal system.  Finally, the only hormones that should be used a bioidentical, natural hormones.