Myth Of The Month: The pill will make you fat

This past week I've had multiple patients, from age 17 to 35, tell me they've stopped the birth control pill--or don't want to start it--because they're afraid of gaining weight. Of all of the side effects attributed to the pill, weight gain causes the most universal fear. I'm glad to be able to tell my patients that the pill will NOT make them gain weight. When they look back at me doubtfully, I tell them three things:

A fantastic scientific review looked at the best studies that have been published, and didn't find any major effect of the birth control pill on weight. As part of my training, I did a review of almost 200 studies of "observational" trials, and I found the same thing--most women did not gain weight beyond what's expected, about a pound or two a year.

In many studies where one group of women used birth control pills, and another group of women used placebos, women in BOTH groups had similar effects on weight. Some women gained weight, and some women lost, but most women stayed the same, whether or not they were taking hormones.

The harsh reality is that over time, most of us gain weight. Our lifestyles change--we eat and exercise differently--and our metabolism changes, too. Some of these changes may happen while we're using the pill. I always felt that the pill was the reason I gained ten pounds when I was in a new relationship and started the Pill again. It took me a while to realize that when I was dating someone seriously, I not only worked out less, but ate out in restaurants more--a bad combination for my weight!

There are many reasons, of course, why we gain weight. If you gain a lot of weight very rapidly, and don't think your diet or your activity level are the cause, talk to your doctor. And I don't have a ready answer for why some of my patients gain a lot of weight on one birth control pill and are fine on another. But in general, the birth control pill is not to blame for weight gain. Have any of you experienced major changes in your weight while on the pill?

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From the Community…

Comments 1-9 of 9

Posted by anonymous Wed Jul 2, 2008 11:26am PDT

I have to say, that when I took the pill I definitely gained at least 4 pounds and on me that's very noticable.

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Posted by hmcook29 Wed Jul 2, 2008 11:43am PDT

I too gain weight while on the pill.

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Posted by Beth Wed Jul 2, 2008 12:54pm PDT

I switched to the pill from the Depo shot to stop gaining weight. I can say that I did not gain any weight while on the pill, it was all gained while I was on Depo Provera.

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Posted by elissyann Wed Jul 2, 2008 6:38pm PDT

I gained ten pounds almost instantly when I went on the pill. I never went up a dress size though, so I assume it's all water weight.

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Posted by Rae Thu Jul 3, 2008 8:48am PDT

I went on the NuvaRing in February and have not gained a single pound.

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Posted by weawoke Mon Jul 7, 2008 4:46pm PDT

I stayed exactly the same.

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Posted by syreeta44 Tue Jul 29, 2008 7:15pm PDT

I have been taking Orthro Micronor for about 12 days. I am shocked that
I have gained 4 pounds in twelve days. I exericse 6 days a week for thirty minutes and I eat a healthy low fat diet consisting of fruits,
vegetables, fish and no read meat. If I gain any more weight I'm done
because I cannot exercise anymore. I'm scared of the combo pill because
I ended in the ER after 6 days of usage (my whole right side went limp).
They are not sure if it was the Mircette or not. All this because of fibroids!

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Posted by Beck Tue Jul 29, 2008 7:33pm PDT

When I got on the pill at 15 (and still going strong on taking it religiously!), I weighed 115. Not even a month after I was on the pill, I weighed 125. For some reason, all I craved was salty foods (maybe the weight came from the salt retention, but it sucked!). I never did lose any weight once my body was used to being on the pill. But I think that was the only time I gained weight while on the pill, nothing has changed since.

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Posted by Mindy R Tue Aug 5, 2008 12:04pm PDT

My doctor switched me to yasmin last year (I've been on the pill for 8 years) and I had horrible mood swings and gained 10 pounds in 3 months. I had never had an experience like that with the pill before, but that one made me absolutely CRAZY!!! Fortunately, I went back to the doctor and got on a different pill.

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Comments 1-9 of 9

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