Certain Birth Control Pills Linked to Diabetes Risk and Blood Sugar Regulation Issues: Study

Research indicates women have seen an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes in recent decades, correlating with an increased use of birth control pills.

Although studies have shown that women recently surpassed men in their risk for certain metabolic illnesses, researchers have not previously looked into whether the increasing usage of birth control pills may be causing diabetes and other related conditions.

Birth control pills alter the levels of estrogen and progestin in women’s bodies, which are hormones that are integral to regulating metabolism, the process of converting food into energy. Interference with metabolic processes can lead to increased risks of obesity, heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes, which are all metabolic conditions.

In a new study published in the journal Nutrients on October 15, researchers indicate that certain birth control pills may increase glucose and insulin levels among women, which can lead to illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, meaning there could be a correlation between birth control and diabetes, as well as other metabolic conditions.

Birth Control and Diabetes in Women

A team of researchers led by Julia M. Cree of the University of Auckland in New Zealand have concluded that birth control pills containing androgenic progestins could be detrimental to certain metabolic processes, including an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Cree’s team chose 21 women who were regular users of either androgenic or anti-androgenic birth control pills. They then tested the women’s blood sugar levels while the women were fasting before consuming a 60 gram glucose drink. After consuming the drink, the participants’ blood sugar levels were checked once again.

Participants were tested during the active pill phase, which is when they take a pill containing the hormones, as well as during the inactive phase, when the pill they take does not contain hormones.

Researchers found that glucose levels were significantly higher in androgenic pill users during the active pill-taking phase, as opposed to anti-androgenic pill users, who saw no significant change in their glucose levels throughout the tests.

“These findings highlight an acute, but potentially detrimental, influence of the combined OCP (oral contraceptive pill) on glucose homeostasis, particularly in users of formulations containing androgenic progestogens,” Cree said. “Given the high global prevalence of OCP use and increasingly common prolonged active pill regimens, which may continue for months, years or even decades, potential cumulative effects of such changes on metabolic risk demand further investigation.”

The researchers recommend more carefully controlled randomized trials to confirm whether there is a link between birth control and diabetes, as well as what underlies the increased glucose levels. However, they point out that as birth control pill usage continues to increase, as well as incidences of metabolic conditions among women, these results deserve more attention.

Birth Control Pill Risks

Birth control pills have been linked to a number of adverse health conditions in recent years. A study published in September 2023 linked NSAID use with birth control pills to increased risks of embolisms and blood clots. NSAIDs are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin or Ibuprofen.

Other studies have linked birth control pills to increased rates of depression among women. Researchers theorized that this could be due to the hormonal changes women undergo as a result of taking birth control pills.

In addition, progesterone-only birth control pills may be responsible for an increased breast cancer risk among women who take them.

Roughly 65% of U.S. women use some form of birth control, with approximately one-quarter of them using hormonal birth control methods.