What hormones cause low milk supply?

Understanding Low Milk Supply: The Hormonal Influences
Low milk supply (LMS) is a significant concern for many breastfeeding mothers, affecting approximately 10% to 15% of them. The intricate balance of hormones plays a crucial role in regulating milk production, and disruptions in this hormonal equilibrium can lead to challenges in breastfeeding.
Key Hormones Involved in Milk Production
The primary hormones responsible for milk production are prolactin and oxytocin. Prolactin is essential for the synthesis of milk, while oxytocin facilitates the ejection of milk from the breast during feeding. However, the effectiveness of these hormones can be influenced by other hormones, including estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol.
1. Prolactin: This hormone is produced by the pituitary gland and is vital for milk synthesis. Low levels of prolactin can directly lead to insufficient milk production.

2. Oxytocin: Often referred to as the “love hormone,” oxytocin is crucial for milk let-down. If oxytocin levels are inadequate, even if milk is produced, it may not be effectively released during breastfeeding.
3. Estrogen and Progesterone: These hormones are primarily involved in preparing the breasts for lactation during pregnancy. After childbirth, their levels drop significantly, which is necessary for prolactin to take effect. However, if estrogen and progesterone levels remain elevated due to conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), they can inhibit the action of prolactin, leading to low milk supply.
4. Cortisol: This stress hormone can also impact milk production. Elevated cortisol levels, often due to stress or other health issues, can interfere with the hormonal balance necessary for effective lactation.
Conditions Affecting Hormonal Balance
Several medical conditions can disrupt the hormonal balance required for optimal milk production:
– Thyroid Dysfunction: Both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism can affect prolactin levels, leading to challenges in milk supply. An underactive thyroid may result in lower prolactin levels, while an overactive thyroid can lead to hormonal imbalances that affect lactation.
– Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): This condition is characterized by hormonal imbalances, including elevated levels of androgens (male hormones), which can suppress breast development and milk production. Women with PCOS often experience low progesterone levels, further complicating their ability to produce milk.
– Insulin Resistance: Conditions associated with insulin dysregulation can also impact milk supply. Insulin resistance, often seen in metabolic syndrome, can lead to hormonal imbalances that affect lactation.
Conclusion
In summary, low milk supply is a multifaceted issue influenced by a complex interplay of hormones. Prolactin and oxytocin are the primary hormones driving milk production and ejection, respectively, but their effectiveness can be compromised by the levels of estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol. Additionally, underlying health conditions such as thyroid dysfunction and PCOS can further exacerbate these hormonal imbalances, leading to challenges in breastfeeding. Understanding these hormonal dynamics is crucial for mothers facing low milk supply, as it can guide them toward appropriate interventions and support.

What hormones cause breast milk let down?

Prolactin helps make the milk, while oxytocin causes your breast to push out the milk. Milk is then released, or let down, through the nipple. The let-down reflex is what makes breastmilk flow.

What causes drastic drop in milk supply?

A decrease in milk supply can be caused by a variety of different factors. A very common (and solvable) problem is not pumping or feeding enough. Because milk production works on a supply and demand basis, not pumping on a frequent schedule will signal to your body that it does not need to produce milk.

What are the signs of low estrogen?

Signs of low estrogen include:

• Dry skin.
• Tender breasts.
• Weak or brittle bones.
• Trouble concentrating.
• Moodiness and irritability.
• Vaginal dryness or atrophy.
• Hot flashes and night sweats.
• Irregular periods or no periods (amenorrhea).

Why is nothing increasing my milk supply?

The key to increasing your milk supply is frequent stimulation and emptying of the breasts. This may take some time and it is important that you seek advice and support from a lactation consultant, your maternal and child health nurse or other health care professional skilled in breastfeeding management.

Can I take hormones to increase milk supply?

During pregnancy, estrogen, progesterone, and prolactin levels rise, initiating the first stage of lactation. It’s important to note that even non-gestational parents (like transgender parents or adoptive parents) can induce lactation by stimulating breast milk production with hormone therapy.

What hormone decreases milk production?

Estrogens

Hormone	Stage	Effects on lactation Negative (−) or Positive (+) or No effects (×)
Estradiol	Pregnancy	• Ensures adequate prolactin secretion and permits lactogenesis in response to prolactin
Established lactation	• Decreases milk production
• Decreases milk production
• Increases lactose in plasma and urine

What deficiency causes low milk supply?

Deficiencies in certain key nutrients can also play a role in low milk supply. Many in the United States are low in iron, putting breastfeeding parents at risk for exhaustion and depression. Low iron levels are also a risk factor. Mothers may be low in other important nutrients as well: vitamins D and B12.

What triggers the let down response in breastfeeding?

There are nerves in your nipples that are triggered by your baby’s sucking. These nerves cause two hormones to be released into your bloodstream. Prolactin is responsible for making more breastmilk. Oxytocin causes the let-down reflex so your milk flows.

Can hormonal imbalance cause lactation?

Reasons for lactating when not recently pregnant can range from hormone imbalances to medication side effects to other health conditions. The most common cause of breast milk production is an elevation of a hormone produced in the brain called prolactin.

What hormonal imbalance causes low milk supply?

Q: What are the theories for why some women have difficulties establishing a milk supply? A: There are a number of hormonal conditions that are known to be related to chronic low milk supply — among them are thyroid dysfunction, polycystic ovarian syndrome and insulin dysregulation/metabolic syndrome.