Prolactin Level and High Prolactin Causes and Natural Treatment of High Prolactin

Prolactin is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland

. Levels of this hormone can vary over the course of someone's life, depending on a variety of factors, including age and pregnancy. This hormone is also sometimes known as luteotropic hormone (LTH). Many medical labs can test prolactin levels in patients who have conditions which may be related to abnormal production of this hormone.

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What Are the Causes of High Prolactin Levels?

There are a number of possible causes of high prolactin levels (also known as hyperprolactinemia). Some common causes of high prolactin levels include:

1. Pregnancy and breastfeeding

2. Certain medicines (such as trifluoperazine and haloperidol)

3. Other pituitary tumors

4. Hypothyroidism

5. Breast stimulation.

Prolactin Changes during Pregnancy

When you are pregnant, prolactin changes are completely normal. In fact, your prolactin must increase in order to encourage the production of milk in your mammary glands. During pregnancy your hormones are all over the place. In particular, your estrogen levels begin to rise, and this is what stimulates the increase in your prolactin levels. After birth, as your baby breastfeeds, nipple stimulation will trigger a further increase in prolactin. Prolactin is what allows you to continue breastfeeding for an extended period of time.

Prolactin Irregularities

If you are having difficulties becoming pregnant, it may be due to an irregularity in your prolactin levels. If your have elevated prolactin, this can inhibit ovulation and menstruation. Prolactin levels can be determined through a simple blood test. Normal prolactin levels in women are somewhere between 30 and 600 mIU/I. If your levels measure towards the high end of this spectrum or above, you may be suffering from a prolactin irregularity.

Side Effects

Side effects are mild and generally subside within a month. Lightheadedness, nausea and headaches are the most common side effects. Others include nasal congestion, dizziness, constipation, fatigue, vomiting and rarely, hallucinations. Side effects can be minimized when the dosage is slowly increased, allowing the woman to develop tolerance to the medication. It may also be helpful if administered vaginally. The cost for a thirty day supply for 2.5 mg is about $60, and $100 for 5 mg a day. For those not wishing to become pregnant, physicians may choose simply to monitor levels as needed.

Measurement of prolactin

Prolactin can be measured with a simple blood test drawn at the fertility doctor's office. In order to get accurate results, prolactin should be drawn first thing in the morning. The woman should have had nothing to eat from the night before and should avoid any stimulation of the breast or nipples from the day before also.

One common mistake that doctors make is to draw a prolactin blood test immediately after a patient has had a breast exam in the office. these women will have high prolactin levels because of the exam and therefore do not have truly elevated levels.

Prolactin should also be drawn early in the menstrual cycle - before ovulation. This is because prolactin levels are naturally higher after ovulation.

Prolactin Level and High Prolactin Causes and Natural Treatment of High Prolactin

By: drcharlesbuchar

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