What hormones are effected by prolactin?
Hormones are the body’s messenger system and play an important role in regulating nearly every body system. The more we understand about the way the body works the more we realise that hormones hardly ever function alone, and they are closely interlinked. Prolactin’s main function is to stimulate milk production. High levels of prolactin will also reduce the levels of other hormones though. In breastfeeding women the ovulatory cycle is often suppressed. This makes sense if you consider that a lactating woman may need to conserve her resources for feeding her current baby before becoming pregnant with a new one. Prolactin suppresses the release of FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) and GnRH (Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone) which reduces the chances of ovulation. Surprisingly, prolactin may also play a role in suppressing the testosterone levels of new fathers.
