If you’ve ever taken or thought about taking hormonal birth control, you’ve probably heard that there’s a connection between your medication and your weight. Many women have gained weight using the pill or another hormonal birth control method and blamed the medicine, instead of external factors.
The latest trend is for women to attempt to find a birth control method that will help them lose weight. Search volume for “best birth control for weight loss” has skyrocketed recently, and doctors confirm that this practice isn’t a good idea.
The Truth about Birth Control and Weight Loss
Can birth control help you lose weight? There are currently no FDA-approved birth control medications for weight loss or any scientific studies that support a sustained benefit of weight loss from any birth control. So where does this myth come from?
Some experts contend that this might go back to the pill’s reputation as causing weight gain. But this “weight gain” is usually simply a short-term side effect of around three pounds that goes away after the first three months on birth control, and is often caused by temporary bloating or excess water weight. Some progestin-only birth control shots, like Depo-Provera, have been linked with weight gain. The same is true of Mirena and other IUDs.
How to Avoid Weight Gain from Birth Control
It’s simple to avoid weight gain from birth control, however, by using a combination hormone therapy, which uses both estrogen and progestin, as opposed to a progestin-only method. While some women have noticed weight loss effects from Yasmin, it seems to only be a diuretic effect, rather than full-on weight loss.
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| Yasmin from Bayer |
Remember that no birth control medication is currently FDA-approved for weight loss. By using a combination therapy birth control method, you’re less likely to gain weight on birth control as well. You should ultimately work with your doctor or gynecologist to select a birth control method that works best for your total health—not one that helps you lose weight. Birth control can make your periods lighter and more regular, reduce your cramps, help control acne, and balance hormone levels, among other things.
