Rapid Fat Loss Diets

Saturday, January 30, 2010

The Pill And Fat Gain

By Katherine Crawford M.S.

They have changed and improved a lot since women first started taking them. You see, the newer versions are much easier on the female body, less potent and equally effective.

But you may be pondering if oral contraceptives can actually change your body for worse. In other words, do they cause fat gain? Because of the way health care works, you may or may not have gotten a definitive answer to this question.

The good news is that I have already done the homework for you. And I can say that the research does show a potential for fat gain when taking contraceptives. Here are the potential mechanisms of action:

1. Decreased insulin sensitivity. Insulin is a powerful hormone that shuffles nutrients into your body's tissues. When it doesn't function properly, you gain weight. And if you have a prior insulin resistance issue, oral contraceptives can magnify the issue.

2. Less catecholamines. Catecholamines are the fight or flight hormones your body secretes when the occasion arises. And they do a great job at mobilizing fat so that your body can burn it. In fact, a lot of energy pills are made to increase catecholamine secretion.

3. Compromised recovery. This happens because with contraceptives, your body might not get enough amino acids. And amino acids are responsible for repairing body tissues. Amino acids, by the way, are the building blocks of protein.

4. Bloating. Since contraceptives are estrogen-like substances, they can cause excessive water retention which can leave you with the dreaded bloated look. One way around this issue is to take diuretics. This approach, however, may not be very good for your health.

Now I don't recommend getting off of contraceptives quickly. This is a decision that should be looked at from many different angles.

Now if you feel like what you're taking is causing excess weight gain, you should talk to your primary care provider for additional options. You may want to try a less potent formulation or stop taking them altogether until you reach your goal.

Finally, I would like to point out that acting on the information in this article is critical if you don't want to forget what you have learned. - 17273

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