Prolactin is a peptide hormone produced by the anterior pituitary, endometrium and decidua of the uterus. The name of the hormone is due to its ability to influence the process of lactation. In addition, the biological action of prolactin is to maintain the entire reproductive system of the female and male body.
This hormone affects the process of ovulation and conception, and is also responsible for the activity of spermatozoa. When a woman's prolactin is below normal, this affects her he alth and well-being. Most often, a decrease in this hormone is the result of a disease or hormonal failure. In order not to start a possible disease, you need to know about the symptoms of low prolactin, as well as methods of treating this problem.
Prolactin and women's he alth
Prolactin has a stronger effect on women than on men. Therefore, when it decreases or increases, it immediately affects the woman’s he alth and her well-being. Prolactin is responsible for the following processes in the female body:
- Puberty and the formation of secondary sexual characteristics.
- Emotional background during puberty.
- Protect the fetus from maternal immune responses during pregnancy.
- The stage of formation of the respiratory organs in the embryo.
- Breast milk production.
- Education of maternal instincts.
- Water-s alt balance.
During lactation, prolactin prevents ovulation and also protects the woman from hormonal failure. It is this hormone that prevents pregnancy while breastfeeding.
Why does prolactin go down
This hormone rarely goes down on its own. Usually, its jump is accompanied by a failure of other sex hormones. Even a slight decrease in prolactin from the established norm can provoke significant changes in well-being and make changes to the normal functioning of the reproductive system.
Doctors call low prolactin hypoprolactinemia. Most doctors are sure that this hormone is reduced a second time, due to a malfunction of the anterior pituitary gland. Such pathologies often occur after severe bleeding during childbirth, which leads to necrosis of the pituitary gland. In this case, during a laboratory examination, a deficiency of not only one prolactin, but also other hormones will be found.
Signs of a decrease in prolactin in women
The hormone prolactin can lower its performance in a woman's body for many reasons. Most of them will indicate serious pathological processes. Only occasionally can depression or a weak immune system be the cause of low prolactin. Therefore, every woman who has noticed signs of a hormonal failure in herself should go for a consultation with a therapist and pass the necessary tests. Most often, low prolactin can be identified by the following symptoms:
- Poor lactation after childbirth.
- Infertility.
- Slow puberty.
- Frequent miscarriages, especially in the early stages.
- Restless sleep and insomnia.
- Sharp weight gain.
- Permanent depression and nervousness.
- Irregular menstruation.
- Low libido.
Any of these signs indicates a violation in the work of the reproductive or vegetative system. The most common symptom of low prolactin is the lack of breast milk. Sometimes low prolactin in women does not show any signs. That is why it is so important to regularly implement preventive measures and once every six months to do tests that examine the hormonal background and other important body processes.
Main causes of low prolactin in women
Most often, prolactin below normal signals pathologies occurring in the female reproductive system. In order not to start a disease that has shown itself to be a similar sign, you need to know what exactly provokes the decline of this hormone. The main reasons provoking a decrease in prolactin are consideredthe following processes:
- Pituitary necrosis resulting from unsuccessful birth.
- The formation of a tumor in the brain.
- Delayed pregnancy over 42 weeks.
- Treatment of malignant neoplasms.
- Tranio-cerebral injuries.
- Inflammatory diseases.
- Congenital pathologies.
- Infectious diseases of the brain (tuberculosis, histoplasmosis, etc.).
- Taking hormonal medications.
Pituitary necrosis and tuberculosis causes an irreversible decrease in the level of the hormone prolactin. The use of drugs or traumatic brain injury only temporarily lowers its concentration. With complaints of low prolactin after 45 years, doctors most often associate this failure with the manifestation of menopause symptoms.
Decrease in prolactin during pregnancy
A normal and he althy pregnancy without complications implies a natural increase in prolactin within the established norm. This hormone has a strong influence on the stimulation of breast milk production, as well as on the development of the fetus. It is under the influence of prolactin that the synthesis of surfactant in the respiratory organs of the baby increases. According to numerous scientific studies, there is a link between the manifestation of hypoprolactinemia and increased mortality in premature babies.
When prolactin during childbearing begins to fall below acceptable values, you should be wary of premature birth, and further problems with breastfeeding. AtIn this case, every woman should know that it is strictly forbidden to be treated with folk methods in such a situation. It is necessary to consult a doctor for prescribing treatment, and if there are problems with lactation, use the services of a breastfeeding consultant. If the above methods did not work, you should switch to artificial feeding of the child.
Decreased prolactin in men
Prolactin has a strong influence on the functioning of the reproductive system in men. This hormone is responsible for sperm activity and successful fertilization. Men rarely suffer from low prolactin levels. Much more often, this hormone is elevated in them.
Prolactin levels can decrease due to natural factors and various diseases. Regardless of the reasons accompanying this deviation, it is necessary to consult a doctor for an accurate diagnosis. Low prolactin in men affects the psyche and impairs sexual life. Libido is significantly reduced, the quality of spermatozoa deteriorates, which negatively affects when trying to conceive a child. The man begins to suffer from insomnia, depression and nervous conditions.
The level of the hormone prolactin can decrease as a result of drinking alcohol, as well as smoking cigarettes. Therefore, if you suspect its deficiency, you should reconsider your attitude to bad habits, go in for sports and start eating right.
Diagnosis of low prolactin
If low prolactin is suspected, it is necessary to take an analysisblood for this hormone to determine its exact amount in the blood. If signs of its decrease arose during the treatment of a brain tumor, pituitary necrosis, or any other diseases, it is necessary to approach the determination of the level of prolactin with special attention. In people with such pathologies, not only this hormone, but also all the others will be lowered. It also decreases serum prolactin. Therefore, going to the clinic, it is necessary to pass an analysis for adrenocorticotropic, thyroid-stimulating, somatotropic, follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormone.
How to treat low prolactin
The method of treatment chosen depends only on the cause that led to the decrease in hormone levels. Low prolactin in women and men is not a disease in and of itself. Therefore, it is strictly forbidden to treat hypoprolactinemia independently. First you need to find out everything about the disease that led to a decrease in this hormone. You can not try to normalize the hormonal background with the help of folk recipes. Only by identifying the cause of the pathology, it is possible to equalize the amount of prolactin in the blood. Self-medication in this case will not only become ineffective, but will also aggravate the state of he alth.
Whom to treat hormonal failure
Having identified the symptoms of low prolactin, you should immediately make an appointment at the nearest clinic. First of all, you need to seek help from one of the following specialists:
- Gynecologist.
- Endocrinologist.
- To a psychotherapist.
Visiting the last doctor on the list will helpcorrect the emotional background, which is often disrupted with low prolactin. A man suffering from a decrease in this hormone needs to make an appointment with an andrologist. This doctor treats diseases of the reproductive system in men.
Drug treatment of hypoprolactinemia
The treatment of this pathology is carried out by the method of restoring the hormonal background. This is done with the help of drugs that contain prolactin. One of the most popular drugs in this category is the drug "Dostinex". Low prolactin is treated with other medications, but most endocrinologists give their preference to it. It contains the following active ingredients:
- Lactose.
- Cabergoline.
- Leucine.
Already half an hour after taking the hormonal agent, there is an improvement in the patient's well-being. Low prolactin after "Dostinex" noticeably increases in its performance.
Endocrinologist Tips
Doctors note that most of the tests taken may differ from the real state of the hormonal background. This happens due to non-compliance with the elementary rules that must be followed before donating blood for analysis. To determine the amount of prolactin, venous blood is taken. Do this strictly on an empty stomach after an overnight fast. You should also carefully prepare for the analysis. For this you need:
- Do not engage in physical activity the day before the test, exclude sexual contact and any sport. It is forbiddenhypothermia, drinking alcohol, going to the sauna, the beach or the solarium.
- A few hours before blood sampling, calm down and be at rest. Nothing to eat or drink except a glass of water.
Recovery period
With low prolactin, it begins after the first day of taking hormonal drugs. Unpleasant symptoms associated with hormonal failure will begin to disappear after a week of complex treatment. The recovery period will be much easier if you follow these recommendations:
- Don't be nervous and don't worry. The work of many vital processes of the body depends on the mental state.
- Get rid of bad habits. Smoking and alcohol have an extremely negative impact on he alth and the normalization of prolactin levels in the blood.
- Stop drinking coffee, hard drinks, soda.
- Do not eat fried, smoked, canned and starchy foods.
- Give up chocolate and other sugary desserts.
- Eat he althy foods that contain saturated fatty acids.
A special diet and giving up bad habits will not only restore the body during hormonal failure, but also serve as an excellent prevention.
