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The contraceptive pill (pill for short) contains a mixture of the female sex hormones oestrogen and progestogen. It is the most commonly used contraceptive in Germany and is considered to be almost 100% safe (if taken correctly, 3 out of 1000 women who take the pill for a year will become pregnant).
In addition to the well-known side effects such as nausea, migraines, mood swings and weight gain, the pill can also disrupt the body's balance of vital substances and its ability to keep blood sugar levels under control.
The B-vitamin metabolism is particularly affected by this; women who take the pill have a significantly higher need for vitamins B1, B2, vitamin B12, folic acid and especially vitamin B6 (niacin). This is because the amino acid tryptophan (a precursor of niacin) is metabolised more strongly through the use of the pill.
They also usually have an increased need for zinc (just one of our zinc tablets covers the daily requirement), magnesium, vitamin D and vitamin C.
The hormones put additional strain on the body, so it needs more vitamins and minerals than usual. This can be exacerbated by stress, a diet or smoking and lead to chronic nutrient deficiencies.
The B vitamins are virtually "gobbled up" by the pill, yet they are essential for the nervous system, healthy skin and hair, the immune system and a functioning metabolism.
Women who stop taking the pill to get pregnant in particular need to make sure they take additional folic acid. The oestrogens in the pill lead to a reduction in blood levels of folic acid and therefore increase the risk of damage to the embryo in the first few weeks of pregnancy. Ideally, there should therefore be a few weeks between stopping the pill and trying to get pregnant, but in any case women should start taking an orthomolecular folic acid supplement (> 400 micrograms per day) in advance.
