Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptoms in FemalesSymptoms in MalesMood SymptomsWhat Causes High Prolactin Levels?DiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms in Females
Symptoms in Males
Mood Symptoms
What Causes High Prolactin Levels?
Diagnosis
Treatment
High prolactin levels outside of pregnancy and breastfeeding can signal an endocrine disorder or other health concern. High prolactin symptoms include breast enlargement, irregular periods, irritability, and a low sex drive.
Prolactin is a hormone thepituitary glandproduces that stimulateslactation(breast milk production). It is also involved in the development ofmammary glands, regulating themenstrual cyclein females, andproducing spermin males.
While it is normal for prolactin levels to increase during pregnancy and breastfeeding, abnormal increases—referred to ashyperprolactinemia—can causesexual dysfunction, infertility, and lactation in non-nursing adults.
This article discusses high prolactin levels. It explains high prolactin symptoms and causes in females and males. It also goes over the diagnostic process for hyperprolactinemia and treatment options.
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High Prolactin Symptoms in Females
Symptoms of hyperprolactinemia in females include:
High Prolactin Symptoms in Males
Symptoms of hyperprolactinemia in males include:
Mood Symptoms of Hyperprolactinemia
In some cases, hyperprolactinemia may be the result of diseases of theovariesortesticles, both of which produce estrogen and testosterone. In other cases, dysfunction of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, or adrenal glands (HPA axis) can lead to an imbalance of sex hormones and other hormones that influence moods (like dopamine).
These changes can significantly alter moods in people with hyperprolactinemia. The severity of symptoms tends to increase with the level and duration of prolactin increases.
Mood symptoms related to hyperprolactinemia include:
The most common cause of hyperprolactinemia is a type of pituitary adenoma (tumor) known as aprolactinoma. This benign tumor tends to appear for no known reason, although a few types can be inherited from a parent.
Other causes of hyperprolactinemia include:
Can High Prolactin Be Serious?Hyperprolactinemia is not life-threatening, though it may indicate a serious underlying health condition. The outlook for high prolactin levels is generally good and treatment is usually effective.
Can High Prolactin Be Serious?
Hyperprolactinemia is not life-threatening, though it may indicate a serious underlying health condition. The outlook for high prolactin levels is generally good and treatment is usually effective.
Diagnosis of High Prolactin
Prolactin is measured with a blood test performed in a fasting state (meaning you will not have eaten since the night before the test).
The results are interpreted based on a reference range of values, meaning a high and low value between which the results are considered normal. The values are described in nanograms per milliliter of blood (ng/mL).
Normal prolactin levels are generally defined as follows:
Anything above these values in a fasting state is considered hyperprolactinemia.
Your healthcare provider may also order an imaging test called magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that may be able to detect a pituitary adenoma or pituitary inflammation.
High Prolactin Treatment
Other treatments for hyperprolactinemia include:
Summary
Symptoms of high prolactin levels include irregular periods, loss of sex drive, sexual dysfunction, anxiety, depression, and psychosis.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Yale Medicine. Hyperprolactinemia.American Society for Reproductive Medicine.Hyperprolactinemia.MedlinePlus.Prolactin levels.Melmed S, Casanueva FF, Hoffman AR, et al.Diagnosis and treatment of hyperprolactinemia: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline.J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011;96(2):273-288. doi:10.1210/jc.2010-1692Wildemberg LE, Fialho C, Gadelha MR.Prolactinomas.Presse Med. 2021;50(4):104080. doi:10.1016/j.lpm.2021.104080Elgellaie A, Larkin T, Kaelle J, Mills J, Thomas S.Plasma prolactin is higher in major depressive disorder and females, and associated with anxiety, hostility, somatization, psychotic symptoms and heart rate.Compr Psychoneuroendocrinol. 2021;6:100049. doi:10.1016/j.cpnec.2021.100049Brittanica.Thyrotropin-releasing hormone.MedlinePlus.Familial isolated pituitary adenoma.Vilar L, Vilar CF, Lyra R, Freitas MDC.Pitfalls in the diagnostic evaluation of hyperprolactinemia.Neuroendocrinology. 2019;109(1):7-19. doi:10.1159/000499694Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.Prolactin blood test.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Yale Medicine. Hyperprolactinemia.American Society for Reproductive Medicine.Hyperprolactinemia.MedlinePlus.Prolactin levels.Melmed S, Casanueva FF, Hoffman AR, et al.Diagnosis and treatment of hyperprolactinemia: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline.J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011;96(2):273-288. doi:10.1210/jc.2010-1692Wildemberg LE, Fialho C, Gadelha MR.Prolactinomas.Presse Med. 2021;50(4):104080. doi:10.1016/j.lpm.2021.104080Elgellaie A, Larkin T, Kaelle J, Mills J, Thomas S.Plasma prolactin is higher in major depressive disorder and females, and associated with anxiety, hostility, somatization, psychotic symptoms and heart rate.Compr Psychoneuroendocrinol. 2021;6:100049. doi:10.1016/j.cpnec.2021.100049Brittanica.Thyrotropin-releasing hormone.MedlinePlus.Familial isolated pituitary adenoma.Vilar L, Vilar CF, Lyra R, Freitas MDC.Pitfalls in the diagnostic evaluation of hyperprolactinemia.Neuroendocrinology. 2019;109(1):7-19. doi:10.1159/000499694Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.Prolactin blood test.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Yale Medicine. Hyperprolactinemia.American Society for Reproductive Medicine.Hyperprolactinemia.MedlinePlus.Prolactin levels.Melmed S, Casanueva FF, Hoffman AR, et al.Diagnosis and treatment of hyperprolactinemia: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline.J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011;96(2):273-288. doi:10.1210/jc.2010-1692Wildemberg LE, Fialho C, Gadelha MR.Prolactinomas.Presse Med. 2021;50(4):104080. doi:10.1016/j.lpm.2021.104080Elgellaie A, Larkin T, Kaelle J, Mills J, Thomas S.Plasma prolactin is higher in major depressive disorder and females, and associated with anxiety, hostility, somatization, psychotic symptoms and heart rate.Compr Psychoneuroendocrinol. 2021;6:100049. doi:10.1016/j.cpnec.2021.100049Brittanica.Thyrotropin-releasing hormone.MedlinePlus.Familial isolated pituitary adenoma.Vilar L, Vilar CF, Lyra R, Freitas MDC.Pitfalls in the diagnostic evaluation of hyperprolactinemia.Neuroendocrinology. 2019;109(1):7-19. doi:10.1159/000499694Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.Prolactin blood test.
American Society for Reproductive Medicine.Hyperprolactinemia.
MedlinePlus.Prolactin levels.
Melmed S, Casanueva FF, Hoffman AR, et al.Diagnosis and treatment of hyperprolactinemia: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline.J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011;96(2):273-288. doi:10.1210/jc.2010-1692
Wildemberg LE, Fialho C, Gadelha MR.Prolactinomas.Presse Med. 2021;50(4):104080. doi:10.1016/j.lpm.2021.104080
Elgellaie A, Larkin T, Kaelle J, Mills J, Thomas S.Plasma prolactin is higher in major depressive disorder and females, and associated with anxiety, hostility, somatization, psychotic symptoms and heart rate.Compr Psychoneuroendocrinol. 2021;6:100049. doi:10.1016/j.cpnec.2021.100049
Brittanica.Thyrotropin-releasing hormone.
MedlinePlus.Familial isolated pituitary adenoma.
Vilar L, Vilar CF, Lyra R, Freitas MDC.Pitfalls in the diagnostic evaluation of hyperprolactinemia.Neuroendocrinology. 2019;109(1):7-19. doi:10.1159/000499694
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.Prolactin blood test.
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