Oats, brown rice, and barley Among the lesser-known benefits is a recent study performed in cells that showed beta-glucan stimulated prolactin secretion. Of course, further studies in animal and human models are needed, but this fiber may hold the key to maintaining healthy prolactin levels.
Any medication that affects the production or use of dopamine in your body can make your prolactin levels rise. Medications that can increase prolactin levels include: Certain antipsychotic medications, such as risperidone. Certain high blood pressure medications.
Studies have shown that protein is the main macronutrient which causes the increase in prolactin, so eating a lower protein diet could be beneficial to reduce the prolactin levels.
Most cases of hyperprolactinemia are caused by increased prolactin secretion from the pituitary gland, which also produces many other hormones that travel throughout the body. In women, physical or psychological stress, pregnancy and nipple stimulation have all been found to increase prolactin levels.
Reduce stress with yoga, meditation, and long slow walks. Consider taking vitamin B6, which lowers prolactin levels by increasing the neurotransmitter dopamine. Consider taking the herbal medicine Vitex agnus-castus (chaste tree or chaste berry), which lowers prolactin.
Medication lowers the prolactin level in the blood substantially, often to normal, and also usually reduces adenoma size. However, a minority of these adenomas do not respond to medication and must be treated with surgery or, less commonly, radiation therapy.
Dopamine agonists can decrease the production of prolactin and shrink the size of the tumor. Drugs can eliminate symptoms for most people with prolactinomas. However, you'll generally need long-term treatment with drugs. Commonly prescribed drugs include cabergoline and bromocriptine (Cycloset, Parlodel).
Also vitamin D deficiency in prolactinoma patients associated with larger adenoma size and higher prolactin level.
Exercise effects on prolactin
Circulating prolactin levels increase in the blood during exercise, with the magnitude of the increase approximately proportional to the intensity of the physical activity.
Vitamin B6
Dopamine naturally reduces the prolactin levels in the body. It also helps to reduce prolactin production. You can consume vitamin B6-rich foods like bananas, dates, figs, raisins, jackfruit, milk, sweet potato, eggs, and avocado.
Vitamin E is another supplement that can inhibit central prolactin secretion. It is also safe, cheap and rarely causes any side effects. The recommended dosage is 300 to 400 IU per day. If necessary, the dosage of natural vitamin E can be increased up to 1000 IU per day.
Oats, brown rice, and barley
Among the lesser-known benefits is a recent study performed in cells that showed beta-glucan stimulated prolactin secretion. Of course, further studies in animal and human models are needed, but this fiber may hold the key to maintaining healthy prolactin levels.
Interestingly, prolactin levels have a typical 24-hour cycle — just like the human body's circadian rhythm. Prolactin peaks in the early morning hours around 2-5 a.m., while the lowest prolactin levels happen in the late afternoon to early evening.
High prolactin levels promote food intake, weight gain, leptin resistance and the insulin resistant state seen in pregnancy which allows glucose to be diverted to the developing fetus (1, 7–11).
Foods that lower prolactin levels are generally high in zinc; think shellfish, beef, turkey and beans. It's also important to get plenty of B6, so foods like potatoes, bananas, wild salmon, chicken and spinach can help boost those vitamin levels.
If high prolactin levels are because of a medicine, these levels will usually return to normal 3 to 4 days after the drug is stopped.
Sometimes, no cause of hyperprolactinemia can be found. This is known as idiopathic hyperprolactinemia. It usually goes away without treatment after several months.
Vitamin B6 is an effective prolactin inhibitor that is extremely cheap and safe.it exerts hypothalamic dopaminergic effect which causes a significant reduction in prolactin level.
There is some evidence that functional hyperprolactinemia may be due to stress-induced neuroendocrine changes of dopamine and serotonin, thus affecting prolactin release [35]. REM sleep rebound, a behavioral coping mechanism to stress, has been found to be mediated by prolactin [36].
In addition, curcumin also induced apoptosis in both GH3 and MMQ cells. Furthermore, curcumin suppresses intracellular levels and release of both prolactin and GH.
Tests for prolactinomas
We can also detect other pituitary hormonal changes. A normal prolactin level is less than 20 nanograms per milliliter. A prolactin level of more than 150-200 nanograms per milliliter usually signals a prolactinoma.
Symptoms of high prolactin levels include irregular periods, loss of sex drive, sexual dysfunction, heavy menstrual bleeding, weight gain, anxiety, depression, and psychosis.