The Shocking Nutrient Deficiencies Caused by Birth Control!
If you’ve been on birth control for years, there’s something you need to know. The pill doesn’t just impact your hormones—it drains key nutrients from your body, and most women are never warned about it. These deficiencies can affect your energy, mood, metabolism, and even your skin and hair.
Have you ever felt more exhausted, anxious, or struggled with weight gain while on birth control? It might not be in your head—your body could be missing essential vitamins and minerals that play a role in everything from hormone production to brain function.
In this post, I’ll cover some of the major nutrient deficiencies caused by birth control—but for the full breakdown and solutions, be sure to watch my latest YouTube video at the end!
Why Does Birth Control Deplete Nutrients?
Your liver works extra hard to process synthetic hormones from the pill, and in doing so, it burns through key vitamins and minerals. On top of that, birth control can affect gut health, making it harder for your body to absorb nutrients properly—even if you’re eating a healthy diet.
Over time, these deficiencies can lead to symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, mood swings, weight gain, poor skin healing, and even hair loss. Let’s go over a few of the biggest ones you need to know about.
Key Nutrient Deficiencies Caused by Birth Control
1. Folic Acid (Vitamin B9) – Energy, Detox & Fertility
Folic acid is essential for DNA repair, red blood cell production, and liver detox. Without enough, your body struggles to get rid of excess hormones, leading to imbalances.
🚨 Deficiency Symptoms:
Fatigue & brain fog (low oxygen delivery to cells)
Higher risk of birth defects if you get pregnant right after stopping the pill
Poor detoxification (your liver needs folate to clear out hormones effectively!)
💊 How to fix it: Look for methylfolate (the active form of folate), and eat more leafy greens, beans, and avocados.
2. Vitamin B6 – Mood, Hormones & PMS
Vitamin B6 is crucial for neurotransmitter production, including serotonin and dopamine, which control mood. Low B6 levels can make you more prone to depression, mood swings, and even increased PMS symptoms.
🚨 Deficiency Symptoms:
Increased anxiety, mood swings, and irritability
More intense PMS symptoms (since B6 helps balance estrogen & progesterone)
Weakened immune function (B6 is key for immune cell production)
💊 How to fix it: Load up on bananas, salmon, poultry, and avocado, or supplement with P5P (the active form of B6).
3. Magnesium – Stress, Sleep & Digestion
Magnesium is a natural muscle relaxant, which means it helps with stress, sleep, and digestion. The pill burns through magnesium quickly, which is why so many women experience more stress, headaches, and even constipation while taking it.
🚨 Deficiency Symptoms:
Muscle cramps & tension headaches (magnesium helps muscles relax!)
Poor sleep & increased anxiety (low magnesium = higher cortisol)
Constipation (magnesium helps keep digestion moving)
💊 How to fix it: Magnesium glycinate is best for sleep & relaxation, while magnesium citrate helps with digestion.
What Other Nutrients Are You Missing?
There are several more key nutrients that birth control depletes, including ones that impact your thyroid, metabolism, and skin health. But to get the full list and learn exactly how to fix these deficiencies, watch my latest YouTube video here: https://youtu.be/v8MAfVtxIgI?si=875BjWgyjg9beyKI
And if you’re struggling with hormone imbalances, weight gain, or just feeling “off” after years on birth control, you don’t have to figure it out alone! Inside my private membership community, I help women 40+ balance their hormones, reset their metabolism, and feel like themselves again—without restrictive diets or endless guessing.
👉 Join here: https://drreneewellenstein.thrivecart.com/mood-mindset-and-metabolism-for-women/
💬 Have you noticed any changes in your body after being on birth control? Let me know in the comments below!