How Long for Hormones to Balance After Stopping Birth Control?

A common question is how long will it take for your hormones to balance after stopping birth control? The answer: it depends.

For some, your period may return normally your next cycle. For others, it may take some time before your hormones feel balanced. When working with clients transitioning off of birth control I recommend giving your body at least three months before completing hormone testing to give your hormonal system a chance to wake back up and to get a better picture of how your body is producing hormones without birth control.

Birth control works by administering artificial forms of estrogen and progesterone in the body to make it think that you are pregnant and will therefore not ovulate. Your body learns to trust this administration of the artificial hormones and it will close off your body’s natural brain-ovary communication to produce hormones. After lots of time of using birth control, you become dependent on not being able to regulate your hormones naturally, so when you stop using birth control you’ll find hormonal imbalances to be common. For some women, this transition to regulating hormones naturally may only take a few weeks, and for others, it’ll take a few months.

As always, I’m giving away my best hormone tips here, answering your burning questions, and letting you in on the what the science says.

I’m here to help you have better periods, symptomless cycles, and optimize fertility (whether that’s now or in the future) all through simple nutrition and lifestyle shifts that feel simple, doable, and empowering (not overwhelming).

This is the kind of insider info I share with all of my Hormone Magic 1:1 coaching clients and students in my signature program, Heal Your Period.

I’m so passionate about sharing this info with anyone on a hormone healing journey, so I’m letting you in with all the info here!

So, let’s dive in into it!

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Here are 3 things that can determine how long for hormones to balance after stopping birth control:

1. What your symptoms were like before going on birth control

Your purpose of going on birth control is important because it is different for everyone and can determine how long for your hormones to balance after stopping birth control. Some women go on birth control for hormone management to help with painful periods, some for regulating their cycle, some for contraception, but others may go on birth control to regulate their hormonal acne or other non-contraceptive reasons. When birth control use stops, these symptoms from prior can return and may become worse for a certain amount of time before hormones regulate again.

2. How long were you on birth control

Time is another factor that will determine how long for hormones to balance after stopping birth control. Longer use of the pill will usually indicate a longer recovery time for hormones to balance. Think about it, if you are using the pill for say 10 years, that is ten years your ovaries could take a backseat without needing to produce hormones and regulate the energy taxing process of the menstrual cycle. When you stop using the pill after those 10 years, the ovaries have to relearn how to correctly function to produce the right balance of hormones.

3. Underlying medical conditions

Rule out other medical conditions you may have from before birth control use. Medical conditions that affect or imbalance your hormones will determine how long for hormones to balance after stopping birth control. If you have medical conditions that affect the production or usage of hormones this is another factor that will lengthen the hormone regulating recovery. Examples of conditions to be mindful of are endometriosis, hypothyroidism, and anemia.

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How to balance your hormones when stopping birth control:

1. SUPPORT YOUR LIVER

The liver is where all of your hormone processing takes place as well as birth control. Birth control has been shown to decrease the production of bile which is the fluid produced in the liver and sent to the intestines to be digested. Additionally, birth control can cause hepatic venous thrombosis which is when the liver has a blood clot in the veins causing a block in the drainage of fluid, stopping birth control has shown to improve this effect.

When stopping birth control, the liver may be in a fragile state and will need to be supported. The residual birth control will be detoxified and the liver will relearn how to detoxify hormones as well. Some ways to support the liver include incorporating turmeric, microgreens, Epsom salt baths, colorful produce, sweating, and cruciferous veggies.

Source: LiverTox Book

2. SUPPORT YOUR GUT

The gut also needs to be well supported when stopping birth control use. The gut is where most of our digestion of nutrients occurs as well as the absorption of hormones. It has been shown that birth control has a negative effect on intestinal permeability, which is what causes leaky gut resulting in poor digestion. Additionally, there is a link between gut microbiome diversity and androgen levels, and birth control has affected the androgen levels in the body. Due to these reasons, after stopping birth control use, your gut will be transitioning and attempting to rebalance its gut microbiome. Ways to support your gut include increase fiber intake, stay hydrated, manage stress, as well as consuming probiotics, apple cider vinegar, and warm lemon water.

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3. SUPPORT YOUR ADRENAL GLANDS

The adrenal glands lie atop the kidneys and are responsible for the stress response which releases the hormone cortisol. This hormone, when secreted in high-stress circumstances over time will place a negative effect on your hormones. When stopping birth control use, you may experience a large shift in hormone and emotional levels. If in combination with stress and cortisol release, this will negatively shift your hormone levels even more. In addition, the stress response will slow down the metabolism and digestion causes an unsupportive effect on the gut. Ways to manage stress include lower caffeine intake, incorporate mindful movement, meditate, balance blood sugar, eat healthy fats, and try seed cycling.

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4. REPLETE NUTRIENTS

Birth control has been shown to deplete your body’s ability to store and absorb certain nutrients, specifically B vitamins, vitamin C, zinc, selenium, and magnesium. Notice, that both vitamin B and vitamin C are water-soluble vitamins, meaning that they do not need a lipid or fat to bind to it to be absorbed and utilized. Typically, water-soluble vitamins are the ones to not worry about supplementing for this reason, but unfortunately, evidence shows that birth control can inhibit our processing of these vitamins and minerals. Even after stopping birth control, there will be a transition phase where your body may not be fully absorbing nutrients. This is why when stopping birth control, you must replete nutrients that were lost or depleted.

These nutrients do more than just aid our body’s in general because they are actually hormone promoters. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant, reduces inflammation, plays a role in immunity, wound healing, collagen synthesis, and needed for hormone production. The B vitamins help to support hormone detoxification in the liver, hormone metabolism and support mood neurotransmitter processes.

When stopping birth control, it is important to be mindful of these nutrients by eating a wide variety of foods and supplement if necessary.

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final thoughts

There are several reasons that can impact how long it takes for your hormones to balance after stopping birth control.

While we chatted through lots of different options, remember that every body is unique and it’s about determine what works best for your body.

Remember: simple shifts build to make a big impact over time!

Healthy periods after birth control are possible for you.

-Krista

My signature online program, Heal Your Period is open for enrollment!

This is your personalized solution for regular, pain-free periods, symptomless cycles, & optimal fertility (now or later), without complicated, soul-sucking protocols, lists of foods you can’t eat, or spending tons of $$$ on unnecessary supplements.

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If you’re looking for specific and individualized support for period problems, PCOS, endometriosis, stopping birth control, and/or fertility I’m your person! I offer private coaching and a hormone mini package with the at-home DUTCH hormone test. I have select spaces available each month and would love to support your hormone healing journey!