Having too much prolactin can change your life and fertility. This happens when the body makes too much of a milk-making hormone. Understanding prolactin levels and knowing how to reduce prolactin is key for getting better. About one-third of women with irregular periods but normal ovaries have too much prolactin1. Also, ninety percent of women with unexpected milk flow have high prolactin1. Sometimes, the cause of high prolactin is unknown1.
Finding out early and treating can make you feel much better. Drugs like cabergoline and bromocriptine can help. Cabergoline works fast and is taken twice a week, and bromocriptine is daily1. The first step to find out if you have this is a blood test. Then, more tests may be needed.
If you think your prolactin is high, see a doctor. Taking action can help your health and fertility. Usually, treatment stops after a year once you feel better or get pregnant1. Now, let’s learn more about prolactin, its normal amounts, and how to treat too much of it.
Understanding Prolactin: Function and Normal Levels
Prolactin plays a key role in our bodies, especially related to health states. It’s important to know how it works. This lets us understand tests that measure prolactin levels and spot unusual results.
What is Prolactin?
This hormone comes from the pituitary gland. It’s crucial for making breasts grow and producing milk after having a baby2. Pregnant women and new moms have higher prolactin. This helps get their bodies ready to nurse, helping both mother and baby.
Normal Prolactin Levels
Prolactin levels vary based on factors like gender and if a person can have babies. Men usually have less than 20 ng/mL. Women not pregnant or nursing often have below 25 ng/mL23. But, during pregnancy and breastfeeding, levels can be between 80 to 400 ng/mL23. These numbers help start and keep up milk production.
Prolactin Levels During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
When expecting, prolactin shoots up to get the body ready for nursing. Once the baby arrives, the body makes more prolactin receivers to help with milk flow23. Charts usually show these levels between 80 to 400 ng/mL for pregnant or nursing folks4. Also, things like stress, working out, and stimulating the nipples can temporarily lift prolactin levels23.
Causes of High Prolactin Levels
High prolactin levels, known as hyperprolactinemia, can come from many things. These include prolactinomas, health issues, drugs, and lifestyle choices.
Prolactinomas and Pituitary Tumors
Prolactinomas are non-cancerous tumors in the pituitary gland. They make prolactin levels go up. They happen more in women than men5.
These can have prolactin up to 50,000 ng/mL6. They can lead to less sex hormones. This may cause bone loss in half the people5. For more, check the Mayo Clinic’s page on prolactinoma.
Medical Conditions and Medications
Several health issues can raise prolactin, like hypothyroidism and kidney problems. Drugs like antipsychotics and antidepressants can too. Oddly, 30-40% of cases have no clear cause5.
Also, a small number in the general population have microprolactinomas5.
Lifestyle and External Factors
Lifestyle plays a part too, like stress and chest irritation. Breastfeeding can raise prolactin by 300 ng/mL6. Knowing these causes helps doctors treat it better and improve health.
Symptoms of High Prolactin Levels
Knowing the symptoms of high prolactin levels is key for quick diagnosis and treatment. Symptoms vary between men and women because prolactin affects them differently.
In Women
In women, high prolactin often leads to missed or irregular periods. This issue affects about 30% of women with too much prolactin7. They may also produce breast milk unexpectedly, which happens to roughly 30%7. Other signs include trouble getting pregnant and less interest in sex. These can really affect a woman’s life. When pregnant, prolactin levels naturally go up to between 10-210 ng/mL7.
In Men
Men with too much prolactin might have trouble with sexual functions. About half of them do because of high prolactin7. They could also have less desire for sex and problems having children. While rare, men can develop softer muscles and more breast tissue. These symptoms can badly affect a man’s health and ability to have children.
Common Symptoms for Both Genders
Both men and women can face fertility problems, less sexual desire, and weaker bones. These issues come from the hormone imbalance caused by too much prolactin. Such imbalance can really impact someone’s health. Also, a small tumor in the brain, called a prolactinoma, might be the cause. It appears in about 1 out of 1,000 people7. Watching for these signs is crucial for treatment.
For more info on high prolactin levels and how to deal with them, check this link7.
Diagnosing High Prolactin Levels
Getting a prolactin blood test is the first step when checking for high prolactin levels. It’s done on an empty stomach to make sure it’s accurate. This test checks how much prolactin is in your blood.
Prolactin Blood Test
Doctors use the prolactin blood test to find high prolactin levels. It shows if prolactin is too high, which may point to health problems. If prolactin is high, more tests like scans may be needed.
Imaging and Additional Tests
If the test shows high prolactin, doctors may use an MRI. This scan gives clear pictures of the pituitary gland to look for issues. Tests like this are important for finding things like8 prolactinomas, which are harmless tumors that raise prolactin levels. Learn more about how high prolactin levels are diagnosed. Sometimes, they also check thyroid function because it can affect prolactin levels too.
Understanding your prolactin test and scan results is key. It helps doctors diagnose high prolactin levels right and decide on the best treatment. This thorough approach helps manage the causes of high prolactin well.
Treatment Options for High Prolactin Levels
Different ways exist to treat high prolactin. I will talk about various methods to manage it. These methods depend on what causes the high prolactin.
Medications to Lower Prolactin Levels
Drugs like cabergoline and bromocriptine are often used first. They work for about 80% of people with . Bromocriptine starts at a small dose. It may increase after a few days9. Cabergoline also helps lower prolactin in 80-90% of cases10. Doctors check prolactin levels to see if the treatment works. They change the dose if needed9.
Surgery and Radiation Therapies
If drugs don’t work, surgery might be the next step. It is for large tumors or those causing big problems. Many with small tumors get better after surgery at top hospitals11. Most times, prolactin levels go back to normal after surgery10. But, tumors might come back within five years, especially in men11. Radiation is for those who can’t have surgery or if the tumor comes back.
Lifestyle Adjustments and Herbal Remedies
Lifestyle changes are also key in lowering prolactin. Activities like yoga and meditation can lower stress. This helps keep hormones balanced. Eating foods rich in vitamins B6 and E is good too. Some plants like vitex and maca root may also help. But, their success can vary. Always talk to a doctor before trying new herbs. This makes sure they won’t mess with other treatments.
Conclusion
In conclusion, dealing with high prolactin levels is more than just knowing how it works. It’s important to spot early warning signs and get the right diagnosis. This can help start the right treatment early on. Blood tests for prolactin and special scans can help doctors make an accurate diagnosis. This is key to getting the best treatment plan.[source]12
Treatment can include medicine, changing your lifestyle, and sometimes surgery. These options can make symptoms better and improve life quality. Prolactin is also linked to thinking skills in people with mental health issues. This shows how vital it is to take care of your hormone health13. High prolactin levels can lead to problems with thinking and require a full treatment approach.
Talking to healthcare experts is crucial for getting a treatment plan that fits your needs. By being active in your care, you can tackle hormonal health issues and reduce high prolactin’s effects. Getting help early and making smart health choices can lead to feeling better and healthier13.
Source Links
- Hyperprolactinemia (High Prolactin Levels) patient education fact sheet – https://www.reproductivefacts.org/news-and-publications/fact-sheets-and-infographics/hyperprolactinemia-high-prolactin-levels/
- Prolactin Levels: MedlinePlus Medical Test – https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/prolactin-levels/
- What Does Prolactin Do? – https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22429-prolactin
- What Does Prolactin Do? – https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/prolactin
- What Is Hyperprolactinemia? – https://www.webmd.com/women/what-is-hyperprolactinemia
- Hyperprolactinemia – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537331/
- What You Need To Know about Your Prolactin Levels – https://www.health.com/prolactin-levels-8681726
- Options for treating this pituitary gland tumor-Prolactinoma – Diagnosis & treatment – Mayo Clinic – https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prolactinoma/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20376962
- Bromocriptine Treatment for High Prolactin Levels and Induction of Ovulation with Infertility | Blog – https://www.advancedfertility.com/blog/bromocriptine-treatment-for-high-prolactin-levels-and-induction-of-ovulation-with-infertility
- Medical Care, Surgical Care, Consultations – https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/121784-treatment
- Prolactinoma | Brain Institute | OHSU – https://www.ohsu.edu/brain-institute/prolactinoma
- Increased Prolactin Levels Are Associated with Impaired Processing Speed in Subjects with Early Psychosis – https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0089428
- Changes in serum prolactin level during intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and effect on clinical pregnancy rate: a prospective observational study – BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth – https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-018-1783-4