dropSoul Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 CHICAGO - Young women seeking a sculpted, muscular silhouette may want to avoid taking oral contraceptives, U.S. researchers said on Friday. They found women who were not taking birth control pills gained 60 percent more muscle mass after a 10-week weight training program than those who were. The study, led by Chang-Woock Lee and Steven Riechman of Texas A&M University in College Station and Mark Newman of the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, will be presented at the American Physiological Society meeting in New Orleans this weekend. The researchers studied 73 generally healthy women between 18 and 31 who completed a whole-body resistance exercise training program. About half took the pill and half did not. The women were encouraged to eat at least half a gram of protein per pound of body weight each day — about a third more than recommended by U.S. nutritional guidelines — to ensure they got enough protein and calories to build muscle. Both groups exercised three times a week under the supervision of exercise physiologists, performing the same number and intensity of exercises. At the end of the 10 weeks, the women who were not taking oral contraceptives had built significantly more lean muscle. And blood samples before and after the training period showed the women on the pill had lower levels of muscle-building hormones such as testosterone and far higher levels of muscle-breaking hormones such as cortisol. In a statement the team said that oral contraceptives appear to have a negative effect on women's ability to build lean muscle, but they added that future studies were needed to explain why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vegan Joe Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Hope You don't mind if I hi-jack your thread for a minute. I can't for the life of me understand why a women would want to take a chance on those birth controls that illiminate their monthy cycle. Seems like playing Russan roulette. OK they are an inconvenience, and quite an ordeal for some. It's that I don't understand how a women would want to possibly jeopardise her life. Yeah I know what the FDA and the pill companies say, but we have heard that before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcina Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 I had the suspicion that birth controls inhibited muscle growth for awhile. It's one of the reasons I quit taking it. I figured this out while surfing a forum and saw a thread about anti-estrogen supplements (for men) and thought to myself "Well I'm putting MORE estrogen in my body with the birth control pill.. Making it even more difficult for my body to put on muscle". I quit taking it and noticed a difference in my strength gains very quickly.Then a couple months later this study came out to prove my suspicion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshsocks Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Yep, that's what happens when you take something which drastically lowers your testosterone supply. Apparently it makes you lose your labido as well, or so I heard on the radio today.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lobsteriffic Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 If you don't mind me asking, women who have quit taking it but are in a steady relationship, what DO you use then? Condoms? I'm not really willing to go by the rhythm method at this point in my life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelhobson Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 The Mirena IUD worked well for us for several years. They do release hormones, but at lower levels than the pill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcina Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 I use condoms. About the lowered libido though, I always have that, pill or not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelhobson Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 About the lowered libido though, I always have that, pill or not Haha yeah, I haven't seen the pill have that affect either. Regardless of the physical aspects, there is a real mental/emotional boost when you're trying NOT to have children and can be reasonably assured that conception isn't going to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dropSoul Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 Condoms + sponge and or condom + diaphragm and emergency contraception should an accident occur. Avoid the spermicide until after the oral on you, which hopefully your lover is into (cuz it rocks) and then have him insert the diaphragm with clean, sperm free hands. Then you can put his condom on in some way, like with your mouth involved. It should be fun! Having a baby when you're not ready is really bad for all involved, so be consistently careful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couture547 Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Hope You don't mind if I hi-jack your thread for a minute. I can't for the life of me understand why a women would want to take a chance on those birth controls that illiminate their monthy cycle. Seems like playing Russan roulette. OK they are an inconvenience, and quite an ordeal for some. It's that I don't understand how a women would want to possibly jeopardise her life. Yeah I know what the FDA and the pill companies say, but we have heard that before. Yes i agree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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