TCM

Can TCM help to lower high prolactin levels?

Doctor's Answers 2

Prolactin is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland. It stimulates breast milk production after childbirth and also affects the levels of sex hormones in the body. When prolactin levels are elevated, women may start to produce breast milk outside of pregnancy and may face problems with menstruation such as absence of period or irregular periods. High prolactin levels can also lead to infertility in both men and women.

In TCM, high prolactin levels are treated according to the symptoms in which the patients experience, for example, amenorrhea (absence of period), infertility and galactorrhoea (production of breast milk not associated with childbirth or nursing). Physicians will provide appropriate treatment to each individual patient after assessing their condition. When patients’ conditions improve, prolactin levels may also be lowered during the treatment process.

Let me briefly talk about the hormone, prolactin. Prolactin is important for both male and female reproductive health. It is also known as the lactogenic hormone, used mainly to help women produce breastmilk after childbirth. High levels of prolactin are normal during pregnancy and breastfeeding period.

However, for women not pregnant or nursing, high levels of prolactin can affect fertility. High prolactin levels disrupt the normal production of female hormones, affecting ovulation and menstruation. Fortunately, infertility due to high prolactin levels can be reversed when prolactin levels drop to normal.

Note that it is important to first see an endocrinologist if you have a condition related to high prolactin levels. Liver disease, kidney disease, hypothyroidism or pituitary tumours can cause high levels of prolactin. After ruling out the above conditions, you can bring your lab results along to visit a TCM physician for consultation.

As a TCM physician, women with high prolactin levels usually come to consult me for problems related to infertility or irregular periods. TCM views the kidneys, spleen and liver as the most important organs in maintaining fertility, or in this case, regulating the female hormones, including prolactin levels.

TCM takes a holistic treatment approach, it aims to improve all systems of your body and mind by regulating a good flow of Qi and blood, and balancing yin and yang in the body.

In this case, after we assess your condition to find out about your body constitution, we will suggest treatments to balance your body and improve your kidney, liver and spleen health. Treatment usually involves taking herbal medication or/and acupuncture for a period of time (3-6months).

When yin and yang are balanced, and the organ systems regulated, hormone levels will return to normal, including prolactin level.

Hope this helps!

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