Breast Milk Hormone Prolactin Linked to Men's Sexual Problems

Breast milk hormone called prolactin is blamed for the sexual problems suffered by men, according to a study.

The prolactin hormone is responsible for milk production and breast development in women. The hormone is discharged by the pituitary gland and various other parts of the body like breasts, uterus, brain, immune cells, the prostate, skin as well as the adipose tissue in both males and non-pregnant females.

The hormone circulates in the body and excess release of the hormone causes hyperprolactinaemia, this is a condition usually faced by pregnant women. The normal level of the hormone in women is 500 mIU/L [20 ng/mL or ug/L]  and below 450 mIU/L for men.

Women having higher levels of this hormone will experience excessive milk production, shortage of testosterone or estrogen hormones and also face problems related to periods.

Men, on the other hand, suffer from impotency if they have high levels of this hormone. It has been found recently that even lower levels of this hormone cause sex related problems in males.

When a person suffers from hyperprolactinaemia, medication are used for lowering it, these medicines slow down the dopamine action and also lower thyroid activities in the body. The medication can also cause pituitary tumors, which can be grave if not treated on time, Medical Daily reports.

A research was carried out involving about 3,000 men aged between 40 and 79 years to figure out how the prolactin hormone exactly impacts men. The prolactin and testosterone levels were measured in these men along with their blood cholesterol levels, sugar levels and BMI (body mass index).

The participants revealed their drinking and smoking habits, as well as sexual activities via questionnaires. Intake of excessive alcohol is likely to adversely affect sexual functioning in men, The McKinley Health Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign stated.

Researchers found the prolactin hormone levels played a crucial role in the sexual activity of the participants.  Males were found to have more sex-related problems when they had low levels of hormones. Males with decreasing hormone levels were found to experience concomitant lowering of sexual pleasure. Men with less prolactin had high BMI, low energy and also suffered depression.

Lower prolactin levels are found to be linked with higher BMI and blood sugar level and lesser physical activity and usually feeling unhealthier, says a study published in the Oct. 29 issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

You can find out your prolactin level from here.