Worried about contraceptive use?
While it has not been too much of a surprise, a new study has shown, once again, that oral contraceptives are associated with an increase in the number of women with breast cancer.
Critics of early studies have said that all the data that links breast cancer with contraceptives used data on women before 1990 and that there have been dramatic changes in the strength of contraceptives since that time.
This new study proves that assumption wrong.
The Study
The new study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, followed 907 women with breast cancer and 1711 without and discovered that women who used oral contraceptives for one year or longer were 50 percent more likely to have breast cancer than those women who used contraceptives for less than one year, or not at all.
The lead researcher, Dr. Rosenberg, had this to say about the study:
"Given the widespread use of oral contraceptives, continued evaluation of their possible health effects may be warranted."
Women and Estrogens
The problem, of course, is that estrogens cause cells to multiply and divide and the more a cell divides, the more likely there is for cancer to develop. Researcher have known this for a long time.
While it is common to think that hormones are harmless, and can be used for contraception, these new studies show just how dangerous hormones can be.
Action Plan
This study might worry you if you are on contraceptives, or have taken them in the past. From my point of view, though, you can still lesson your chances of getting breast cancer by taking a few active steps:
- Stop taking hormone-based contraceptives.
- Perform regular breast checkups.
- Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Supplement with fish or krill oil (a source of essential oils).
- Love your liver (take supplements that support detoxification).
Hopefully, women will stop taking hormones without any regard to their long-term health. If you have taken them in the past, you can still do much to lessen your risk.
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