Prolactin or luteotropin is a steroid hormone substance, which is mainly produced in the pituitary gland. The hormone prolactin performs the most important functions in the male body, controlling a number of processes, including those relating to sexual functions.
What is the role of prolactin
The value of prolactin for men is enormous, because it is assigned to responsible tasks. For men, the importance of luteotropin lies, first of all, in its effect on the secretion of testosterone hormone. Only with the normal content of luteotropin hormone is a full development of sperm. The hormone contains protein compounds consisting of many amino acid components, more precisely, of 198.
In general, prolactin has many responsibilities: it participates in the processes of the immune system, monitors sexual activity, controls the quality and level of spermatozoa and testosterone. Therefore, any deviation from the norm is manifested by serious violations in these areas of the male body.
That's interesting! Early in the morning, the prolactin content in the body reaches a peak, then gradually falls to the minimum values that are noted in the evening. This feature is due to the fact that at night there is a powerful release of this hormone into the blood.
Men tend to be secretive about problems in sexual life. If the erection has become too weak or it did not occur at all, then they start taking pills like Viagra or Cialis, believing that their impotence develops irreversibly. It is not right. Often the cause of the weakening of the potency and libido are hormonal disorders, in particular, a low level of testosterone due to a deficiency of prolactin. Therefore, do not run to the pharmacy for Viagra, it is better to go to the clinic and take tests for the content of hormones.
Norm of hormone
Sometimes couples face the problem of difficult conception. What is their surprise when it is found that the fault is due to the abnormal concentration in the male body of female luteotropin hormone. Erectile problems, decreased libido, and sometimes suppression of secondary masculine signs - all this can arise because of the hormonal deficiency of prolactin.
Normally, the hormone prolactin should be 2.5-17 ng / ml. It is this level that ensures the full maturation of spermatozoa, the production of testosterone, etc. But it often happens that under the influence of some factors there is a violation of the hormonal balance in the direction of reducing or increasing prolactin.
Determine the level with the help of hormonal analysis, which requires several conditions to be fulfilled:
- Eliminate sexual contacts one day before blood collection;
- Refuse from liquor, bath, heavy physical labor the day before the analysis;
- Blood is taken no earlier than 3 hours after waking up;
- An hour before the analysis, quit smoking;
- Calmly sit and not be nervous for at least half an hour before taking blood.
Follow these recommendations for maximum accuracy. If one of the items was not followed, then the procedure should be postponed.
Why there is a hormonal imbalance
The content of prolactin can affect other hormonal substances. Since dopamine( a hormone of pleasure and happiness) acts as an inhibitor of prolactin, when its norms are exceeded, the prolactin concentration decreases. Increase prolactin thyrotropin and serotonin hormone.
Reduced prolactin
A decrease in the prolactin level is rare. Normally prolactin decreases in the evening hours. If there is a pathological decrease in the level of prolactin, then the cause of such deviations may be pituitary insufficiency, when the pituitary cells do not cope with their work. Usually the cause of such violations are various kinds of neoplasms or the reception of some groups of medications such as anticonvulsant or morphine-containing drugs, neuroleptics or antidepressants, anesthetic drugs, etc. In addition, prolactin decreases after the course of X-ray therapy.
Specialists argue that a decreased content of prolactin in the blood has a negative effect on the psychoemotional state of a man and leads to inhibition of sexual activity. Therefore, the deviation of prolactin from the normal downward direction needs to be eliminated with the help of medications, diets, etc.
Elevated prolactin
More often in men, an increase in the prolactin level is found. A similar condition is diagnosed as hyperprolactinemia. This deviation from the norm does not always indicate any disease. Often this happens because of the way of life of a man. Although often the causes of high levels of luteotropin are pathological in nature.
The increased symptoms of prolactin are indicated by the following symptoms:
- Unexplained weight gain;
- Increased mammary glands or gynecomastia;
- Headaches of permanent character;
- Acne vulgaris;
- Decreased potency;
- Lack of sexual desire;
- Weakness;
- Depressive states;
- Sleep disorders.
As already explained, hyperprolactinemia may have a pathological or physiological origin. If we talk about physiological enhancement, it occurs after sexual intercourse, drinking, smoking, physical labor, fatty, sweet or protein-fortified dishes. It happens that the causes of increased prolactin are stressful situations and depressive conditions. In these cases, the increase in the hormonal level is temporary and eliminated after a correction of lifestyle, diet, etc.
Attention! The first manifestations of an increased level of prolactin are sudden problems with erection, difficulties with fertilization. Long-term hyperprolactinemia can cause persistent infertility, so the level of prolactin needs to be corrected.
Pathological hyperprolactinaemia develops due to the following factors:
- Pituitary pathologies like tumors, metastases, cystic lesions;
- Radiation;
- Liver or kidney deficiency and pathology of these organs;
- Vitamin B deficiency;
- Pituitary compression;
- Hypothalamus tumors;
- Endocrine pathologies like hypothyroidism, adrenal dysfunction, etc.;
- Autoimmune pathologies;
- Chest injuries such as shingles, injuries, burn injuries or surgeries;
- Chronic prostatitis;
- Pathological conditions that contribute to disorders of hypothalamus activity such as neurosyphilis, sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, infectious lesions or injuries.
If the cause of hyperprolactinaemia is pituitary dysfunction, then a man has acromegaly or gigantism. Help in this situation can only surgery, when the tumor from the pituitary gland is eliminated intranasally.
How to bring the content of prolactin into the norm of
Before proceeding with the restoration of the normal level of prolactin, it is necessary to reliably identify the cause of such hormonal disorders. Only after this can we expect adequate and effective therapy. Usually therapy is based on conservative measures. Patients are prescribed drugs such as Kabergoline, Hvinagolide, Apomorphine, Bromomocriptine, etc. When hormonal jumps have arisen as a result of taking certain medications, it is enough to simply cancel the drug and the content of prolactin will return to normal. In addition, additional hormone therapy with testosterone drugs is indicated. The main task of such treatment is normalization of prolactin level, correction of hypogonadism and lactorrhoea.
Parlodel is considered to be a popular and effective treatment for hyperprolactinemia. This drug stimulates dopamine receptors, which significantly slows prolactin secretion. Reception Parlodela does not affect the rest of the hormones, but the drug is contraindicated in myocardial ischemia, mental disorders or hypertension.
In addition to Parlodela, Abergin, Distinex or the latest generation of Norprolac are often used. The latter is considered the most effective and is characterized by a minimal set of adverse reactions.
If the cause of hyperprolactinaemia is the pituitary or hypothalamic tumor, then the treatment becomes surgical. Usually, operative therapy is indicated for large sizes of tumorous formations, which causes nerve compression and other complications. The prognosis for surgical treatment is determined by the size of the formations. With the removal of small tumors, prolactin comes to normal almost in all cases( ≈80-90%).When a large tumor is removed, the probability of normalizing the hormonal status is significantly reduced.
It happens that after a surgical intervention, a low testosterone level remains. To increase it, patients are prescribed androgenic drugs. As an additional therapeutic measures shown correct nutrition, adjustment of the daily regimen, vitamin therapy. For successful treatment it is recommended to avoid unnecessary disturbances, stresses and alcoholic libations. Hyperprolactinaemia is not a separate pathology, but arises from a number of factors, sometimes very dangerous. Therefore, the emergence of characteristic symptoms should be the reason for a mandatory visit to the andrologist.
