P-pills and vitamins

Nordho, K.

Tidsskrift for den Norske Laegeforening Tidsskrift for Praktisk Medicin Ny Raekke 95(15): 962-963

1975


ISSN/ISBN: 0029-2001
PMID: 1145566
Document Number: 93340
A summary of the effects of contraceptive pills on vitamins in the b lood is presented. The significant increase of Vitamin-A in the plasma of contraceptive users is believed to be a result of the increase of bet alipoprotein, which binds chiefly to Vitamin-A. Although high concentrations of Vitamin-A have caused teratogenicity in test animals, the increase found in humans using contraceptive pills is not high enough to cause risk. A lowering of Vitamin-B6 (pyridoxin) levels has occurred with the use of contraceptive pills. This can cause alteration in the metabolism of tryptophan, which could cause depression in pill users. The lack of pyridoxine can also increase the production of xanthuric acid which binds with insulin, resulting in a decreased glucose tolerance. A decrease in folic acid in pill users has also been observed, caused by some effect of the pill on the folate deconjugate. The Vitamin-B12 level is also lowered for unascertainable reasons related to the decrease in folic acid. No anemia occurs in spite of the lowered Vitamin-B complex levels in the blood. A lack in Vitamin-C in users of pills containing estrogens is possibly effected by a corresponding increase between estrogens and ceruloplasmin, a protein active in the oxidation of ascorbic acid. This lack of Vitamin-C has had no clinical significance thus far.

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