Do Birth Control Pills Cause Weight Gain?

Birth control pills are used to prevent pregnancy, and they are also used for PCOD and irregular periods.

But when women start taking birth control pills, they sometimes notice weight gain or feel like their weight is increasing. So, do birth control pills really cause weight gain?

There are two types of birth control pills:

1. Combination Pill (Estrogen and Progesterone)
2. Progesterone Only Pill

Estrogen and Progesterone are female hormones that help maintain the reproductive system. When you take birth control pills, your body might hold onto more water, which can make you feel like you've gained weight. However, this weight gain is usually temporary. It means that while birth control pills might make you gain weight at first, it often returns to normal after some time.

How do birth control pills affect weight?

If you take only Progesterone pills, you generally won't gain weight because these pills don’t cause your body to hold onto water.

However, if you take Combination Pills with Estrogen and Progesterone, you might notice some weight gain temporarily. This is because Estrogen can increase a hormone called Vasopressin, which makes you feel more thirsty and helps your body hold onto water. This temporary weight gain usually goes away after a while as your body adjusts.

So, birth control pills don’t actually cause long-term weight gain, just temporary changes that usually return to normal.

Source:- 1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441582/ 

                 2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3880912/