Do Contraceptives Induce Stress Biomarkers?

Use of oral contraceptives is associated with smaller hippocampi and elevated blood cortisol, triglycerides, and certain phospholipids — but also lower depression ratings.

Whether oral contraceptives (OCs) produce depressive phenotypes is controversial (NEJM JW Psychiatry Dec 2016 and JAMA Psychiatry 2016; 73:1154), and their effects on biomarkers of stress, mood, and anxiety have not been studied. To examine biomarkers, investigators used cross-sectional data from a subset of participants in a longitudinal health study in Germany — 74 premenopausal women who used OCs for ≥2 years (mean age, 36) and 159 nonusers (mean age, 40).

OC use was associated with elevations in cortisol levels (drawn any time from 8 a.m. to noon), triglycerides, and certain phospholipids. Cortisol levels did not relate to self-reported depression scores. OC use was associated with smaller hippocampal volumes on MRI, unmediated by cortis…

Reviewing Author

Barbara Geller, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Barbara Geller, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Do Contraceptives Induce Stress Biomarkers?

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Reviewing Author