Prolactin Tells You Dopamine Status

Last week I covered Prolactin’s role in calcium regulation and a bit about it anti-metabolic effects. This week we’re going to look at how Dopamine, Estrogen, Cortisol, Hypothyroidism and Serotonin affect Prolactin along with ways to measure it.

TLDR:

1. Prolactin is a pituatary hormone primarily opposed by Dopamine. Low Dopamine will cause elevations in Prolactin.

2. High estrogen levels and high xenoestrogen intake will increase Prolactin consequently decreasing Dopamine.

3. Dopamine drives goal seeking and achievement which are fundamental to a fulfilling life. It is the main energy behind drive and passion.

4. Vitamin e, bright sunlight and sunbathing, thyroid hormone, the ayurvedic herb Gokshura aka Tribulus terrestris, exercise, sweating and caffeine indirectly or directly improve dopamine-prolactin status.

Prolactin is a hormone produced by the anterior pituitary that induces lactation for breastfeeding. It is because of this that it plays a role in calcium absorption in the intestines. As I mentioned in last week’s article, if there’s a lack of dietary calcium this forces the body to pull that calcium from bones and teeth.

The only time prolactin should be elevated is for breastfeeding yet it is often elevated with metabolic syndrome. Chronically high prolactin is associated with insulin-resistance, weight gain and blood sugar dysregulation. If you are hypothyroid, if you have high estrogen, if you’re being exposed to high amounts of endrocrine disruptors like BPA in receipts, plastic bottles, or recycled paper prolactin will also rise. Because of estrogen’s potent activation of prolactin, it is also potently anti-dopaminergic.

Prolactin is inhibited by Prolactin-Inhibiting Hormone aka Dopamine. Dopamine plays a massive role in quality of life, healthspan, and arguably is the most associated neurotransmitter with passion and drive.

Dopamine is a catecholamine meaning it is in the same class as adrenaline and noradrenaline with dopamine being the precursor. Dopamine is alerting like its cousins but does not have their anti-metabolic actions. Often portrayed as the ‘pleasure chemical,’ Dopamine more accurately confers motivational salience (image above).

Motivational salience is a psychological mechanism that directs an individual's attention and behavior either towards or away from specific experiences. This cognitive process acts as a behavioral compass, influencing the vigor with which a person pursues or avoids certain goals. It plays a crucial role in determining how much effort, time, and resources an individual is willing to invest in achieving objectives, as well as their tolerance for risk in these pursuits. Essentially, motivational salience shapes the intensity and direction of goal-oriented behaviors by assigning importance to environmental cues and potential outcomes.

Its important to note that social media algorithms are specifically designed to maximize user engagement by presenting content that triggers dopamine release. Interactions like likes, comments, and shares utilize this seeking-reward feedback mechanism that can create dopamine receptor resistance. The decrease in dopamine D2 receptor levels and sensitivity can lead to a need for increased stimulation to achieve the same level of satisfaction, similar to drug tolerance.

When it comes to estrogens, the most potent is Estradiol. It’s created directly from the aromatase enzyme for post-menapausal women and men, and from the ovaries in cycling women. As previously mentioned, estrogen dominance is an increasing problem for both women and men. Regarding production of estradiol via aromatase, the main direct trigger is inflammatory prostaglandins (from seed oils) and indirectly is cortisol.

Cortisol, as you can see in the image above, also directly increases Prolactin. Cortisol can be released due to a variety of mechanisms which I laid out in “How Low Carb and Fasting are Stressing you Out!.”

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) which are almost all estrogenic in nature are a silent parasite on your energy system. EDCs are literally Estrogen Replacement Therapy. Every time you drink or eat from plastic, use a to-go container, touch receipts, wipe with recycled toilet paper, wear synthetic underwear you’re micro-dosing BPA and other xenoestrogens.

You can test your estradiol levels which show your endogenous production but you can’t directly test xenoestrogen levels (outside of a research facility).

The good news is that because prolactin can indicate estrogen receptor activity, it can be a proxy marker for both endogenous and exogenous estrogen. Along with liver enzymes AST, ALT and GGT you can get a decent view on your total estrogen burden.

One more thing about Dopamine. It also plays a crucial role in regulating the circadian rhythm, which is essential for proper sleep-wake cycles. It acts in the pineal gland to control sleep regulation by decreasing the production and release of melatonin. This mechanism helps to stop melatonin production when the day begins, effectively "waking up" the brain in the morning. Additionally, sleep deprivation leads to decreased dopamine receptor sensitivity very similar to insulin resistance.

Increased levels of dopamine in the amygdala region of the brain helps transition from non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is when most dreaming occurs.

UV light is a strong stimulator of dopamine production both via the retina and skin.

 

ACTION ITEMS

1. Get a measure of your dopaminergic tone by ordering these labs.

  • Vitamin E directly lowers estradiol and increases prolactin

  • Sauna/sweating detoxes BPA (and don’t handle receipts or use recycled paper) which indirectly lowers prolactin

  • T3 increases thyroid function which directly lowers prolactin

  • Caffeine directly increases dopamine and thyroid function

  • Sunbathing directly increases dopamine via eyes and skin

  • Movement directly increases dopamine

  • Tribulus Terretis directly increases dopamine as an MAOI

  • Phenylalanine directly increases dopamine as a substrate

  • Uridine Monophosphate directly increases dopamine and improves sleep

From a metabolic health perspective, dopaminergic tone is optimally high in a pro-metabolic state and prolactin is elevated in an anti-metabolic state.

To your health, Jonathan

This is for informational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. Consult with your physician or other health care professional if you have any concerns or questions about your health.

Quantum Yoga