Prolactin
98 sourcesRay Peat identified prolactin as an underrecognized stress hormone with wide-ranging harmful effects. While best known for its role in lactation, prolactin is released under stress, darkness, and estrogen exposure, and promotes inflammation, immune dysfunction, and tumor growth. Peat noted that prolactin works synergistically with estrogen and serotonin, forming a self-reinforcing inflammatory cascade.
Peat recommended reducing prolactin through bright light exposure, thyroid support, progesterone, and dopamine-supporting strategies (since dopamine inhibits prolactin). He noted that many of the health benefits attributed to bright light and exercise may work partly through prolactin suppression.
Key Positions
- Prolactin is a stress hormone released under darkness, stress, and estrogen exposure
- Promotes tumor growth, inflammation, and immune dysfunction
- Works synergistically with estrogen and serotonin in the inflammatory cascade
- Dopamine is the primary inhibitor of prolactin secretion
- Bright light suppresses prolactin release
- Thyroid hormone and progesterone reduce prolactin
- Elevated prolactin in men suppresses testosterone and libido
Sources
98 items-
Aging, estrogen, and progesterone.
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Altitude and Mortality.
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Alzheimer's: The problem of Alzheimer's disease as a clue to immortality - part 2.
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Aspirin, brain and cancer.
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Autonomic systems.
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Blocking Tissue Destruction.
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Bone Density: First Do No Harm.
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Breast Cancer.
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Caffeine: A vitamin-like nutrient, or adaptogen. Questions about tea and coffee, cancer and other degenerative diseases, and the hormones.
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Calcium and Disease: Hypertension, organ calcification, & shock, vs. respiratory energy
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Comparison of Progesterone and Estrogen
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Diabetes, scleroderma, oils and hormones.
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Estriol, DES, DDT, etc.
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Estrogen - Age Stress Hormone.
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Estrogen and Osteoporosis.
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Estrogen, progesterone, and cancer: Conflicts of interest in regulation and product promotion
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Fats, functions & malfunctions
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Food-junk and some mystery ailments: Fatigue, Alzheimer's, Colitis, Immunodeficiency.
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Gelatin, stress, longevity
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Glycemia, starch, and sugar in context
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Growth hormone: Hormone of Stress, Aging, and Death?
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Herb Doctors: Hot flashes, Night Sweats, the Relationship to Stress, Aging, PMS, Sugar Metabolism TRANSCRIPTION
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Immunodeficiency, dioxins, stress, and the hormones.
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Menopause and its causes.
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Milk in context: allergies, ecology, and some myths