Prolactin is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland that stimulates growth and regulates metabolism. This hormone is produced by both men and women, and prolactin levels that are too high can cause problems such as decreased sex drive or cessation of menstruation. Many things can increase prolactin levels, such as prescription drugs, benign tumors, and hypothyroidism. So, a doctor's diagnosis is very important.
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Method 1 of 4: Changing Prescription Drugs
Step 1. Check the medication prescribed for you
Some prescription drugs can increase prolactin levels. If you take it regularly, the drug can cause a rise in prolactin levels.
- A chemical in the brain called dopamine will block the secretion of prolactin. When you take medications that block or decrease dopamine levels, prolactin levels can increase.
- There are several antipsychotic drugs that can cause this effect, such as risperidone, molindone, trifluoperazine, and haloperidol, as well as some antidepressants. The drug metoclopramide, which is prescribed for severe nausea and acid reflux, can also increase prolactin secretion.
- Some high blood pressure medications can also be a cause, although not as often as those listed above, including reserpine, verapamil, and alpha-methyldopa.
Step 2. Talk to your doctor about stopping or changing your medication
Don't just stop taking medications, especially drugs like antipsychotics, which can cause serious withdrawal effects. Therefore, if you want to stop, first discuss the problem with your doctor.
Doctors can replace the drug with another option that does not cause these side effects
Step 3. Discuss aripiprazole for use as an antipsychotic drug
This drug has been shown to reduce prolactin levels when used in place of or in addition to other antipsychotics. Ask your doctor if this medication is right for you.
- Antipsychotics have the potential to increase prolactin levels because they inhibit dopamine, which causes prolactin secretion from the pituitary gland. In long-term antipsychotic treatment, the patient's body can tolerate so that prolactin levels return to normal, but may remain above normal levels.
- This medicine may cause side effects such as dizziness, nervousness, headache, stomach problems, weight gain, and joint pain. In addition, the legs are also sometimes unstable.
Method 2 of 4: Checking with the Doctor
Step 1. Get a blood test
If you are concerned that your prolactin level is too high, your doctor can check. The best way is a blood test. The doctor will do a fasting blood test. This means that you should not eat or drink 8 hours before the test.
- Doctors also recommend this test if you experience symptoms such as irregular or stopped periods, infertility, erection problems, decreased sex drive, and breast engorgement.
- The normal prolactin level in a nonpregnant woman is 5 to 40 ng/dL (106 to 850 mIU/L), and for a pregnant woman it is 80 to 400 ng/dL (1,700 to 8,500 mIU/L).
- Normal prolactin levels for men are below 20 ng/dL (425 mIU/L).
- Your doctor may also order blood tests to make sure you don't have conditions such as kidney disease or other problems that cause high prolactin levels.
Step 2. Tell your doctor if you have a recent chest injury
Trauma to the chest can temporarily increase prolactin levels. So let me know if you've had a chest injury in the last few weeks. Hives and shingles on the chest can also cause this symptom.
Usually, prolactin levels will return to normal on their own after a chest injury
Step 3. Request a hypothyroidism test
Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid does not produce enough thyroid hormone. Prolactin levels may increase if you have this condition. The doctor will perform blood tests to determine the diagnosis.
- Usually, your doctor will check for this condition if you see that your prolactin level is high, but there's no harm in asking.
- This condition is usually treated with medications such as levothyroxine.
Step 4. Discuss whether B6 injections are right for you
One dose can lower prolactin levels, especially if the increase is temporary. However, talk to your doctor because vitamin B6 should be given by IV or IM.
One dose is usually 300 milligrams. The doctor will inject the drug into a large muscle (such as a thigh or buttock) or through a vein
Method 3 of 4: Trying Home Remedies
Step 1. Consider a 5 gram daily aswagandha root supplement
This supplement with the scientific name Withania somnifera can help lower prolactin levels. In fact, this supplement can also increase male fertility and sex drive in both men and women.
- Before taking supplements, talk to your doctor first.
- You may feel nauseous, have an upset stomach, or have a headache when you take this supplement.
Step 2. Add 300 mg of vitamin E to your daily supplement
Increasing the intake of vitamin E can reduce high prolactin levels. Vitamin E can stop the release of large amounts of prolactin from the pituitary gland.
- Talk to your doctor about taking supplements if you have conditions such as kidney disease or hemodialysis.
- Vitamin E usually does not cause side effects. However, use in high doses can cause stomach problems, fatigue, weakness, rash, headache, blurred vision, increased creatine in urine, and testicular dysfunction.
Step 3. Increase your zinc intake with supplements
Zinc supplements can also lower prolactin levels. Start with 25 milligrams per day and increase as needed up to 40 milligrams per day. Check your prolactin level again to determine if an additional dose is necessary.
- Ask what is the right dose for a supplement like zinc.
- Side effects include headache, indigestion, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.
- Taking more than 40 milligrams of zinc per day for a long time can lead to copper deficiency. Also, avoid the intranasal (through the nose) variant as it can deprive the sense of smell.
Step 4. Try to get 7–8 hours of quality sleep
Lack of sleep can disrupt the balance of the body's systems, including the production of hormones such as prolactin. Get to bed at the right time so you can get enough rest. Sleep alone can reduce prolactin levels.
Method 4 of 4: Treating Prolactinoma
Step 1. Be aware of the symptoms of a prolactinoma
Prolactinoma is a type of tumor that attacks the pituitary gland. Usually, these tumors are benign, do not develop into cancer. However, prolactinomas in making prolactin levels rise very high.
- In women, the common symptoms are changes in menstruation, reduced sex drive, and decreased milk production in nursing mothers. This condition is more difficult to diagnose in men and women who do not menstruate, but you may experience low libido (due to reduced testosterone). You may also experience breast growth.
- If this tumor is left untreated, you may experience premature aging, headaches, or even loss of vision.
Step 2. Take cabergoline to fight tumors
This drug is the doctor's first option because it has the fewest side effects and only needs to be taken twice a week. These drugs can shrink benign tumors and lower prolactin levels.
- Cabergoline can cause nausea and dizziness.
- Another medication is bromocriptine, which can also cause nausea and dizziness. The doctor will increase the dose gradually to reduce side effects. This medication is less expensive, but must be taken 2-3 times per day.
- This drug can be taken long-term, but can be stopped after the tumor shrinks and prolactin levels decrease. However, do not stop suddenly. Follow the doctor's instructions.
Step 3. Ask about surgery if medication doesn't work
Another treatment for this type of tumor is usually surgery. The surgeon will remove the tumor so that it does not cause problems such as elevated prolactin levels.
If you have another type of pituitary gland tumor, not a prolactinoma, your doctor's first choice may be surgery
Step 4. Discuss whether you need radiation
Radiation was used as a general treatment for this type of tumor, whether benign or malignant. However, nowadays it is only chosen as the last option. This procedure can also result in the opposite problem, namely the reduced production of hormones by the pituitary gland to below adequate levels.
- However, in some cases, radiation is the only option if the patient does not respond to the drug and the tumor cannot be safely operated on. In such cases, you need this treatment.
- Sometimes, you only need one treatment, while other tumors need more treatment. So, the action depends on the size and type of tumor.
- The most common side effect is hypopituitarism, which is a condition when the pituitary gland doesn't produce enough hormones. Although very rare, side effects include damage to adjacent brain tissue, including lesions or nerve damage.
