Galactorrhea in men

The causes of galactorrhea in men are manifold. On the one hand, a lack of the hormone testosterone can lead to reactive galactorrhea. In rare cases, as in women, a prolactinoma, i.e. a tumor on the pituitary gland, can trigger galactorrhea in men.

The classic symptoms of prolactinoma in men, however, are loss of libido and potency. In some cases, prolactinoma can also trigger increased growth of mammary gland tissue, which is then called gynecomastia. It is also conceivable that, similar to the female sex, various drugs can trigger galactorrhea as a side effect. These drugs include some antidepressants, blood pressure lowering drugs and drugs used in psychiatric diseases.

Causes

Galactorrhea can have different causes. A natural cause is pregnancy or breastfeeding. In some women, the breast already secretes small amounts of secretion during pregnancy.

This is only an expression of the beginning production of breast milk and is normally harmless. The same applies to spontaneous milk flow during the breastfeeding period. However, in some women, milk leaks from the mammary gland even though they are neither pregnant nor breastfeeding, for example when they squeeze the nipple with two fingers.

This is not a common condition per se, but it is not necessarily a symptom of disease.The mechanical irritation of the nipple can lead to the release of the hormone prolactin, which plays an important role in the production of breast milk during the breastfeeding period. Also sucking an infant at the nipple stimulates the release of prolactin. However, the prolactin level can also be influenced by other factors.

These include hormonal contraceptives such as the contraceptive pill, but also some blood pressure medications and neuroleptics can increase the prolactin level. Drugs and psychological stress can also lead to an increase in prolactin and thus to milk production. Finally, a more serious cause can also be hidden behind galactorrhea, as it can also be the expression of a malignant disease of the mammary gland, e.g. breast cancer.

A tumor of the pituitary gland, a so-called pituitary adenoma, or prolactinoma, can also lead to an increase in the prolactin level if it is hormone-active and produces it. Galactorrhea can therefore also be an expression of such a tumor. In newborns, the milk flow is usually harmless.

It is assumed that maternal hormones, which are supposed to stimulate milk production, enter the infant’s bloodstream, where they also produce a milk flow. This flow is reduced within two weeks after birth. In half of the cases, however, the cause of galactorrhea remains unexplained.

Persistent physical or psychological stress leads to increased release of the hormone prolactin. An increased blood level of prolactin can in turn lead to galactorrhea. However, not everyone automatically develops galactorrhea as a result of sustained stress.