Prolactin: normal age and causes of deviations. What is prolactin responsible for?

Prolactin (lactogenic hormone, lactotropic hormone, mammotropic hormone) is one of the hormones of the anterior pituitary gland. Estrogen and dopamine have a direct effect on its normal production.

One way or another, its significance for a woman is associated with reproductive function, the ability to conceive and bear. It is very important to know what this hormone is responsible for, the rate of prolactin, to monitor its blood counts in order to identify the pathology in time.

Prolactin Functions

So what is prolactin responsible for? Most functions of this hormone are associated with reproduction:

• the appearance of secondary sexual characteristics in girls;
• in the last trimester of pregnancy is involved in the growth of mammary glands and an increase in ducts in them;
• after childbirth, it starts the production of colostrum, which is converted into milk, filling the mammary glands in the periods between feedings;
• during lactation, it blocks the onset of ovulation and subsequent conception;
• the higher the level of prolactin, the lower the pain threshold in women during the labor period, because prolactin has an analgesic effect;
• regulates the menstrual cycle;
• in men, prolactin is involved in the formation and maturation of sperm, is responsible for sexual health;
• takes part in the immune response to inflammation.

As you can see from the functions, the production and the right amount of the hormone in the blood is important not only for health in general, but also for the birth and feeding of children.

There are 3 types of causes of increased prolactin:

1. Physiological.
2. Pharmacological are the consequences of taking certain medications.
3. Pathological is a violation in the endocrine system of the body.

Physiological increase in prolactin in the blood

Elevated prolactin is not yet a pathology. Absolutely normal physiological factors can also influence its quantitative changes. Under the influence of another hormone - estrogen - prolactin rises during pregnancy, and its level increases with each trimester. The growth of estrogen directly affects the increase in prolactin. For a pregnant woman, it is necessary to feed the baby later. During pregnancy, despite the fact that prolactin rises, the lactation process cannot yet be started, because a large amount of progesterone is also contained in the blood, a decrease in which will begin after the placenta leaves during the labor stage. It is normal that prolactin is at high levels and during breastfeeding.

Also, an increase in this pituitary hormone is also observed during menstruation, exercise, during intercourse, during stress and pain, and hunger.

During the day, there are differences in the content of prolactin in the blood, for example, after waking up, it is much higher than after 3 hours of wakefulness.

Pathological and pharmacological causes and consequences of increased prolactin in women

• Tumor in the pituitary gland.
• Hepatitis and cirrhosis.
• Autoimmune diseases.
• Diabetes.
• Polycystic ovary.
• Renal and liver failure.
• Hypothyroidism
• Acromegaly.
• Anorexia.
• Uterine fibroids.
• Endometriosis
• Alcoholism and drug addiction.

There are medications that can increase prolactin as one of the side effects. These are birth control pills with a high proportion of estrogen, antiemetics, antipsychotics, Reserpine, Verapamil.

One of the serious negative consequences of increased prolactin is infertility. Violation of menstruation, irregular ovulation or its absence leads to the impossibility of conception. This reason is identified in a quarter of women who are unsuccessfully trying to get pregnant.

The consequences of hyperprolactinemia can be different. The disease sometimes affects the functioning of the central nervous system. These can be serious depressive disorders, insomnia. Representatives of the weaker sex sometimes feel a decrease in sexual desire.

Cases in which it is necessary to take a blood test for prolactin

When to take prolactin? Reasons for verification will be as follows:

• Female and male infertility. Primary or secondary.
• Irregular menstruation, amenorrhea - the absence of menstruation for more than six months.
• Uterine bleeding.
• Discharges from the mammary glands - galactorrhea, often combined with mastopathy.
• Thyroid disease.
• Irreducible overweight.
• Excessive facial hair growth.
• Frequent headaches, changeable mood, depressive states.
• Lack of lubrication in the vagina.
• Severe menopause.
• Signs of osteoporosis due to leaching of calcium from the blood.
• Male erectile dysfunction.
• Breast enlargement in men.

Prolactin Table

Its quantity is affected by the presence of pregnancy, the day of the menstrual cycle (the closer to ovulation, the higher the hormone concentration). What should be the norm of prolactin in the blood? In different periods of a woman’s life. External irritants, excessive physical exertion, strong emotions, eating and some drugs also affect the amount of the hormone. The highest output occurs from 1 to 5 at night.

The table shows the norms of prolactin by age and various periods of a woman's life.

The Importance of Prolactin for Men

In men, increased prolactin affects a decrease in testosterone synthesis, which reduces potency, libido and leads to infertility. Breast glands can grow and milk can even be excreted. The norm of prolactin in men is 3-15 ng / ml.

What does a decrease in prolactin mean?

The level of lactotropic hormone may be lower than normal. This occurs with a disease such as Sheehan's syndrome, caused by pituitary insufficiency. If a woman is delaying pregnancy, then prolactin will also be lowered in her blood.

How to pass prolactin analysis

Blood is taken for analysis from a vein, 2-3 hours after sleep, regardless of the day of the cycle (the result will be compared with the day of the cycle).

Preparatory measures include abstinence from sexual contact, physical exertion, excessive action of heat or cold 3 days before delivery. Limit the intake of coffee, sweets, eliminate overeating. You can not take a hot bath, go to the bath.

When is prolactin given again? As described above, the quantitative content of the hormone may vary depending on many external and internal factors. If, after laboratory testing, an increase in the norm of prolactin in the blood is detected, you should pass it again for at least another 3 menstrual cycles.

Additionally, after the doctor decrypts the analysis data, for confirmation, you may need an examination of the thyroid gland, ultrasound of the gastrointestinal tract, mammary glands, determination of blood sugar level. If the patient has a visual impairment, he is referred to an ophthalmologist.

With significant indicators of prolactin, computed or magnetic resonance imaging is prescribed to detect or exclude the presence of a tumor. The detected pituitary adenoma of small sizes occurs in 15% of the population and does not affect health.

Hyperprolactinemia Treatment

Self-medication should not be carried out in any case, the dose is selected by the endocrinologist. The main method of treatment is medication. Usually this process is quite lengthy, it will not be possible to quickly lower the hormone level, the approximate period varies up to six months. If the goal of treatment is the onset of pregnancy, therapy will continue for about a year.

Therapy is aimed at:

• hormone reduction to normal;
• restoration of menstruation and ovulation;
• normalization of fertility;
• tumor reduction.

The main drugs include 3 generations:

1. "Bromocriptine", "Parodel" (derivatives of ergot alkaloids).
2. Norprolak (Quinagolid).
3. Dostinex (Cabergoline).

These medications belong to the group of dopamine receptor agonists (dopaminomimetics), they have different selective effects on prolactin receptors, and therefore different duration of action and tolerance. Their doses are selected individually by the doctor, starting treatment with the minimum dosages. Once a month, under the control of a blood test, the dose is gradually increased, bringing the prolactin level to normal.

Often, when taking Bromocriptine, such side effects as nausea (it is better not to take it on an empty stomach), drowsiness, low blood pressure, dizziness are noted. But since its toxic effect is more studied, when prescribed during pregnancy, it will be the drug of choice. Side effects of Dostinex and Norprolak are less pronounced. Against the background of treatment, the hormonal background is normalized, the ability to conceive is restored, the size of the tumor is reduced, the symptoms of increased prolactin are eliminated.

If drug treatment does not reduce the neoplasm, even the maximum doses and drug changes do not help, the patient may be prescribed more radical methods - surgery or radiation.

Surgical intervention occurs with minimal risks and injuries, since the removal of the tumor occurs through the sinuses of the nose with an endoscope. It is indicated for the ineffectiveness or intolerance of drugs, severe visual impairment, the growth of tumors in a pregnant woman.

Additional recommendations

You can add to the treatment with sedative medicinal herbs, such as mint, lemon balm, valerian, hop cones. It is important to observe a sleep and rest regimen, try to eat correctly, remove excess weight, play sports, and eliminate bad habits. Stop taking medications that provoke an increase in prolactin.

Foods that can help you quickly bring your homon back to normal should be high in protein, vitamin B6, folic acid, tyrosine, and folate. Eat more legumes, greens, fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grain bread, low-fat meats, healthy fish and seafood, as well as eggs, seeds, flax seeds, nuts.

It is important not only to include healthy products in the diet, but also to exclude products that increase the amount of prolactin, this is not whole grain yeast bread, sweets, sausages, smoked products.

Pregnancy and Prolactin

The described causes and consequences of increased prolactin in women deprive her of the possibility of a natural pregnancy. After long unsuccessful attempts, the reason often lies precisely in a hormonal disorder. As a result, a woman gets acquainted with such a diagnosis as hyperprolactinemia. Yes, lowering the level of the hormone is not easy, but after normalization, the test will have the long-awaited two stripes.

After pregnancy, the therapy is interrupted and prolactin levels are no longer measured, and indicators will be high anyway. Need this hormone and the fetus, for the development of lung tissue.

During breastfeeding, this hormone also reaches high values, it is not for nothing that its name comes from the Latin lactis - milk, for which prolactin is responsible. By the way, it is precisely because of it that some children are born with swollen mammary glands, since the hormone in utero enters their body, soon everything will return to normal.

In conclusion of the article

This article shows that prolactin is invaluable to our body. Timely appeal to the gynecologist and endocrinologist, following their recommendations will help the onset of a long-awaited pregnancy, restoration of health and quality of life.