ABSTRACT
Several reviews of the literature in the context of the metabolic consequences of contraceptives included nutritional implications, but the subject of contraceptive steroids and vitamin status has also been documented previously on several occasions. According to one investigation, the change in plasma vitamin A was mediated by the estrogen component, since a progestogen administered as a contraceptive pill, had no influence. Several biochemical procedures have been developed to aid the assessment of vitamin B, status. Urinary excretion of cystathionine is another biochemical parameter which has recently been used to assess vitamin B6 status. A potentially serious problem of steroid contraceptive use is the side effect concerned with hematopoiesis, mediated by interference with vitamin B12 and folic acid metabolism. The demonstration of altered status of many vitamins has come largely from independent investigations of a single vitamin, although in a number of studies, some were assessed concurrently.
