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What Are The Effects Of Low Prolactin Levels ?
Question: should I worry if I have a low prolactin ?
Brief Answer:
Prolactin
Detailed Answer:
The main role of prolactin in humans is for breastfeeding. Women who have severe pituitary hormone deficiencies due to hypothalamic or pituitary disease may, during the post-delivery time, have a blood prolactin level that is inappropriately low and not be able to nurse. No commercially available prolactin preparation is available for these women.
Routine testing for prolactin deficiency is not currently performed, as it is difficult to distinguish low from normal blood prolactin levels, and there is no standardized test of prolactin reserve.
So to reiterate, the only known presentation of prolactin deficiency is the inability to lactate after delivery, for which there is currently no available treatment.
Recombinant human prolactin (r-hPRL), although not commercially available, has been used experimentally in a study of five women with prolactin deficiency due to Sheehan syndrome or other causes. Prolactin deficiency was defined as baseline or peak blood prolactin levels below the normal range for their post-delivery date and production of less than 8 mL of milk per day. Subcutaneous administration of r-hPRL every 12 hours for 28 days increased mean milk production from 3.4±1.6 mL to 66.1±8.3 mL per day.
You will be best served by seeing an endocrinologist in-person who will examine you to see if other pituitary hormone problems are present. Sometimes low prolactin is associated with other pituitary hormone deficiencies. Based on the findings on physical examination , the endocrinologist may recommend further testing if deemed necessary such as
Cortisol
IGF1
TSH
Free T4
and others
Prolactin
Detailed Answer:
The main role of prolactin in humans is for breastfeeding. Women who have severe pituitary hormone deficiencies due to hypothalamic or pituitary disease may, during the post-delivery time, have a blood prolactin level that is inappropriately low and not be able to nurse. No commercially available prolactin preparation is available for these women.
Routine testing for prolactin deficiency is not currently performed, as it is difficult to distinguish low from normal blood prolactin levels, and there is no standardized test of prolactin reserve.
So to reiterate, the only known presentation of prolactin deficiency is the inability to lactate after delivery, for which there is currently no available treatment.
Recombinant human prolactin (r-hPRL), although not commercially available, has been used experimentally in a study of five women with prolactin deficiency due to Sheehan syndrome or other causes. Prolactin deficiency was defined as baseline or peak blood prolactin levels below the normal range for their post-delivery date and production of less than 8 mL of milk per day. Subcutaneous administration of r-hPRL every 12 hours for 28 days increased mean milk production from 3.4±1.6 mL to 66.1±8.3 mL per day.
You will be best served by seeing an endocrinologist in-person who will examine you to see if other pituitary hormone problems are present. Sometimes low prolactin is associated with other pituitary hormone deficiencies. Based on the findings on physical examination , the endocrinologist may recommend further testing if deemed necessary such as
Cortisol
IGF1
TSH
Free T4
and others
Note: For more information on hormonal imbalance symptoms or unmanaged diabetes with other comorbid conditions, get back to us & Consult with an Endocrinologist. Click here to book an appointment.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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