prolactin analysis

Prolactin test is a measure of the proportion of milk hormone in the blood, which is secreted from the pituitary gland in the brain. It is at its highest levels during pregnancy and after childbirth because its main role is to stimulate milk production in the breasts. It is excreted in small amounts in men and in women outside of pregnancy.
Reasons for performing a milk hormone analysis A prolactin test is usually requested if symptoms of prolactinoma appear, which is a type of tumor that arises in the pituitary gland.
Severe headache. vision problems; The effect of milk, which is the production of milk for men, or for those who are not pregnant, or breastfeeding women. Hirsutism in women, and abnormal facial and body hair loss in men. Impotence. Milk hormone analysis can be resorted to in cases of infertility and menstrual disorders in women, and in cases of infertility and sexual weakness in men, to exclude the presence of problems in the pituitary gland and to search for other causes for these problems.
What will happen during the analysis of the milk hormone? We mention the most important things to know about the milk hormone analysis in the following:
A small sample of venous blood will be drawn and collected in a test tube for the prolactin to be analyzed for the blood serum. You don't need any special procedures to prepare before the hCG test, but you should have the hCG test done within 3-4 hours of waking up because the hCG levels change throughout the day. There are no risks or complications associated with a prolactin test.
Natural prolactin levels
The normal levels of prolactin are shown as follows and may differ from one laboratory to another:
In men: less than 20 ng/ml.
In non-pregnant women: less than 25 ng/ml.
Pregnant women: 80-400 ng/ml.
Results of high milk hormone analysis
The prolactin hormone rises due to prolactinoma in most cases, but it may rise for other reasons, including:
Injury to the rib cage. The presence of diseases in the hypothalamus gland located in the brain. Laziness of the thyroid gland, which leads to an enlargement of the pituitary gland and thus increased secretion of prolactin. Kidney disease. Any other problems in and around the pituitary gland. diseases of the liver; Take certain medications, such as: antidepressants, estrogens, antihistamines, schizophrenia medications, opioids, or some high blood pressure medications.
Sometimes the prolactin is re-analyzed the next morning, before eating, to exclude a temporary rise in prolactin, which is affected by: Emotional outbursts. Eat a meal rich in proteins, or eat some herbs such as red clover, fenugreek, or fennel. Do breast exams. Playing sports. In the event that prolactin levels are elevated, doctors resort to requesting a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image of the pituitary gland. Treatment is done by solving the main cause of high milk hormone using medications or resorting to surgery.
Low prolactin test results If the levels of the milk hormone are less than the normal level, this indicates that the pituitary gland is not working at its full natural strength, and this is known as hypopituitarism.
Some medications can cause a decrease in prolactin, including the following: Dopamine given to people with trauma. Levodopa is a medication used to treat Parkinson's disease. Ergoline derivatives that are used to treat severe headaches. Low prolactin levels usually do not require specialized treatment.