Oral contraceptives weaken female athletes

This is so according to findings from a recent study. Frankly, I am not surprised by the findings, and I suspect few who have given the matter much thought are.

Nevertheless, it would be hard to overstate the importance of this study to female athletes:

"I think the implications are that so many women are taking BCP, and if they are active or competing, and want to achieve the highest level of performance, they need to consider whether birth control is a negative influence on that," said senior investigator Steven Riechman, Ph.D., also of Texas A&M.

Keep in mind, too, that the type of oral contraceptive used made a difference: low-androgenicity pills may be a better option for female athletes.

Certainly something to consult your doctor about if you are an athletic woman.