Birth Control Pills = Antimuscle?

I heard about this today:http://www.emaxhealth.com/1020/4/30522/women- using-birth-control-pill-develop-less-muscle- mass.html

"They found significant differences in lean mass gains, but not in strength or muscleresponse between the two groups."

Honestly this explains why I have been doing hard strength workouts (NROLFW, some Body For Life) and not seen many results - I'm still pretty "flabby" even after strength training with heavy weights for months on end, even though I can lift fairly heavy weights "for a girl."

This angers me a LOT. Just type in "birth control muscle" into google and read it! Maybe I'm late with this, but I just wish I could have known this rather than get angry trying to "tone up," modifing routine after routine and still ending up with the same body.

However, in this article (http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/43 210/title/Birth_control_pills_can_limit_muscl e-training_gains) the researcher says that some BC pills don't seem to cause the muscle prevention, but doesn't say which. Can anyone say that they've been fine on their pill?

http://www.wdxcyber.com/ncontr13.htm

This site talks about the potency and dosages of progestrine in oral contraceptives, as well as how they affect you physiologically. Towards the bottom it has a neat little chart listing which pills are well suited for different problems according to their levels of estrogen and progestrine.

Hope this helps!

What kind of birth control are you on, if you don't mind my asking?

After reading your post I did some quick research (very quick, so I admit I probably haven't uncovered all the facts). I am on the pill as well- and just switched brands, so I was worried. I started weight training in April and saw good results. At the time I was taking yaz, which is estradiol. According to this article: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/43 210/title/Birth_control_pills_can_limit_muscl e-training_gains the type of pill that hinders muscle gain is progestin.  "Further analysis showed that not all pill users had an equally hard time gaining muscle through exercise. So Lee analyzed the formula for each woman’s contraceptive and found that many types contained progestins — a synthetic form of progesterone, a natural female sex hormone. In tests, he showed that these synthetic hormones bind to the androgen receptor in cells — the same receptor that binds male sex steroids, such as DHEA and DHEAS."

I recently switched to seasonique which is also estradiol. I haven't been on it long enough to tell you what sort of effects I have had. But I know that on yaz I didn't have any problems.

estradiol has negative effects as well, as it also binds to the androgen receptors which in turn blocks testosterone from binding to it. There are no birth-control pills that i know of that do not have negative effects when it comes to weight-loss and muscle gain, which is unfortuante for the many who use them

I have heard this info about the pill also.  I might explain why I haven't changed my body and work out 5-6 days a wk, both wts and cardio. It is very frustrating.  Does anyone know of birth control that doesn't affect weight loss?

I've been on BC pills for over 20 years now (showing my age, there!), and have not had them affect weight gain or weight loss in any noticable way.  In fact, I've lost more weight while on the pill than I have during times when I wasn't on the pill.  My eating and exercise patterns are the only things that I've found to affect my weight gain or loss.

Right now I'm on seasonique, which I've been on for a year.  I'm also doing NROLFW and having no problem gaining muscle so far.  The fat is a little stubborn with NROLFW, but that's because I'm not creating huge calorie deficits with this program the way I have during other times I've lost weight.

I'm just one person, though. YMMV.  Who knows, maybe I'd look like Ahnold if I wasn't on the pill! 

I've been on Seasonale for 4 years now, the first 2 years on the brand name and then the last 2 on the generic. I have gained a good amount of weight in those past few years, but I think it was mainly because I moved out of my teens into my 20s, and started lifting heavily.

I never had any trouble with building muscle, but that could just be me. I mean, now it makes me wonder what I would possibly look like without the pill?

Original Post by ching12:

estradiol has negative effects as well, as it also binds to the androgen receptors which in turn blocks testosterone from binding to it. There are no birth-control pills that i know of that do not have negative effects when it comes to weight-loss and muscle gain, which is unfortuante for the many who use them

 I am not saying this isn't true, just that the article I read said that its the progestin that binds to androgyn receptors.

Either way, yaz didn't affect me, and hopefully seasonique won't either.

There are multiple compounds that compete for the androgen receptors, two of those being estardiol and progestin. I would also go as far as to say that estradiol is the worst offender when it comes to the receptors

Im not sure of what is in yaz or seasonique so i wont comment there, however all bc pills are hormonal, and will have a negative effect. How much it effects each person is highly variable, and just because you havent had much trouble doesnt mean they do not have an impact on  you.

I disagree with the idea that the effects of hormonal birth control are universally negative.  I took Yaz for PMDD (severe PMS).  Before I was on it, I was severely restricted in activity because of mood swings and pain.  I could not maintain any regular schedule of physical activity (nor did I want to while depressed). 

After starting it, I was able to start and maintain a regular schedule of exercise and eating better.  I lost 45 pounds within 10 months and have kept it off (even losing more afterwards).  I stopped taking it a month ago due to loss of insurance.  I'm still feeling really good. 

Combining calorie counting with exercise has helped me strengthen and define my muscles while burning the fat. 

As with all medications, the benefits should outweigh the possible side effects.  But it really bothers me that women will automatically blame hormonal birth control for weight gain, plateaus or now this lack of muscle building ability. 

Well, I'm on Ocella (generic Yasmin) and while I THINK I've been ok - maybe a little bloaty - I've always been frustrated that I haven't gained much muscle (though I have been getting progressively stronger). I'm also frustrated that my doctor didn't tell me this fact. Oh well.

I'm glad to hear that it doesn't seem to affect everyone!

Original Post by leesamurmur:

Well, I'm on Ocella (generic Yasmin) and while I THINK I've been ok - maybe a little bloaty - I've always been frustrated that I haven't gained much muscle (though I have been getting progressively stronger). I'm also frustrated that my doctor didn't tell me this fact. Oh well.

I'm glad to hear that it doesn't seem to affect everyone!

If you're in a caloric deficit anyway, you can't build muscle. You have to eat at maintenance calories PLUS to build muscle, which I doubt you're doing.

on yasmin, have been for four years, and i have no trouble gaining muscle.  But I am one of those people who gains muscle practically just by looking at a weight. 

I just found a good article on this.

http://figureathlete.tmuscle.com/article/feat ures/does_birth_control_impact_your_progress

Thank you so much for posting this article!  It has convinced me to go off of the pill and try the IUD to see if that is what is stopping me from losing those last 10 pounds!  I have been on the pill for a while and think it would do my body some good also.  

Yeah I am also wondering if I should get off the pill as well. I haven't experienced any real negative health effects, but the increased risk of cancer is a worry to me.

Substances that interfere with normal body chemistry and function are not good over long periods of time, especially hormones that impact all processes. The pill is a nice treatment for terrible cramps or heavy flow but I would'n go on it without a serious medical reason.

I'm on occela (the generic of yasmin) and I a cyclist.  I haven't had any trouble increasing my muscle for biking and have had a lot of success increasing speed and endurance over the last few years.  While I'm not a crazy super athlete, I have seen steady improvement at the rate I would expect. Hope that helps!