High Prolactin – Symptoms, Causes & How to Lower It Naturally
In This Article, You’ll Learn:
✅ What is prolactin and why it’s important?
✅ What causes high prolactin and when it’s a problem?
✅ Natural ways to support healthy prolactin levels.
What Is Prolactin?
Prolactin is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland, most commonly associated with breastfeeding and pregnancy. But its role goes far beyond milk production.
Key functions to remember:
✔ Stimulates lactation after childbirth.
✔ Suppresses ovulation during pregnancy and breastfeeding – helping the body naturally space pregnancies.
When prolactin is elevated outside of these contexts, it often means the body is trying to intentionally block ovulation – usually in response to physical or emotional stress, energy deficiency, or inflammation. In other words, high prolactin is often a signal that your body doesn’t feel safe enough for reproduction right now.
Prolactin levels naturally fluctuate throughout the day, rising at night and decreasing in the morning. This is why testing at the right time is crucial.
For some women, prolactin levels remain persistently high, which can cause menstrual irregularities, fertility issues, and other symptoms.
When Is High Prolactin Normal?
There are times when high prolactin is completely normal and beneficial:
✔ During pregnancy – Prolactin prepares the body for milk production.
✔ While breastfeeding – It helps maintain milk supply.
✔ During sleep – Prolactin naturally rises at night as part of the circadian rhythm
Aside from these conditions, prolactin can temporarily spike due to:
🔹 Emotional stress (arguments, work pressure)
🔹 Physical stress (intense exercise, fasting)
🔹 Nipple stimulation (including from tight bras)
🔹 Sexual activity
🔹 Recent heavy meals or alcohol intake
If your prolactin test was taken shortly after any of these activities, it may not reflect your true baseline level.
How to Properly Test Prolactin
To get an accurate prolactin reading, follow these guidelines:
✅ Test in the morning (preferably between 8-10 AM).
✅ Avoid sex, nipple stimulation, and intense exercise for 48 hours before testing.
✅ Minimize stress before your blood draw.
✅ Don’t eat a large meal or drink alcohol the night before.
If your prolactin result is high, retesting under ideal conditions is recommended before assuming there’s a problem.
Symptoms of Problematic High Prolactin
Chronically high prolactin can cause:
- Irregular or absent periods
- Ovulation problems & infertility
- Low libido and vaginal dryness
- Unexplained milk discharge from the breasts (galactorrhea)
- Thinning hair & changes in body hair growth
If you’re experiencing these symptoms, it’s time to explore what’s causing high prolactin.
What Causes High Prolactin?
1. Stress and Cortisol Dysregulation
Prolactin is extremely sensitive to stress. Emotional, physical, or mental stress can all increase prolactin production.
🔹 High cortisol (stress hormone) disrupts hormonal balance, leading to irregular cycles and ovulation problems.
🔹 Overexercising, undereating, or poor sleep can trigger stress-related prolactin elevation.
🔹 Even psychological stress alone (work pressure, anxiety) can keep prolactin elevated.
💡What to do: Prioritize stress management techniques like deep breathing, meditation, and proper rest.
2. Blood Sugar Imbalances
Unstable blood sugar can signal hormonal stress, triggering a cascade of compensatory responses – one of them being elevated prolactin.
🔹 Skipping meals, undereating, or following restrictive diets can cause blood sugar crashes. In response, your body releases stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which in turn can raise prolactin levels.
🔹 Insulin resistance is also commonly linked to abnormal prolactin levels and overall hormonal dysregulation.
💡What to do:
Support blood sugar stability with balanced meals that include:
✔️ Protein (e.g., eggs, fish, poultry) to slow glucose release
✔️ Whole-food carbohydrates (e.g., root vegetables, fruit, properly prepared grains) to fuel your metabolism
✔️ Healthy fats (e.g., butter, olive oil, avocado) to support hormone production
✔️ Key minerals like potassium and magnesium, which are essential for insulin sensitivity, nervous system regulation, and glucose control
Stable blood sugar isn’t just about energy—it’s a critical foundation for hormonal balance, including healthy prolactin levels.
3. Thyroid Dysfunction
Thyroid hormones and prolactin are closely linked. If your thyroid is underactive (hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s), prolactin can rise as a compensatory mechanism.
🔹 Low thyroid hormones slow down metabolism and disrupt ovulation.
🔹 Even mild hypothyroidism can increase prolactin.
💡What to do: Check TSH, free T3, and free T4 to rule out thyroid issues.
4. Estrogen Dominance
Excess estrogen is one of the most overlooked causes of high prolactin.
🔹 High estrogen levels suppress thyroid function and increase prolactin production.
🔹 Estrogen is also linked to the development of pituitary microadenomas – benign growths that can raise prolactin levels.
🔹 Symptoms like severe PMS, bloating, migraines, or heavy periods may suggest estrogen dominance.
💡 What to do: Support estrogen detox with liver and gut support. Lower stress, which affects estrogen metabolism. Focus on magnesium, B6, and fiber to help your body eliminate excess estrogen naturally.
5. Medications That Raise Prolactin
Certain drugs can artificially elevate prolactin, including:
❌ Birth control pills (especially estrogen-based)
❌ Antidepressants (SSRIs, tricyclics)
❌ Antipsychotic medications
❌ Prokinetics (used for digestive issues like reflux and gastroparesis)
❌ Spironolactone (a diuretic often prescribed for high blood pressure or to reduce excess androgens in women with PCOS)
💡What to do: If you suspect a medication is affecting your prolactin, talk to your doctor about alternative options.
Does Vitex (Chasteberry) Help Lower Prolactin?
Vitex (chasteberry) is often marketed as a natural prolactin-lowering herb, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution.
✔ It works by acting as a dopamine receptor agonist in the pituitary gland, helping to reduce prolactin production by mimicking dopamine’s effects.
❌ However, Vitex may not be effective for women whose prolactin is high due to thyroid or insulin issues.
❌ It should not be combined with dopamine-affecting medications.
💡What to do: Consider addressing root causes first before using Vitex.
How to Naturally Lower Prolactin
If high prolactin is interfering with your health, here’s what you can do:
✔ Stabilize blood sugar by eating balanced meals.
✔ Support thyroid function with iodine, selenium, and zinc.
✔ Manage stress through relaxation techniques.
✔ Prioritize sleep and circadian rhythm balance.
✔ Support of estrogen elimination
Struggling with hormonal symptoms? Let’s find the root cause together!
