Bromocriptine is mainly used for its anti prolactin effect, this occurs I think due to its pro dopamine effects
By some quick Googling, I read that dopamine D2 or D3 receptor agonists will inhibit prolactin release, which in turn may reduce weight. And
bromocriptine is a potent D2 agonist, so this should help with reducing prolactin.
And I found
this study which says:
administration of bromocriptine is a safe method for treating antipsychotic-drug-induced hyperprolactinemia
And
this paper mentions
cabergoline may also be effective (cabergoline is a potent D2 agonist, and weak D1 agonist):
Cabergoline has proven to be more effective and safe when used to treat hyperprolactinemia, but whether cabergoline is also safer than bromocriptine in antipsychotic induced hyperprolactinemia remains unproven.
However, amisulpride, when take in very low doses, is also activates the dopamine D2 and D3 receptors. This is because at low doses, amisulpride blocks the dopamine autoreceptors, and that then causes more dopamine to be released in the synapse, which will activate the regular D2 and D3 receptors.
So on paper you might expect amisulpride to also lower prolactin, rather than increase it. But
this study I just found says that is not the case: even low dose amisulpride causes elevations in prolactin (even though the paper says "low dosages of amisulpride are expected not to increase prolactin").
This paper explains why low dose amisulpride increases prolactin, even though it is not expected to.
To quote the paper:
Relative amisulpride levels in the pituitary, a region outside the blood–brain barrier, are much higher than levels of lipophilic antipsychotic compounds. Dopamine D2 receptor occupancy is, therefore, higher at the level of the pituitary than in the striatum.
Since amisulpride activates the dopamine system at low doses, but inhibits it at higher doses, this higher level of amisulpride found in the pituitary would tend to block the dopamine system there, leading to prolactin release.
Maybe I should try adding a D2 and D3 agonist drug like bromocriptine to my daily regimen, and see I lose weight.
It says
here:
Cabergoline is taken only once or twice weekly because of a longer elimination half-life, whereas bromocriptine is dosed multiple times a day
Bromocriptine and cabergoline are not the only dopamine agonist drugs; you also have:
Memantine — dopamine D2 agonist (as well as an NMDA blocker).
Ropinirole — acts as a D2, D3 and D4 dopamine receptor agonist with highest affinity for D2.
Pramipexole — agonist for the D2, D3 and D4 dopamine receptors, but strongest agonism is on D3.
I have listed lots of other dopamine drugs in
this post.
Supplements That Reduce Prolactin
This study found that high dose
vitamin B6 (300 mg twice daily) given to patients taking antipsychotic drugs results in
68% reduction in serum prolactin levels (from 96 to 30 ng/ml).
This study gave
vitamin B6 (100 mg three times daily) to women with hyperprolactinemia, and found their prolactin decreased
49% from prolactin from 51 to 26 ng/ml.
The same study found that
cabergoline 1mg per week reduce prolactin by
61% (from 56 to 22 ng/ml).
This study on hemodialysis patients found that
vitamin E at 300 mg once daily reduced prolactin by
71% (from 51 to 15 ng/ml).
This study on hemodialysis patients found that
zinc at 50 mg once daily reduced prolactin by
62% (from 29 to 11 ng/ml).
