Contraceptive Earns Slimming Reputation

Nov. 20 -- Weight gain may be the biggest deterrent for women wanting to join the more than 18 million American women who take the Pill. But according to some believers, one oral contraceptive may actually make you thinner.

Yasmin, manufactured by Berlex Labs, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in May of 2001. According to Berlex spokesperson Kim Schillace, sales have increased steadily since it first hit the market. And some health-care providers say they've seen a number of requests for it specifically.

"The talk about Yasmin is it's the pill that helps to reduce weight, and it's the pill that helps reduce PMS," says Leah McKinnon-Howe, a nurse practitioner at Northeastern University in Boston. "So some people do come in and ask for Yasmin by name."

Adds Northeastern University student Gina Patterson: "I've seen Yasmin in different magazines like Cosmo[politan] and Marie Claire. It's supposed to be a weight-loss pill, but also a birth control pill at the same time."

But health-care providers say not so fast. Despite the buzz, there is little solid evidence to back it up, says Dr. Nancy Snyderman on Good Morning America.

Behind the Buzz

What sets Yasmin apart from other oral contraceptives is that it uses a different form of the hormone progestin, called drospironone. This hormone, according to the Yasmin Web site, may "work with your body chemistry by affecting the excess sodium and water in your body."

In other words, it may act as a diuretic and counteract bloating, a side-effect experienced by many women who take birth control pills. The only weight women can expect to lose by taking Yasmin is water.

"On a standard birth control pill, I think the average woman might expect to gain a pound or two. On Yasmin, I think the average woman might expect to lose a pound or two," says Dr. Bob Barbieri, chief of OBGYN at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. "I think it would be very unusual for a woman to lose 20 pounds when they're on Yasmin."