30 Seconds SummaryDo Oral Contraceptives Affect Your Gains?
- Two groups of untrained females, one using oral contraceptives and the other not, underwent a 10-week resistance training program.
- Results showed no significant differences in strength gains or hypertrophy between oral contraceptive users and non-users.
- Oral contraceptive users tended to have a slightly larger increase in lean body mass and some molecular markers of anabolism, but these differences were not deemed significant.
- Overall, the research suggests that second- or third-generation oral contraceptives do not meaningfully impact muscle growth or strength outcomes.
- Findings from various studies reviewed collectively indicate that oral contraceptives neither enhance nor significantly diminish performance or body composition changes due to resistance training.
- Exploratory findings suggest potential variability in results based on the type and amount of estrogen and androgenicity of progestins in oral contraceptives, though these require more rigorous analysis.
- Conclusively, if choosing to use oral contraceptives, impacts on strength gains or hypertrophy should not be a primarily concern based on the current body of research.
Stronger By Science
Greg Nuckols
