Changes in Psychological Symptoms in Women Taking Oral Contraceptives

Herzberg, Brenda; Coppen, Alec

doi:10.1192/bjp.116.531.161

Cited by 76 publications

(14 citation statements)

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“…Depression is among the many reported premenstrual symptoms [46,47]. It has also been suggested that use of oral contraceptives worsens depressive symptoms [13,[48][49][50]. We found that dietary intake of vitamin B 6 was more strongly associated with depressive symptoms in an older cohort than total intake or plasma PLP.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 49%

Vitamin B₆Is Associated with Depressive Symptomatology in Massachusetts Elders

Merete

Falcón

Tucker

2008

Journal of the American College of Nutrition

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Objective-We examined the cross-sectional relationship between dietary vitamin B 6 and plasma pyridoxyl-5′-phosphate concentrations (PLP) with depressive symptomatology among a representative sample of 618 elderly Caribbean Hispanics, and a neighborhood based comparison group of 251 non-Hispanic white (NHW) older adults in Massachusetts.Methods-Depressive symptomatology was assessed with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). 41% of Hispanics and 22.6% of NHWs had CES-D scores greater than 16, indicating depressive caseness. Dietary intake was calculated from a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) designed for this population.Results-PLP was significantly associated with CES-D score and depressive caseness in the total sample and in non-supplement users. Deficient levels of plasma PLP (plasma PLP < 20 nmol/L) approximately doubled the likelihood of depressive caseness. Total intake (diet + supplement) of vitamin B 6 was not associated with these outcomes. However, dietary vitamin B 6 was significantly associated with CES-D score and depressive caseness.Conclusion-Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the direction of causality between vitamin B 6 and depressive symptoms.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 49%

Vitamin B₆Is Associated with Depressive Symptomatology in Massachusetts Elders

Merete

Falcón

Tucker

2008

Journal of the American College of Nutrition

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“…One of the recognized adverse reactions to oral contraceptives (OC) is depression (1)(2)(3). The control of mood is thought to be related in some way to the function in the brain of serotonin (4) and/or noradrenaline (5) which are synthesized from the precursor amino acids tryptophan and tyrosine following a carrier-mediated transport into the brain (6.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Oral Contraceptives on Tryptophan and Tyrosine Availability: Evidence for a Possible Contribution to Mental Depression

Møller¹

1981

Neuropsychobiology

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The plasma concentrations of branched-chain and aromatic amino acids, free tryptophan, and kynurenine have been determined in oral contraceptive users and comparable controls. There were no differences between progestogen users and controls in either of the biochemical measurements. The estrogen-progestogen users showed elevated plasma levels of total tryptophan and decreased levels of tyrosine. Mestranol was less potent than ethinylestradiol on the effect on plasma tyrosine. There was a clear trend that the incidence of adverse reactions was related to the decrease in tyrosine levels. The plasma ratio of tryptophan to competing amino acids was increased in the estrogen-progestogen users, whereas the ratio of tyrosine to competitors was severely decreased suggesting a decreased brain tyrosine concentration. It is suggested that a substrate-limited reduction in brain noradrenaline synthesis may contribute to the occurrence of depressive symptoms in susceptible individuals on estrogen-progestogen contraceptives.

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“…The introduction of safe, effective, and reliable contraception coincided with (and arguably led to) second-wave feminism, enabling women to assume formerly inaccessible roles in education, the arts, and the workforce (see discussion in Traulsen, Haugbølle, and Bissell, 2003). In 2007 in the United Kingdom, 40-54% of women aged 16-34 and 27% of women under the age of 50 reported currently using Recently, researchers have documented negative effects on mood and psychological well-being as a consequence of HC use in women (Bancroft, Sanders, Warner, and Loudon, 1987;Herzberg and Coppen, 1970;Kahn and Halbreich, 2001; Kurshan and Epperson, 2006;Oinonen and Mazmanian, 2002). DeSoto, Geary, Hoard, Sheldon, and Cooper (2003) found that women using HCs exhibited more symptoms of borderline personality disorder (BPD), a disorder characterized by a pervasive pattern of instability in affect regulation, impulse control, interpersonal relationships, and self-image (Lieb, Zanarini, Schmahl, Linehan, and Bohus, 2004), and that women with high pre-existing levels of BPD symptoms became significantly worse after starting HC use (DeSoto et al, 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychobehavioral Effects of Hormonal Contraceptive Use

Welling

2013

Evol Psychol

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Abstract:Although female use of hormonal contraceptives (HCs) has been associated with a variety of physical side effects, the psychological and behavioral side effects have received comparatively little attention until recently. Indeed, the long-term impact of HC use on human psychology has been vastly under-researched and has only recently become a focus for mainstream scholars. Women who use HCs report higher rates of depression, reduced sexual functioning, and higher interest in short-term sexual relationships compared to their naturally-cycling counterparts. Also, HC use may alter women's ability to attract a mate, as well as the mate retention behaviors in both users and their romantic partners. Some evidence even suggests that HC use alters mate choice and may negatively affect sexual satisfaction in parous women, with potential effects on future offspring. Interestingly, HCs have become a standard method of population control for captive nonhuman primates, opening up exciting avenues for potential comparative research. Here, the existing literature on the psychobehavioral effects of HCs in humans and nonhuman primates is reviewed and discussed. The potential resulting downstream consequences for the path of human evolution and recommendations for how future research could tease apart the underlying causes of these psychobehavioral effects of HC use are discussed, including suggestions for research involving nonhuman primates.

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Changes in Psychological Symptoms in Women Taking Oral Contraceptives

Abstract: The premenstrual syndrome first described by Frank (1931) includes a number of psychological and physical symptoms appearing in the week before menstruation and relieved by the onset of the period. The aetiology is still obscure.

Cited by 76 publications

References 5 publications

Vitamin B₆Is Associated with Depressive Symptomatology in Massachusetts Elders

Vitamin B₆Is Associated with Depressive Symptomatology in Massachusetts Elders

Effect of Oral Contraceptives on Tryptophan and Tyrosine Availability: Evidence for a Possible Contribution to Mental Depression

Psychobehavioral Effects of Hormonal Contraceptive Use

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Changes in Psychological Symptoms in Women Taking Oral Contraceptives

Abstract: The premenstrual syndrome first described by Frank (1931) includes a number of psychological and physical symptoms appearing in the week before menstruation and relieved by the onset of the period. The aetiology is still obscure.

Cited by 76 publications

References 5 publications

Vitamin B6Is Associated with Depressive Symptomatology in Massachusetts Elders

Vitamin B6Is Associated with Depressive Symptomatology in Massachusetts Elders

Effect of Oral Contraceptives on Tryptophan and Tyrosine Availability: Evidence for a Possible Contribution to Mental Depression

Psychobehavioral Effects of Hormonal Contraceptive Use

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Product

Resources

About

Vitamin B₆Is Associated with Depressive Symptomatology in Massachusetts Elders

Vitamin B₆Is Associated with Depressive Symptomatology in Massachusetts Elders