Prolactin Levels

Causes of High Prolactin Level

Prolactin, also called luteotropic hormone, is a hormone that signals to a number of tissues within the body. It belongs to a class of hormones known as peptide hormones, and it's main function is to facilitate breast milk production and...

What Hormone Produces Milk?

Hormones play a pivotal role in human milk production. The main hormone responsible for milk production, prolactin, is essential for breast-feeding, as it stimulates milk production. But prolactin production and milk let-down also rely on a number...

Arginine and Prolactin

Hormones in the body, including prolactin, depend on amino acids and other nutrients for proper functioning. Prolactin levels can fluctuate, and arginine may be able to help stabilize prolactin levels. Before using arginine for this reason, talk...

About Prolactin Pituitary Tumors

According to the National Institute of Health, a prolactin pituitary tumor, otherwise known as a prolactinoma, is a noncancerous tumor of the pituitary that produces prolactin. The pituitary gland is located in the head and secretes hormones that...

Can Patients With a Pituitary Tumor Exercise?

Your pituitary gland resides in your brain, and is considered the "master gland" due to its crucial role in growth and development. Tumors in this gland will affect many functions in your body, particularly your hormone balance. Your prolactin...

Foods That Lower Prolactin

Prolactin, a protein hormone synthesized in the pituitary gland, has several important functions. It stimulates the development of the breasts, promotes milk secretion from the breasts during lactation and suppresses ovulation. Prolactin secretion...

Does Dopamine Lower Prolactin?

If you're pregnant or have recently given birth, you have a hormone circulating in your bloodstream called prolactin. It's important for two major functions, but your prolactin level can be decreased by a small but powerful molecule.

What Are Health Benefits of the Vitex Herb?

Vitex, or chasteberry, is a shrub native to central Asia and the region bordering the Mediterranean Sea. The plant's dark brown berries contain the medicinal compounds of vitex. The herb is primarily used to regulate hormones. In fact, monks,...

Causes for Abnormal Lactation

Abnormal lactation, also called galactorrhea, is milky nipple discharge that is usually not associated with normal milk production. It results from a number of medical conditions and medications and often goes away on its own. If abnormal...

What Is Dostinex?

The pituitary gland produces a hormone called prolactin. Sometimes the pituitary gland produced too much prolactin due to a tumor or other cause. Dostinex suppresses the pituitary gland from producing the hormone until the body has the opportunity...

Cabergoline Treatment

Cabergoline is a medication used to treat high prolactin levels. According to the St. John Health System, prolactin refers to a hormone that influences your menstrual cycle, fertility and sexual function.

Benign Pituitary Tumor Symptoms

The pituitary gland is an endocrine gland at the base of the brain that generates and secretes a number of hormones. The gland is involved in a range of functions throughout the body, and plays a role in processes including fertility and sexual...

Hyperprolactinemia & Dopamine

Prolactin is a hormone released from the anterior pituitary gland that stimulates milk production in the breast. Hyperprolactinemia, or high blood prolactin, is normal in pregnancy because milk production is necessary for the nursing of a newborn....

Chaste Tree Berry for Problems With Pregnancy

If you are having trouble getting pregnant you might hear that chastetree berry will help in your effort. However, despite the fact that this herb is used to treat many hormone-related gynecologic conditions, using it as a fertility aid may be...

Uses for a Chaste Tree

The chaste tree is used medicinally for its berries, which contain certain properties that can affect female sex hormones. Also known as vitex, chaste berry may help in treating symptoms associated with PMS, fibrocystic breast disease, irregular...

Herbs to Help Increase the Chances of Getting Pregnant

As many as 7 million couples in the U.S., or one out of six, has trouble getting pregnant, according to Shady Grove Fertility. Many turn to herbs as a reasonably inexpensive alternative to infertility treatments. Infertility can occur if one or...

Is it Safe to Take Vitex Until You Find Out You're Pregnant?

Vitex, an herb also known as chasteberry, is often used as an alternative medicine for infertility. Vitex is also used to treat menstrual difficulties, improve breast milk supply, decrease breast pain and to lower prolactin levels, which can...

High Estrogen Levels While Breastfeeding

During pregnancy, circulating levels of the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone rise to prepare your body for lactation. After you give birth, however, levels of these hormones drop as your body increases production of prolactin. As levels of...

Chasteberry & Infertility

Infertility is defined as a couple not being able to conceive after a full year of trying. It can be both emotionally and financially taxing to treat with traditional medical interventions. As a result, many couples turn to herbs that have had...

How Do Fertility Drugs Work?

According to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), approximately 85 to 90 percent of all infertility cases are treated either by providing fertility drugs to women or through reproductive organ surgery. One of the leading causes of...

Four Essential Hormones for Breast Development

The breasts are hormonally regulated tissues that respond to a number of hormones circulating within the body. The developmental cycle of the breasts begins in puberty, and extends to changes during pregnancy. According to the Ohio State...

Natural Ways to Lower Prolactin

Prolactin is a hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland and is responsible for breast changes during pregnancy and lactation following delivery. High prolactin, also called hyperprolactinemia, happens when the pituitary gland secretes too...

Normal Progesterone Levels During Breastfeeding

Progesterone plays an important role during pregnancy. After delivery of the baby, the levels of this hormone begin to drop. Breastfeeding causes low levels of progesterone due to the effect of prolactin, which prevents ovulation. Thus,...

Common Signs of Phantom Pregnancy

Many women believe they are having pregnancy symptoms that go away with the arrival of their menstrual cycle or a negative pregnancy test. In 1 to 6 of every 22,000 pregnancies, the person continues to believe she is pregnant without any evidence...

Nutrition & Amenorrhea

While heavy exercise has links to the cessation of menstruation, amenorrhea more frequently stems from a lack of sufficient calories or rapid, excessive weight loss. Most cases of nutritional amenorrhea are temporary, and eating a healthy,...

Dostinex Side Effects

Dostinex, generically sold as cabergoline, is a medication used to stop the production and release the hormone prolactin in your pituitary gland, which is located in your brain. Dostinex can be also used to manage fertility problems, menstrual...

What Is Vitex Agnus-Cactus?

Vitex agnus-cactus is a tree that grows in the Mediterranean regions and central Asia. Its fruits are used in medicinal preparations to treat a wide range of hormonal and menstrual problems in women. Before taking any herbal medicine, including...

Benefits of Chasteberry Herbal Teas

The chasteberry tree, also known as "vitex," is a medicinal botanical that grows in its native regions of southern Europe and the Mediterranean. The tree's dark red berries, leaves and blue-violet flowers all contain flavonoids, which have...

Chasteberry During Pregnancy

Chasteberry is an herbal remedy used to treat various hormonal issues in women, including PMS, polycystic ovary syndrome and symptoms of menopause. Chasteberry appears to act like progesterone in the body, helping to balance the hormones. Widely...