Can I take myo-inositol and evening primrose oil while on hormonal contraceptive medication?

Taking Myo-Inositol and Evening Primrose Oil with Contraceptive Medication

You can take myo-inositol while on hormonal contraceptives, but evening primrose oil should be avoided as it may interfere with contraceptive effectiveness.

Myo-Inositol and Hormonal Contraceptives

Myo-inositol can be safely taken alongside hormonal contraceptives and may even provide complementary benefits:

• Research shows that combining myo-inositol with hormonal contraceptives (specifically combined oral contraceptive pills) may be more effective in controlling endocrine, metabolic, and clinical parameters in PCOS patients than contraceptives alone 1
• The combination therapy significantly decreases hyperinsulinemia and improves insulin resistance parameters 1
• This combination also leads to greater reduction in androgen levels and improved lipid profiles compared to contraceptive pills alone 1

Benefits of Myo-Inositol:

• Helps restore ovulation in women with PCOS (70% restored ovulation rate in studies) 2
• Reduces testosterone levels (from 96.6 ng/ml to 43.3 ng/ml in one study) 2
• Improves oocyte quality and maturation 3
• No relevant side effects were reported when used at dosages of 4000 mg per day 4

Evening Primrose Oil and Hormonal Contraceptives

Evening primrose oil should be avoided while taking hormonal contraceptives:

• The U.S. Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use does not specifically address evening primrose oil, but cautions about substances that might interfere with contraceptive effectiveness 5
• Evening primrose oil has been shown to have effects on uterine contractions and has been used to facilitate abortion when combined with misoprostol 6
• These properties could potentially interfere with the mechanism of hormonal contraceptives

Important Considerations

1. Contraceptive effectiveness:

   • Maintaining consistent contraceptive effectiveness should be your primary concern
   • Any supplement that might interfere with hormonal contraception should be avoided

2. Medical supervision:

   • If you have PCOS and are considering myo-inositol supplementation alongside contraceptives, discuss with your healthcare provider
   • The standard dosage used in studies is 4000 mg myo-inositol (2000 mg twice daily) plus 400 μg folic acid (200 μg twice daily) 4, 2

3. Monitoring:

   • If you decide to take myo-inositol with contraceptives, monitor for any changes in your menstrual pattern or breakthrough bleeding
   • Report any unusual symptoms to your healthcare provider immediately

Bottom Line

Myo-inositol appears to be safe to take with hormonal contraceptives and may offer additional benefits, especially for women with PCOS. However, evening primrose oil should be avoided due to potential interference with contraceptive effectiveness and its effects on uterine tissue.