What Is Prolactin?
This hormone helps regulate the menstrual cycle in women and sperm production in men.
Prolactin is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland, which is located near the bottom of the brain.
Its production is controlled by other hormones called prolactin-inhibiting factors, which include dopamine, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Both men and women tend to have small amounts of prolactin in their blood.
In men, prolactin encourages the production of sperm, notes StatPearls. In women, prolactin helps regulate the menstrual cycle and causes breasts to grow and develop.
When a woman is pregnant, her levels of prolactin go up. Once the baby is born, elevated prolactin levels cause the production of milk for breastfeeding.
If women or men have too much prolactin in their blood, they may have a condition called hyperprolactinemia.
High levels of prolactin can interfere with the normal production of hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone.
According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), about a third of women in their childbearing years with irregular menstrual periods but normal ovaries have hyperprolactinemia.
Women with hyperprolactinemia can still take birth control pills to avoid pregnancy or to regulate their menstrual cycle.
Per the ASRM, while some women have high prolactin levels with no symptoms, others may experience:
In men, high prolactin levels can cause:
If you experience any of the above, your doctor can check your levels of prolactin by ordering a blood test.
High levels of prolactin may also indicate the following conditions:
While no cause is found in about one-third of all cases of hyperprolactinemia, according to the ASRM, the condition may also be caused by:
Talk with your doctor about your options for treating a prolactin deficiency or high levels of prolactin.
If your doctor can’t find the cause of your irregular levels of prolactin, or if high prolactin levels are due to a small tumor in the pituitary gland and you’re still producing estrogen, no treatment may be needed.
In some cases, though, medications or surgery may be able to help your condition, depending on the exact cause of your abnormal prolactin levels, notes the Cleveland Clinic.
The most commonly used medicines are cabergoline (Dostinex) and bromocriptine (Parlodel), notes the ASRM. The medications are usually taken until your prolactin levels return to normal, or until you become pregnant, if that’s your goal.
If you have a large pituitary tumor that’s causing your high prolactin levels and medication has not improved your symptoms, your doctor may recommend surgery to remove the tumor.
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