Kisspeptin and Prolactin.
Grattan. David R DR; Szawka. Raphael E RE
Key Findings
- Elevated prolactin suppresses kisspeptin neurons, causing low GnRH/LH/FSH and infertility.
- Kisspeptin neurons can also influence prolactin secretion, indicating a bidirectional relationship.
- Understanding this hormonal loop may guide strategies to improve reproductive function, such as lowering prolactin or using kisspeptin analogs.
Practical Outcomes
- For those looking to boost fertility, reducing prolactin (e.g., with dopamine‑agonist lifestyle tweaks or supplements) or considering kisspeptin‑based approaches could be useful. However, concrete dosing protocols are not provided, so further experimentation and caution are advised.
Summary
The paper explains that too much prolactin can shut down kisspeptin, a hormone that tells the brain to release reproductive hormones, leading to infertility. It also notes that kisspeptin can affect prolactin levels, suggesting a two‑way communication. This helps biohackers understand why high prolactin hurts fertility and points to possible ways to intervene, though no specific dosing advice is given.
Abstract
The relationship between elevated prolactin and infertility has been known for a long time, but the specific mechanism by which prolactin inhibited reproduction had been uncertain. The discovery of kisspeptin has provided novel insights into how prolactin might cause infertility, with extensive evidence that elevated prolactin inhibits secretion of kisspeptin, resulting in hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, and infertility. More recent data suggest that a converse relationship might also exist, with evidence that kisspeptin influences prolactin secretion. This brief review will examine the relationship between kisspeptin and prolactin from each of these two perspectives: the well-characterized inhibitory effect of prolactin on kisspeptin neurons and the more recent concept that kisspeptin neurons are involved in the control of prolactin secretion.
Study Information
pubmed
2019
2019-12-17T00:00:00.000Z
10.1055/s-0039-3400956
14
148