Stress hormone prolactin: What is it and its role in the body

Constant worry can tell you that something is wrong with your life: you're unhappy where you are, you have a toxic environment, or you're working too much. But sometimes the causes of anxiety are purely physiological - hormonal imbalances provoke mood swings. Let's figure out how hormones and anxiety are connected and how to understand that the cause of stress is not outside, but inside your body.

The appearance of fear

The body reacts to fear instinctively, at the gene level. A newly born baby is also capable of fear. When stressful circumstances arise, a signal from the senses is sent to the brain, then the fear hormone begins to be produced. The content of cortisol and adrenaline in the blood system increases.

Depending on the reasons for its manifestation, fear is divided into two groups:

1. Natural fear, which is a natural instinct of self-preservation.
2. Social (acquired fear), manifested during the life process. An individual may be afraid of confined spaces, animals, doctors speaking in front of a large audience, and the like. Such fears can be treated with psychotherapy. Read more about this here.

Clinical manifestation

When fear hormones increase in a person’s blood, a number of characteristic symptoms occur:

• excessive sweating;
• feeling of dryness in the mouth;
• increased heart rate;
• trembling, moving hair on the head and body.

The last factor is scientifically substantiated; scientists note that in case of panic, the hair growths on the follicles begin to actually change under the injection of these fear hormones. This symptom is classified as biological factors, since animals react in a similar way.

The following symptoms are also observed with fear:

• dilated pupils;
• increased blood clotting;
• dilatation of cerebral vessels;
• narrowing of the gastrointestinal tract and skin system;
• tremor of the jaw and limbs;
• dysfunction of the heart and kidneys;
• weight loss;
• depressive state.

If the fear hormone is supplied in an increased dose for a long time, a malfunction occurs throughout the body. An increased portion of glucose and inhibition of insulin production have a negative effect on the nervous system.

With an increased amount of cortisol, the following manifestations:

• obesity (with a long stay in fear);
• mood swings;
• fatigue, loss of performance, general exhaustion;
• activation of diabetes, abnormal metabolism, joint diseases.

The arrival of the fear hormone adrenaline neutralizes nicotine. In people who smoke, the symptoms are not as pronounced and manifest as weakness throughout the body.

Reasons for deviations

Excessive corticosteroid secretion is associated with several factors:

• The main cause is a state of chronic stress. Nervous overload due to professional activity, lack of sufficient time to sleep, unhealthy psychological situation in the family, the need to constantly solve complex problems are factors that provoke the development of depression and nervous breakdowns. With this regime, the body constantly produces more cortisol than normal, which negatively affects the mental and physical state,
• endocrine pathologies. Poor absorption of glucose is one of the reasons for increased secretion of cortisol to replenish energy deficiency,
• development of acute and chronic hepatitis,
• severe diseases of the endocrine glands and other organs: inflammation of the adrenal glands, diabetes mellitus, pathologies of the thyroid gland, cirrhosis of the liver,
• a sharp decrease in glucose concentration in the body. Hypoglycemia is a dangerous condition, against the background of which not only the secretion of cortisol increases, but also the development of coma is possible,
• depressive states. Dissatisfaction with life, irritation, apathy, incorrect reactions to familiar things, indifference or aggression towards others, constant self-absorption lead to nervous exhaustion. The consequence is that cortisol is elevated over a long period, the patient’s condition worsens, which can lead to coma, death,
• puberty in teenage boys. With hormonal changes in the body during puberty, the level of cortisol is higher than normal,
• physical fatigue. If a man experiences high overload in the gym or at work, then the corticosteroid levels are kept at a high level for a sharp and long period so that the body is in good shape,
• taking hormonal compounds based on glucocorticosteroids or medications that provoke increased production of corticosteroids in the body.

Doctors do not advise drinking more alcohol and strong coffee: frequent intake of these drinks has a negative effect on the nervous system, causing anxiety and irritability, which leads to increased secretion of the anti-stress hormone.

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Types of fears

There are two types of reactions to anxiety:

1. An active type, in which the body’s defense is expressed by a panic attack, strong emotionality, and anger. At the same time, a person’s physical abilities are enhanced. During an increased release of adrenaline, an individual is able to do unusual things that he cannot repeat in a normal state (jumping over high fences, running very fast, lifting weights).
2. A passive reaction appears on a subconscious level when a person makes attempts to hide or escape from anxiety. Such fears are typical of children hiding in a closet or under a pillow. The fear hormone produced helps activate all resources in the body, protecting the individual from threat.

It is noted that fear occurs differently in each individual, depending on life experience and personal characteristics.

The nuances of low adrenaline levels

You already know what hormone fear is produced. How the body reacts to an increased dose - too. What happens if there is not enough adrenaline in the body?

The person’s indifference to everything that happens is noted. Physical condition rapidly declines, everyday life becomes monotonous. The introduction of fear hormones produces various life situations, both joyful and dangerous. If it is not produced enough, it becomes more difficult to overcome stress. Sometimes people try to stimulate an increase in adrenaline in the blood themselves. They take drugs, alcohol and nicotine in excessive doses. The second way is to provoke quarrels and scandals. Gambling sports competitions also contribute to the production of the hormone of fear and anger. If an individual’s adrenaline is completely absent, a state of prolonged depression ensues.

There are physical signs that your anxiety is caused by hormones

Hormones play an important role in our mood, motivation and overall health of various body systems. The fact that the cause of anxiety is not psychological problems, but hormonal ones, can be seen from some external signs. For example, if anxiety is accompanied by sleep disturbances, decreased libido, unusual hair growth for you (they become less frequent or, conversely, begin to appear where they were not there before). In this case, you should check the level of hormones in the body and consult a doctor.

How does addiction to fear hormones manifest?

Excitement about upcoming events spurs the flow of adrenaline and its “colleagues” in the blood. As a result, hormones tone the main systems of the body. There is a surge of vigor comparable to euphoria.

In the last century, the concept of adrenaline addiction was introduced into medicine. The diagnosis applies to people who are trying to specifically produce fear hormones in order to gain strength and joy. Individuals commit rash actions associated with risks to health and life. It is not necessary to subject yourself to such tests; adrenaline is actively released during periods of stress.

Experts advise dousing yourself with ice water for a boost of energy. The effect of such a procedure is comparable to escaping from a dangerous animal. Periodic dousing helps ensure the production of the hormone of courage and vigor. Morning exercise with cold water provides energy for the whole day. After getting used to hardening, the effect decreases noticeably and lasts only a few minutes. A critical release of fear hormones accelerates the process of wear and tear of the body, provoking various diseases, and sometimes death.

How to reduce the level of a disturbing secretion

Having been in a situation that has directly shaken up your nervous system, feeling discomfort, excessive arousal, irritation, fear and other negative emotions, you should use several generally available techniques that will calm you down and calm your nervous system. Here are some tips on the topic: how to reduce stress hormones.

1. Quality sleep. It implies a duration of at least eight hours a day, and if possible, you can also “pinch off” a third of an hour from the daily schedule to take a little nap. Chronic lack of sleep is one of the factors that feeds excessive excitability.
2. Proper organization of nutrition. It is known that immunity is formed in the intestines, so a balanced diet is important, and it is advisable to give preference to plant foods: fruits, berries, herbs. You should not drink a lot of coffee, because caffeine is a natural stimulant, but at the same time, replacing this drink with black tea, you will speed up the onset of the desired result.
3. Physical loads. Physical education and sports are the most effective activities for those who have received a dose of stress hormones. By choosing a set of simple exercises and doing them with pleasure, you enrich your body with endorphins, receiving additional positivity.

By following these simple rules, you can quickly get rid of unpleasant symptoms by reducing the level of elevated stress hormones in the blood.

Consequences

The fear hormone is a kind of stimulant that allows you to optimize internal strength in the face of danger. However, long-term fear develops into a chronic stage, accompanied by diseases and disorders. Among the pathologies:

• improper functioning of the circulatory system;
• brain hypoxia;
• blood pressure surges;
• heart attacks, strokes;
• blockage of blood vessels.

Some extreme sports enthusiasts believe that the feeling of fear improves their health. Partially, adrenaline and its accompanying hormones actually tone the body, putting a person in a state of euphoria. However, excessive exposure to fear has a negative impact on a person's overall well-being.

Features of stress hormones in women

In addition to the above substances that enter the blood during fear, women produce prolactin. It is associated with reproductive activity, the level increases sharply at the time of sudden mental attacks. The negative impact of prolactin is disruption of the ovulation and menstrual cycle, and problems with conception. This is especially true with prolonged exposure to the hormone. It also provokes a number of female diseases affecting the genital organs and reproductive system.

Frequent mood swings and emotional outbursts during pregnancy are associated precisely with an increase in prolactin levels. Such failures provoke problems with breastfeeding. If a pregnant woman experiences symptoms of depression, her prolactin levels should be checked. Timely diagnosis and properly prescribed treatment contribute to the birth of a healthy baby.

Prolactin norms

Children (normal in ng/ml)
Age	Girls	Boys
1-5 years	2,7-19,5	3,9-20,1
6-10 years	2,7-22,3	2,6-16,1
11-13 years old	2,0-31,6	2,3-22,3
14-17 years old	3,7-23,3	4,7-16,7
Adults (normal value in ng/ml)
Women	Men
Normal state	4,79-23,3	4,04-15,2
Pregnancy	—
I trimester	23,5-94,0	—
II trimester	94,0-282,0	—
III trimester	188,0-470,0	—

Prolactin determines human reproductive health. An important function of the substance is its protective effect during stress, subject to short-term exposure to the stress factor. The hormone is found in the bodies of men and women. It affects the female body to a greater extent. Long-term disturbances in hormone concentration are associated with pathological conditions in the body .