Hyperprolactinemia basically means an overproduction of the hormone prolactin. It is a relatively common condition and can be caused by several known disorders. Prolactin is a hormone primarily produced in the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is an endocrine gland, which means it produces hormones. It’s positioned below the brain deep behind the eyes and is no bigger than a pea; but the hormones it produces have great significance in many of the body’s functions. Both men and women can have hyperprolactinemia.
- No menstruation, amenorrhea
- Infertility (both men and women)
- Nipple discharge, lactation/galactorrhea
- Tenderness in breasts/chest
- Low sex drive
Amenorrhea is a very helpful symptom when diagnosing Hyperprolactinemia in women. It’s the most common and often the first symptom displayed. Men (of cause) don’t have this symptom, allowing the tumor to grow bigger before it’s diagnosed. This is also a very probable reason for why more women are diagnosed with Hyperprolactinemia than men.
Long term hyperprolactinemia
- Visual disturbances (caused by tumor growth putting pressure on the optical nerve)
- Osteoporosis (increased levels of prolactin decreases levels of estrogen and testosterone, which cause decalcification of the bones)