Effects of oral contraceptives on women's health: Age and gut microbiota may be determining factors

A team from the University of Ottawa's School of Social Sciences discussed how several factors contribute to these sex differences, with the age at which OC began and the individual's gut microbiome being the key identifier
.

Nafissa Ismail, Research Chair at the University of Stress and Mental Health, is a full professor in the School of Psychology and director
of the NISE (Neuroimmunology, Stress and Endocrinology) Laboratory.
She discusses the study's findings
below.

Q: How widely are oral contraceptives used?
Nafissa Ismail: First introduced in the 60s of the 20th century, oral contraceptives are one of the most commonly used drugs for women, with an estimated 100 million women worldwide using oral contraceptives
.
They often contain synthetic hormones and are commonly used during the teenage years for the following purposes: contraception, acne, PMS, etc
.

Q: What do you observe and study?
Nafissa Ismail: Researchers believe that about 20% of users experience negative consequences, but lack the knowledge
to understand why.
We know that not all women taking OCs will have adverse effects on mood and cognition, which is a significant individual difference
.
What we really need to know is whether it is safe
to prescribe oral contraceptives or even other hormonal contraceptives to young women.

Q: Not all women experience depression
.
Can you give some reason to those who do this?
Nafissa Ismail: Our research suggests that one possible factor may be the age
at which OC is started.
Women who start taking OCs in early adolescence may be more likely to experience these adverse effects
on mood.
We also suggest that the gut microbiome may be an important mediator of the emotional effects of OCs, as OCs are taken orally, and the gut microbiome can modulate symptoms
of depression.

Q: Why is age so important for OCs?
Nafissa Ismail: Puberty is a critical period of development during which the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (primarily responsible for the onset of puberty) becomes active and undergoes maturation, leading to increased
production and release of gonadal steroid hormones, i.
e.
, gonadal hormones.
estradiol, progesterone and testosterone), leading to the development of
secondary sex characteristics and sexual maturation.
During this time, the brain also undergoes extensive remodeling and reorganization, leading to structural/functional changes
driven by endogenous sex hormones.
It is important to understand the effects of OCs on adolescent brain development, as these effects may be mediated by the
gut-brain axis.
”

Q: What did you learn from OCs?
Nafissa Ismail: "This work is important because women's health research has been neglected for decades, and there are many women's health-specific issues that need to be addressed
immediately.
We can't say whether it's safe to prescribe oral contraceptives to young women because many factors have to be considered, but we hope that by providing this information, women will be able to make informed decisions
for themselves.