What Do We Know About Abnormally Low Prolactin Levels in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome? A Narrative Review
October 2024
in “
Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
”
Studysummary In this review, researchers found that while hyper- and hypoprolactinemia in PCOS patients are linked to metabolic changes, intermediate prolactin levels might be protective, but more robust prospective studies and clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings and develop treatments. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
This narrative review explores the role of prolactin levels in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), highlighting that both hyperprolactinemia and hypoprolactinemia are linked to metabolic alterations in PCOS patients. The review identifies 4 studies specifically investigating hypoprolactinemia and 6 additional studies reporting low prolactin levels in PCOS patients, with a prevalence of 13.2-13.9%. These low prolactin levels significantly contribute to metabolic issues such as insulin resistance, obesity, diabetes mellitus, and fatty liver disease. The review discusses the role of dopamine in regulating prolactin and GnRH levels, noting that excessive dopamine agonist treatment can lead to hypoprolactinemia. However, there is a need for more prospective studies and randomized clinical trials to confirm these findings and develop targeted treatments for prolactin level abnormalities in PCOS.
