I've had unprotected sex The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, or NCCAM, a division of the National Institutes of Health, recommends that women taking hormonal contraceptives do not take vitex.Dong quai, scientifically known as Angelica sinensis, is a member of the celery plant family. For the most part, you don't have to worry about taking these drugs. He received a Master of Science in nutrition from the University of Saskatchewan. Birth control pills contains a combination of female hormones that prevent pregnancy by stopping ovulation, the release of an egg from the ovaries. Read more: Supplements That May Interfere With Birth Control. Somer also suggests that although they're not vitamins, Oral contraceptives can cause you to become deficient in certain vitamins as well, Women who take birth control pills might also be deficient in Sara Ipatenco has taught writing, health and nutrition. Ipatenco holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in education, both from the University of Denver. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, mega-dosing vitamin C can cause a rise in estrogen levels when taken with oral contraceptives and hormone replacement drugs, particularly if the user is deficient in vitamin C to begin with Melatonin, a hormone secreted by the pineal gland within the brain in response to changing levels of light, promotes deep sleeps. Dong quai’s manipulation of female hormones means it may be unsafe to take dong quai with hormonal forms of contraceptives.Black cohosh, also known as rattleweed, bugbane, bugwort and black snakeroot, is a member of the buttercup family. Top answers from doctors based on your search: Disclaimer. John's wort, or Hypericum perforatum, is usually prepared as an herbal tincture and used to treat mild depression and anxiety. A 2006 study in rats published in Phytotherapy Research found dong quai had estrogen-like effects and changed the estrous cycle. Methods you need to think about every day St. John’s wort is the most well-known herbal supplement to interact with hormonal methods of contraception. As such, melatonin is important for the circadian rhythm, or internal body clock. Also ask about any foods, herbs or supplements that may make the birth control pill less effective or affect your other medicines. Bond wrote and published a monthly nutritional newsletter for six years while working in Brisbane, Australia as an accredited nutritionalist. It exerts its anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects by inhibiting the re-uptake of the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine and noradrenalin, which are brain chemicals responsible for mood. She started writing in 2007 and has been published in Teaching Tolerance magazine. Which medicines affect my contraception? Black cohosh is used to treat symptoms of menopause, PMS and arthritis as well as to induce labor. Vitamin, mineral, and other nutrient depletion is an effect of taking these drugs that has been documented since the 1960s, leading many researchers and pharmacists to recommend supplementing with vitamins and minerals while using these medications. Hi there, I'm a 26 year old, sexually active female. Hormonal control of ovulation has been available to women since the early 1960s with the introduction of “the pill.” Initially, dosages of estrogen and progesterone were available only in pill form, but in 2011 they are offered as injections, patches and implants. Storing Your Birth Control at Inconsistent Temperatures. Tips. Some medicines may stop hormonal contraception working as well.If this happens, you'll need to use extra contraception to avoid getting pregnant (such as condoms), change to a different method of contraception, or take your contraception in a different way. // Leaf Group Lifestyle Black cohosh is able to modulate menopause and PMS symptoms because of its ability to modulate female hormones. A 26-year-old female asked: Does the supplement C4 interfere with birth control? This is known as being "enzyme-inducing". If they do, he says they may have an effect on birth control efficacy. John’s wort, also known as hypericum or goatweed, is a yellow flower used to treat mild to moderate depression. The pill for men Enzyme-inducing medicines speed up the processing of some contraceptive hormones and therefore reduce the levels of these hormones in your bloodstream.This makes the contraceptive less effective. If you’re concerned about iron levels, you may want to consider using birth control pills that contain a low dose of iron. Vitex is used to treat symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, menopause, acne and infertility. This can affect hormonal contraception, including: the pill ; the … Basically all medication should be stored in … Doctors prescribe … Some herbs may affect the body and produce some of the same side effects as hormonal birth control. Some people use it to treat mild to moderate depression and sleep disorders. Birth control pills may deplete levels of some other B vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, though. 57 years … Page last reviewed: 29 January 2019 Using contraception effectively