What is PRL test normal range?
Sophia Carter
Updated on March 05, 2026
What is PRL test normal range?
Normal Results The normal values for prolactin are: Men: less than 20 ng/mL (425 µg/L) Nonpregnant women: less than 25 ng/mL (25 µg/L) Pregnant women: 80 to 400 ng/mL (80 to 400 µg/L)
When should prolactin test be done?
When Are Prolactin Levels Checked? You can have your prolactin levels checked at any point in your menstrual cycle. Prolactin levels vary throughout the day but are highest while you are asleep and first thing in the morning, so the test is usually done about three hours after you wake up.
What is the function of prolactin PRL?
Prolactin is a hormone named originally after its function to promote milk production (lactation) in mammals in response to the suckling of young after birth. It has since been shown to have more than 300 functions in the body.
How do I prepare for prolactin test?
How To Prepare. A blood prolactin test is usually done about 3 hours after you wake up, sometime between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Emotional stress or strenuous exercise just before the test can raise prolactin levels. You may be asked to rest quietly for up to 30 minutes before having your blood drawn.
What are symptoms of low prolactin?
For women
- Irregular or no periods.
- Infertility.
- Breast milk discharge when you’re not pregnant or nursing.
- Tenderness in your breast.
- Menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness.
Why PRL test is done?
A prolactin levels test is most often used to: Diagnose a prolactinoma (a type of tumor of the pituitary gland) Help find the cause of a woman’s menstrual irregularities and/or infertility. Help find the cause of a man’s low sex drive and/or erectile dysfunction.
Can PCOS cause high prolactin levels?
Some women with PCOS do have elevated prolactin levels, typically falling within the 25-40 ng/ml range. ANDRO is a hormone that is produced by the ovaries and adrenal glands. Sometimes high levels of this hormone can affect estrogen and testosterone levels.
Does high prolactin cause low estrogen?
Too much prolactin can reduce production of the hormones estrogen and testosterone, resulting in decreased bone density and an increased risk of osteoporosis. Pregnancy complications.
What is considered a high prolactin test result?
How is hyperprolactinemia diagnosed? Simple blood tests to measure the amount of prolactin in the blood can confirm a diagnosis of elevated prolactin levels. Prolactin levels above 25 ng/mL, in women who are not pregnant, are considered elevated.
Does anxiety increase prolactin?
Conclusion: Prolactin does increase in response to psychosocial stress, however, with large individual variation in magnitude of response. The pattern of prolactin response does not differ between men and women.