Phytoestrogens and birth control

[KimberlyNYC]

Does anyone know if phtyoestrogens affect the efficacy of birth control? I bought some tea with red clover in it and now I'm afraid to drink it. But then again, I eat a lot of soy and there haven't been any babies (Thank Goodness!).

[Thalia]

I would think if anything, if there is an increase in hormone levels from these foods (highly debatable) it would make your pills more effective, not less. The pills raise hormone levels.

[Vegan Soul]

Hiya,

(as far as I am aware...) phyto-estrogens are naturally occurring estrogens found in plants. They are weaker than the estrogens produced by the body or found in contraceptives. Soya based products (milk, tofu...) contain high levels of phyto-estrogens.

Phyto-estrogens can block some of the estrogen receptors in the body and stop the bodys' own estrogen or estrogen from contraceptive pills being absorbed and used by the body. For some women who have extremely high levels of estrogen, this is a welcome thing, as it means that the weaker phyto-estrogens help to stop the body absorbing the more powerful estrogens produced by the body and the unused estrogens are expelled from the body, reducing the estrogen level in the body. For women that are using contraceptive pills, there can be some interference from phyto-estrogens, leading to less effective treatment from the contraceptive pill.

I am a vegan transsexual female and rely heavily on hormone treatment. As I am vegan, I tended to eat a lot of soya based products. I am currently in the middle of changing the tablets I have been taking, but before now, I was taking Ovysmen three times daily (combined estrogen and progesterone contraceptive pill) among other things to give me the hormone levels I needed. I noticed the tablets were not as effective as they should have been and, looking into it, I found out about phyto-estrogens. I changed my diet, trying to reduce my soya intake and therefore the level of phytoestrogens in my body. It worked! I now use rice milk instead of soya milk (an added bonus is that it doesn't curdle in coffee! yay!) and try to obtain protein more from other sources, such as pulses, beans, etc. The Ovysmen that I was previously taking began to work a lot better!

I hope this helps and I hope I haven't been too confusing!

Blessings!

Lisa x