There are a few different hormones that are involved in your menstrual cycle and prolactin is one of them. It is a hormone that is made by your pituitary gland. It helps to regulate your hormones and is also involved in promoting lactation. When you have too much of it, it can impact your menstrual cycle.
And for this post, let us take a look and talk about prolactin with from certified naturopaths near Bendigo naturopathy.
Elevated Levels of Prolactin
When prolactin is severely elevated, it becomes a serious medical problem which can stop your periods.
Mild elevation of your prolactin levels has a different impact. It doesn’t stop your menstrual cycle, but it can lead to other things including irregular periods, breast pain, and loss of libido. It can also cause androgen excess through two different mechanisms within your body. It can be a driving factor that leads to you developing PCOS and/or PCOS-associated symptoms.
Causes of High Prolactin Levels
Very high and moderately high levels of prolactin tend to be associated with medical conditions that need further medical diagnosis and management. These can be caused by benign pituitary tumours, thyroid disease, some medications, and high levels of alcohol consumption.
Mildly elevated levels are common but is harder to narrow down to one specific cause. Temporary elevation may be caused by sex, exercise, alcohol, eating, sleep, dehydration, stress, mild thyroid disease, and hormonal birth control. Schedule an appointment with a Bendigo naturopath to have an in-depth conversation about yourself.
Naturopathic Considerations
Once your doctor has ruled out medical conditions that might be causing your high prolactin, you can then look at naturopathic treatments. Things your naturopath might look at include:
- Reduce alcohol consumption, particularly beer, as barley can stimulate the production.
- Reduce stress by lifestyle methods such as yoga, meditation, and long, leisurely walks.
- Herbal supplements such as Vitex to help lower prolactin.
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