74: Does Birth Control Mess with Your Hormones

Birth control is often handed out as the quick fix for every hormonal symptom—painful periods, acne, mood swings, irregular cycles—but what if it’s actually making things worse?

In this week’s episode, Vanda breaks down what really happens to your hormones when you’re on birth control. You’ll learn how it shuts down communication between your brain and ovaries, which nutrients it depletes (and how that impacts your energy, mood, and thyroid), and what symptoms might actually be linked to the pill—like fatigue, low libido, and anxiety.

Whether you’re currently taking birth control or considering coming off, this episode will help you make an informed decision and start supporting your body naturally.

💜 Learn how to protect your hormones, replenish what’s been depleted, and take back control of your health—without judgment or confusion.

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Transcript

Vanda:
Hey, hey—welcome back to the podcast!

Today, we’re diving into a big topic I get asked about all the time: birth control.

Now, if you’ve followed me for a while, you probably know that I have strong feelings about this topic. Some people might even say I’m “against birth control,” and honestly—they’re not completely wrong. But it’s not that simple.

What I’m really against is the lack of education around birth control. Most women are prescribed it without understanding what it’s doing to their body, and that was me too. I was on birth control for almost 10 years, and I had no idea what it was actually doing. I just wish I’d been better informed—both when I started and while I was on it.

To be clear, I don’t think birth control is inherently bad or that it shouldn’t be available. It absolutely has its place, and for some women, it’s the right choice. My goal today is simply to educate you—so that if you are on it, you can support your body and minimize some of the side effects that can come along with it.

How Birth Control Affects Hormone Communication

One of the biggest reasons I’m not a fan of hormonal birth control is because it shuts down the communication between your brain and your ovaries.

When you’re on the pill, your body isn’t making its own natural hormones. Instead, you’re getting synthetic hormones from the medication. That means your body isn’t actually cycling—it’s just being told what to do.

And here’s something most women don’t realize: you’re not having a real period while on birth control. Those “periods” are actually withdrawal bleeds that happen during the placebo (or sugar pill) week. Your endometrial lining isn’t going through the same natural buildup and shedding process it would during a true cycle. That’s why I say birth control turns off one of your body’s most important communication systems.

For me, that just doesn’t sit well. Our cycles are beautifully designed to function a certain way, and shutting that off for years at a time can have ripple effects.

The Hidden Impact: Nutrient Depletion

The second big reason I take issue with birth control is the nutrient depletion it causes.

When you’re on the pill, your body loses key vitamins and minerals that are essential for energy, mood, thyroid health, and hormone production. Here are the main ones:

• B Vitamins (B2, B6, B12, Folate): Low levels can cause fatigue, mood swings, and poor energy production.
• Magnesium: Required for over 300 enzyme functions—it helps calm your nervous system, prevent cramps, and regulate sleep and PMS.
• Zinc & Selenium: Crucial for immune function, thyroid support, and healthy skin.
• Vitamin C & E: Powerful antioxidants that protect your cells from stress and inflammation.
• CoQ10: Supports your mitochondria—the “powerhouse” of your cells—and helps with energy production.
• Probiotics/Gut Flora: Birth control disrupts your gut bacteria balance, which affects digestion, estrogen recycling, and even mood.

When these nutrients are depleted, you’re more likely to experience symptoms like anxiety, fatigue, low libido, PMS, hair loss, and acne—but most women are never told that.

If you’re currently taking birth control, a high-quality multivitamin can help fill some of these gaps. I love Thorne’s Basic Nutrients Two-A-Day, or for those planning pregnancy soon, FullWell’s Prenatal. You can find both through my Fullscript dispensary (linked in the show notes).

Common Symptoms Linked to Birth Control

Let’s talk about what you might actually feel while on the pill:

• Mood swings, anxiety, or depression (often tied to B6 depletion and disrupted gut health)
• Fatigue and low energy (due to mitochondrial depletion and thyroid suppression)
• Low libido (from elevated sex hormone-binding globulin, which lowers testosterone)
• Weight gain and fluid retention (linked to cortisol and inflammation)
• GI distress or IBS-like symptoms (from gut disruption and bile flow changes)
• Hair loss and acne (due to synthetic progestins and zinc depletion)

These symptoms aren’t “random” or “just part of womanhood”—they’re often your body’s way of telling you it’s out of balance.

How to Support Your Body

If you’re on birth control—or planning to come off soon—you can absolutely take steps to support your body:

1. Replenish nutrients. Use a high-quality multivitamin and mineral supplement.
2. Focus on gut health. Add probiotics and fiber-rich foods.
3. Test and personalize. Consider running an HTMA test to see which minerals your body actually needs.
4. Plan ahead. If you’re planning to stop birth control, start rebuilding nutrients 3–6 months beforehand to reduce post-pill side effects or cycle disruptions.

Final Thoughts

I know this episode might sound “anti-birth control,” but truly—it’s about empowerment.

I want you to make decisions with full awareness of what’s happening inside your body. Because when I was younger, no one told me any of this. I would’ve supported myself differently if I’d known.

If you’re struggling with painful cramps, heavy bleeding, PMS, or infertility, those are signs your hormones need support—and that’s what I help women with every day through my programs and testing.

You can find links in the show notes to join my email community, subscribe to the podcast, or apply to work with me 1:1.

Thanks for tuning in, and I’ll see you next Tuesday!