The Birth Control-Libido-Nutrient Connection You Need To Know About

"It all started about three months after I began the pill," my 33-year-old patient Joanne told me during our initial consultation. "My sex drive was nearly zero, and I literally had days when I couldn’t get out of bed. Things got so bad, my doctor eventually suggested Prozac."

As a naturopathic doctor who helps women reverse autoimmune disease and balance their hormones, I see many women like Joanne who struggle with these and other side effects from using oral contraceptives. Many express frustration when I reveal what their conventional doctor doesn’t: The pill can deplete nutrients like crazy, and the results aren’t pretty.

Let’s back up and look at vitamin B6 and depression. Studies show birth control users abnormally metabolize tryptophan, an amino acid that your body converts to the feel-good neurotransmitter serotonin. And researchers2 have suggested supplementing with 25 mg of tryptophan daily—that’s 12 times the normal recommended daily amount—to correct the problem. Another ancient study3 (ancient in science terms, at least) found 80 percent of oral contraceptive users had a relative B6 deficiency and 20 percent an absolute deficiency. Here’s the link: You need vitamin B6 to convert that amino acid (tryptophan) into serotonin.

"You don’t need Prozac," I told Joanne. "You need to optimize your nutrient intake." It isn’t just vitamins that get depleted, I explained to her. Birth control pills deplete a ton of nutrients. "Oral contraceptives cause a depletion of a wide range of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, neurotransmitters, and antioxidants," writes Pelton in his book The Pill Problem. "In most cases, a woman is unaware of a problem until 20 or 30 years later." Pelton says most doctors aren’t aware such problems exist because they don’t have time to research the latest studies to see how oral contraceptives potentially increase your risk for numerous problems including depression, weakened immunity, heart disease, and cancer.

For Joanne and other patients who are on birth control pills—or who visit me to discuss alternatives—my first recommendation is a nutrient-dense diet. Studies8 show that women are already low in nutrients like riboflavin, so birth control pills only make the risk of deficiency worse. The dietary plan I give my patients includes plenty of protein-rich foods like wild-caught fish, antioxidant rock stars like leafy and cruciferous veggies, as well as berries, avocado, and other low-sugar fruits, and mineral-rich nuts and seeds.

And even with an optimal diet, I use supplements to optimize nutrient intake for current and former birth control users. Researchers suggest4 dietary supplements as a first-line approach to prevent birth-control-related nutrient deficiencies. Along with an optimal diet, I had Joanne initially take:

1. A full-spectrum, professional-grade multivitamin-mineral.

2. Fish oil: Studies9 show birth control increases your risk for inflammatory conditions like Crohn’s disease and a high-grade fish oil can help combat this risk.

3. CoQ10: for extra antioxidant support.

4. A B-vitamin complex: to replace B vitamins depleted by the pill.

5. Magnesium: Taken before bedtime, this mineral helps patients relax and get better sleep.

6. Vitamin D: Studies10 show women who stop taking the pill, like Joanne did, have significantly lower vitamin D levels.

Two months later, Joanne had a follow-up visit, and she felt significantly more confident and upbeat. Her sex drive was returning to normal, and she felt more confident in yoga class.

Wendie Trubow, M.D. stresses the importance of monitoring your body when you’re on the pill and taking measures to counteract any imbalances that arise.