It is some evidence that
antidepressants that inhibit serotonin reuptake can increase the prolactin level
. This adverse effect has been called serotonin overactivity. Selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been reported as the most common cause of drug-induced hyperprolactinemia.
What medications raise prolactin levels?
- Antipsychotics (neuroleptics) Phenothiazines. Thioxanthenes. Butyrophenones. …
- Antidepressants. Tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors. …
- Opiates and cocaine.
- Antihypertensive medications. Verapamil. Methyldopa. …
- Gastrointestinal medications. Metoclopramide. Domperidone. …
- Protease inhibitors?
- Estrogens.
Does serotonin increase prolactin?
In vitro and in vivo evidence suggests that
serotonin modulates prolactin production by inducing the release
of prolactin releasing factors (PRFs), such as vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and oxytocin (OT), from the hypothalamus.
What can cause an increase in prolactin levels?
- Prolactinoma (a benign tumor in your pituitary gland that produces too much prolactin)
- Diseases affecting the hypothalamus(the part of the brain that controls the pituitary gland)
- Anorexia(an eating disorder)
- Drugs that are used to treat depression, psychosis, and high blood pressure.
What can falsely elevate prolactin?
Multiple medications can cause increased prolactin concentration including estrogens,
dopamine receptor blockers
(eg, phenothiazines), dopamine antagonists (eg, metoclopramide, domperidone), alpha-methyldopa, cimetidine, opiates, antihypertensive medications, and other antidepressants and antipsychotics.
What happens if prolactin level is high in female?
Excess prolactin can
cause the production of breast milk in men
and in women who are not pregnant or breastfeeding. In women, too much prolactin can also cause menstrual problems and infertility (the inability to get pregnant). In men, it can lead to lower sex drive and erectile dysfunction (ED).
How do you lower prolactin levels?
- changing your diet and keeping your stress levels down.
- stopping high-intensity workouts or activities that overwhelm you.
- avoiding clothing that makes your chest uncomfortable.
- avoiding activities and clothing that overstimulate your nipples.
- taking vitamin B-6 and vitamin E supplements.
Can high prolactin be treated?
Prolactinomas can usually be treated successfully
with medication alone
. Medication lowers the prolactin level in the blood substantially, often to normal, and also usually reduces adenoma size.
How much prolactin is normal?
The normal values for prolactin are:
Men: less than 20 ng/mL (425 μg/L)
Nonpregnant women: less than 25 ng/mL (25 μg/L) Pregnant women: 80 to 400 ng/mL (80 to 400 μg/L)
Does high prolactin always mean tumor?
It’s the most common type of
pituitary tumor
and is most often benign, which means it’s not cancer. A new mom’s prolactin levels go up every time their baby nurses. But for men or women who aren’t nursing, high prolactin in the blood can be a sign of a prolactinoma.
Is prolactin a stress hormone?
Prolactin (PRL) is one of the most versatile hormones known. It is considered an adaptive hormone due to the key roles it
plays in the modulation of the stress response
and during pregnancy and lactation.
Can prolactin cause weight gain?
High levels of prolactin can also result in weight gain and neuropsychological
disturbances. The size of the tumor correlates with the amount of prolactin secreted. Larger tumors can cause mass effects by compression of local structures.
How quickly can prolactin levels change?
The natural levels of prolactin in the body change
throughout the day
. Levels gradually rise overnight and are at their highest in the morning. Doctors usually ask to take a blood sample 3 to 4 hours after a person has woken up.
Does prolactin increase breast size?
Prolactin is a hormone produced by your pituitary gland which sits at the bottom of the brain.
Prolactin causes breasts to grow and develop
and causes milk to be made after a baby is born.
What is considered a high prolactin level?
How is hyperprolactinemia diagnosed? Simple blood tests to measure the amount of prolactin in the blood can confirm a diagnosis of elevated prolactin levels. Prolactin levels
above 25 ng/mL
, in women who are not pregnant, are considered elevated.
What happens if prolactin is low?
A decrease in the amount of prolactin secreted can lead to
insufficient milk being produced after giving birth
. Most people with low prolactin levels do not have any specific medical problems, although preliminary evidence suggests they might have reduced immune responses to some infections.
