Prolactin: the anti-life hormone

Anti-prolactin compounds

1. Salt

   Food

   In rats, a sodium-deprived diet raised prolactin. Enough salt keeps it in check.

   Rat study, 1973 · the study page

2. Cabergoline

   Prescription

   Switches on the dopamine D2 receptor on the prolactin cells. In 51 men with prolactin tumors, 24 months brought prolactin back to normal in 75.6% (large tumors) and 80% (small tumors).

   Colao 2004

3. Bromocriptine

   Prescription

   The first dopamine agonist used for high prolactin. Same D2 brake as cabergoline, taken more often.

   How to lower prolactin

4. Vitamin E

   Supplement

   In a randomized trial, 300 mg a day for 8 weeks took very high prolactin from 50.8 to 15.4 ng/mL. The patients were on dialysis.

   Yeksan 1992

5. Cyproheptadine

   Prescription

   Blocks serotonin receptors. Serotonin is one of the signals that push prolactin up.

   Serotonin and prolactin, Clemens 1977

6. Exemestane

   Prescription

   An aromatase inhibitor: it lowers estrogen. When an aromatase inhibitor lowered estradiol in healthy men, prolactin fell from 11.2 to 6.5 ng/mL.

   D'Agata 1982 · the review

7. Bromantane

   Nootropic

   Raises dopamine production: in rats it switched on the genes for the enzymes that make dopamine.

   Rat study, 2004 · Bromantane guide

8. Tyrosine

   Amino acid

   The building block the brain makes dopamine from (tyrosine, then L-DOPA, then dopamine).

   See the pathway in 3D

9. Thyroid hormones

   Hormone

   Low thyroid is a common cause of high prolactin. When the thyroid was treated, 70% of patients with full data had prolactin back to normal.

   Khan 2025, review · thyroid blood tests

Cabergoline, bromocriptine, cyproheptadine, exemestane and thyroid hormones are prescription drugs. Take them only with a doctor, after a blood test. Prolactin that is too low is not good either: the target is low-normal.