Causes of Abnormal 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 causes high prolactin in females?
Causes of Abnormal 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 is most common cause of hyperprolactinemia?
One common cause of hyperprolactinemia is
a growth or tumor on the pituitary gland called a prolactinoma
. The tumor produces high levels of prolactin. These tumors can be large or small and are usually benign, meaning they are not cancerous.
What causes production of prolactin?
One of the main regulators of the production of prolactin from the pituitary gland is
the hormone called dopamine
, which is produced by the hypothalamus, the part of the brain directly above the pituitary gland. Dopamine restrains prolactin production, so the more dopamine there is, the less prolactin is released.
How is hyperprolactinemia caused?
Most often, hyperprolactinemia is
caused by pregnancy
— which is normal. According to a 2013 study , pituitary tumors may be the cause of almost 50 percent of hyperprolactinemia. A prolactinoma is a tumor that forms in the pituitary gland. These tumors are typically noncancerous.
How can I get my prolactin levels down?
- 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.
What foods reduce prolactin levels?
Foods that lower prolactin levels are generally
high in zinc
; think shellfish, beef, turkey and beans. It’s also important to get plenty of B6, so foods like potatoes, bananas, wild salmon, chicken and spinach can help boost those vitamin levels.
Can hyperprolactinemia go away on its own?
In some patients with idiopathic hyperprolactinemia,
the high prolactin levels return to normal on their own
. If this does not happen within a few months, symptomatic patients often receive treatment with cabergoline or bromocriptine.
What are the signs and symptoms of hyperprolactinemia?
- long or irregular cycles.
- anovulation (when an egg is not released during a menstrual cycle.
- amenorrhea (absence of periods)
- oligomenorrhea (irregular periods)
- infertility.
- the production and discharge of breast milk.
- sexual side effects.
- hirsutism (abnormal hair growth)
Can you have high prolactin and not have a tumor?
“Patients with high prolactin levels who have few or no symptoms and no demonstrable pituitary tumor
may not need treatment
, but infertile or pregnant patients, and individuals with bothersome symptoms require specialized treatment depending on the cause of their condition,” Melmed said in a press release.
Can stress increase prolactin levels?
Conclusion:
Prolactin does increase in response to psychosocial stress
, however, with large individual variation in magnitude of response. The pattern of prolactin response does not differ between men and women.
Does 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 do you activate prolactin?
The best way to raise your prolactin levels is to
breastfeed or pump very frequently
. When your baby is born, you should be breastfeeding or pumping at least every two to three hours around the clock. The more often you stimulate your breasts, the more your brain will release prolactin.
Can I get pregnant with hyperprolactinemia?
What are my chances of pregnancy after treatment for hyperprolactinemia? The prolactin level returns to normal in about 90 percent of women who take bromocriptine or cabergoline. Eighty-five percent of women taking these medications ovulate, and of those who ovulate,
70 to 80 percent get pregnant
.
How is hyperprolactinemia treated?
Medical treatment of hyperprolactinemia is based
upon use of dopamine agonists (DA): bromocriptine, lisuride, quinagolide and cabergoline
. In over 80% of cases, these drugs induce normal prolactinemia and ovulatory cycles. In resistant cases, the DA should be changed.
What causes high prolactin levels in non pregnant female?
If prolactin levels are higher than normal, it often means there is
a type of tumor of the pituitary gland, known as a prolactinoma
. This tumor makes the gland produce too much prolactin. Excess prolactin can cause the production of breast milk in men and in women who are not pregnant or breastfeeding.
