Prolactin and Its Effect on Fertility
An Over Production of the Human Milk Hormone Could Cause Infertility
May 10, 2009
Prolactin is produced by the pituitary gland in the brain, in both men and women. It is a sex hormone as well as being the milk hormone.
When a woman becomes pregnant, the hormone is responsible for enlarging her mammary glands and this is why women's breasts grow during pregnancy and why some women in the early stages of pregnancy may suffer from sore breasts.
After the baby is born, prolactin activates and regulates the mother's milk supply and maintains it during her nursing relationship. It can also stop her ovulation and periods in high levels to prevent another baby from being born too soon.
Why Do Men Produce Prolactin?
Prolactin plays an important role in sex. At the moment of orgasm, a sharp rise in prolactin levels occur. As it is known to suppress other hormones involved in reproduction, it is thought to suppress sexual desire. That is why, after an orgasm, the person feels satisfied and he doesn't need any further intercourse. If men did not produce prolactin, they might never be satisfied by intercourse and always feel as if they need more.
There could also be other reasons why men produce prolactin, but scientists aren't entirely sure what these reasons are. Ancient biblicial references suggest that men may have actually had a role in nursing their children, if for some reason the mother couldn't.
The Effect of Too Much Prolactin
Too much prolactin in women may cease their periods. If she is breast feeding a baby or toddler, this is perfectly normal and is nature's way of ensuring that she doesn't get pregnant again too quickly after giving birth. If you are trying for a second pregnancy and not succeeding, try putting off your plans for a second child until your first child has stopped nursing. A bigger age gap between children should solve this problem. Occasionally it doesn't and you may be diagnosed with secondary infertility.
Galactorrhea
Sometimes a woman who is not pregnant and has not given birth, can produce too much prolactin and have breast milk. This condition is called Galactorrhea. It can be a cause of infertility, by stopping one from ovulating and menstruating. Other symptoms include sore breasts and a lack of interest in sex.
Hyperprolactinemia
Another condition that causes infertility is hyperprolactinemia, which literally means too much prolactin in the blood. Symptoms include:
- Absent periods or irregular periods
- Lack of interest or reduced interest in sex
- Headaches
- Sight problems
- No pregnancy despite one year or more of unprotected sex.
A blood test can diagnose this condition. If you have more than 600 mIU/I of prolactin in the blood, you have hyperprolactinemia.
Men and Hyperprolactinemia
Men can also suffer with this condition. Symptoms in men include:
- Lack of interest in sex
- impotence
- Reduction in levels of testoserone in the body
- Low sperm count
- Some men may develop swellings in their chest that look like small breasts, and may even produce breast milk.
If you have more than 15 mIU/I of prolactin in your blood, you are suffering from hyperprolactinemia.
What Can I Do?
First, see your doctor. Excessive prolactin is caused by a variety of different things, including medications (particularly anti-depressants) and viruses. If your condition is triggered by medication, your doctor can stop it or put you on a different kind of medication and this may correct the problem.
If you have been ill with a virus prior to being diagnosed, rest and immune system support may be enough to correct the hormonal imbalance. Eat plenty of organic, raw foods, drink lots of water, exercise, take a good vitamin C supplement or multi-vitamin supplement and go to bed earlier to see if this makes a difference.
Sometimes excess prolactin can also be caused by a thyroid disorder so your doctor will investigate this possibility. If you are found to have a thyroid disorder, then medicine to bring it under control will usually balance out your prolactin levels.
A hormone drug called dopamine can also be given to reduce prolactin in your blood.
