Large doses of vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, may increase the absorption of the estrogen from birth control pills, which may increase the estrogen levels in the body. This seems to be particularly true in women who were deficient in vitamin C before getting large doses of a vitamin C supplement, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Talk to your doctor if you are currently taking birth control pills and would like to start taking a vitamin C supplement.
Considerations
Although vitamin C may increase the levels of estrogen, this does not necessarily mean you will experience any adverse side effects. Even so, it would be wise to tell your doctor if you plan to take large doses of vitamin C while taking birth control pills. Your doctor can monitor you more closely for estrogen-related side effects and suggest alternative treatments if problems arise.
Estrogen-Related Side Effects
Ethinyl estradiol, the type of estrogen typically found in birth control pills, can cause many side effects. The chance of experiencing side effects increases as the amount of estrogen in the body increases, which is what may happen if you consume large amounts of vitamin C. Potential side effects include mild nausea, vomiting, bloating, stomach cramps, vaginal itching or discharge, changes in menstruation, darkening of facial skin, changes in sex drive, breast pain or tenderness, breast swelling or enlargement, and loss of scalp hair. While serious side effects are rare, they do occur. One serious side effect is a sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body. Other serious side effects include unusual vaginal bleeding, chest pain, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, a sudden headache, vision changes, changes to speech, stabbing chest pain, rapid breathing or heart rate, sudden cough, wheezing, pain or swelling in one or both legs, a lump in a breast, feeling faint, pain or tenderness in the stomach, or jaundice. If you experience any of these serious side effects, seek emergency medical attention.
Birth Control's Effect on Vitamins
Birth control pills may decrease the amount of several vitamins and minerals in your body, including vitamin C, calcium, thiamine, vitamin B-12, zinc, folic acid, magnesium and riboflavin. Because of this, your doctor may advise you to monitor your dietary intake more carefully or to take a multivitamin supplement while taking birth control pills. While the amount of vitamin C found in a typical multivitamin supplement is unlikely to produce any adverse side effects, taking supplements that contain large doses of vitamin C may increase the risk of negative interaction with your birth control medication.
Warning
While the interaction between vitamin C and birth control pills is unlikely to produce serious side effects, you should be careful if you take birth control pills with other medications. Birth control pills are known to negatively interact with carbamazepine, barbiturates, ampicillin, primidone, ritonavir, rifampin, phenytoin, griseofulvin, penicillin, tetracyclines and troglitazone, according to the website Drugs.com. These medications may compromise the effectiveness of the birth control pills, so always use a backup method of birth control or refrain from sexual intercourse to prevent unwanted pregnancy when using any of these medications while taking birth control pills.
