Could birth control pills cause binge eating habit?

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Hormonal birth control is widely used, but its effects can extend beyond pregnancy prevention. New research suggests that, for some women, the active hormone pills in combined oral contraceptives may also influence eating behavior.

Most combined pill packs include active pills that deliver hormones and inactive, hormone-free placebo pills. Researchers followed 422 women who used combined oral contraceptives.

Women reported more emotional eating while taking active pills than while taking the inactive pills in the contraceptive pack.

The increase did not occur in every participant, and the findings didn't conclude whether oral contraceptives caused binge eating in all users.

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