Cabergoline_Dosage, benefits & legal status
Also known as Dostinex, Caber, cabergoline tablets
A prolactin drug whose label asks for an echocardiogram before the first dose.
Common vial size is what vendors typically sell, not a recommendation. Enter your own vial in the calculator.
What is Cabergoline?
Plain language first. The technical label stays, but it never stands alone.Overview
What it's used for
A prescription drug that lowers prolactin. On the research market it is used during a cycle, and for its effect on libido.
How does Cabergoline work?
What it does in the body, and where.Prolactin is held down by dopamine. Cabergoline supplies a long-lasting dopamine signal.
- 01It binds D2 receptors on pituitary lactotrophsThese are the cells that release prolactin, and dopamine is their off switch.
- 02Prolactin falls and stays downThe long half-life is why twice-weekly dosing works at all.
- 03The D2 receptor is not only in the pituitaryDopamine agonists as a class produce compulsive behavior in some people, and the label warns about it.
- 04The ergot backbone is the valve problemErgot derivatives interact with serotonin receptors on heart valve tissue. Most reported cases came from doses above 2 mg a day used for Parkinson's disease, and cases have also been reported at prolactin doses.
A schematic of the compound's mechanism, not a diagnostic image.
What else is it used for?
Each use below carries its own evidence level. Approved means regulators have cleared it for that purpose. Investigational means it is in trials. Early research means it is being studied and is not established.
- Hyperprolactinaemic disorders, idiopathic or from a pituitary adenomaFDA-approved
- Shrinking prolactin-secreting pituitary tumorsClinical use
- Managing raised prolactin from nandrolone or trenbolone useResearch only
- Shortening the refractory period, and libido effects generallyResearch only
The published record
Papers and trials about Cabergoline
355 papers tagged human · 192 not reviews or lab · 37 clinical trial publications
83 registered trials · 11 with posted results
Furthest stage reached: Approved in the US
Counted from Europe PMC indexing, not read by a person; a human tag can land on reviews, commentary or lab papers; clinical trial publications is the narrower count. 500 papers and 83 trials indexed in detail.
At a glance
Four things to know about Cabergoline
Evidence
FDA-approved
Category
Sexual and hormonal
Common vial
Varies
Half-life
63 to 69 hours
How much, and do you cycle it?
The range, and whether you take breaks.0.25 up to 1 mg per dose, twice a week, twice a week. Continuous, with the dose reassessed rather than paused FDA label
The label says to use the lowest effective dose and to reassess periodically whether treatment should continue, and to check prolactin after stopping to see whether it needs restarting. That is dose management rather than cycling. The valve monitoring interval of 6 to 12 months applies for as long as it is taken.
How long does it stay in the body?
The half-life, and where the figure comes from.63 to 69 hoursFDA label
Estimated from urinary data in 12 healthy subjects. The European labeling gives 63 to 68 hours in healthy volunteers and 79 to 115 hours in patients with high prolactin, so the figure runs longer in the people actually taking it. The prolactin-lowering effect lasts longer still, because the drug clears slowly from the pituitary itself.
Source: Dostinex label, Clinical Pharmacology, Pharmacokinetics
You can compare this against the whole library to see where it sits.
What does it cost?
Typical dose and cost, in plain numbers.Cabergoline is not injected
It is taken by mouth (oral). The label starts at 0.25 mg twice a week and titrates up by 0.25 mg at a time to normalize prolactin, with a maximum of 1 mg twice weekly. The range shown here is per dose, taken twice a week, so the weekly total runs from 0.5 mg to 2 mg.
How do you store it?
Before mixing, and after.Room temperature. Cool, dry, out of light.
Cabergoline is taken as a pill or capsule. Keep it in its original container at room temperature, away from heat, humidity, and direct sun. No fridge or mixing needed. Check the expiration date on the bottle.
What are the side effects and cautions?
Known cautions and warnings for this compound.Who should avoid it
- Any existing heart valve disease, including valve leaflet thickening seen on an echocardiogram
- A history of pericardial, pleural, pulmonary or retroperitoneal fibrosis
- Uncontrolled high blood pressure
- Known hypersensitivity to ergot derivatives
- Suppressing milk production after birth, which the label advises against
Stop and get help
- Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing when lying flat, or swelling in the legs
- Chest pain, or a persistent cough
- New compulsive urges, including gambling, spending or sexual behavior that feels out of character
- Fainting or repeated near-fainting
Common effects
- Nausea
- Headache
- Dizziness, especially standing up
- Constipation
- Tiredness
- Low blood pressure after the first dose
Where this page says nothing is established, that means nobody has studied it, not that a compound is safe.
Is Cabergoline approved?
And where the numbers on this page come from.Yes. Cabergoline is FDA approved and available on prescription in the United States.
- Approval statusFDA-approved
- RouteBy mouth (oral)
- Checked24 August 2026
- DoseFrom the drug label. The manufacturer tested this range and a regulator reviewed it.
- Vial sizeFrom what vendors typically list; not a recommendation.
- Sources
What has happened recently
First approved in the US in 1996, for hyperprolactinaemic disorders in adults, either idiopathic or caused by a pituitary adenoma. It is not approved for Parkinson's disease in the US, which matters because most reported cases of heart valve damage came from the higher doses used for Parkinson's, above 2 mg a day. Cases have also been reported at the lower prolactin doses. The current label requires an evaluation for valvular heart disease before starting, including an echocardiogram, and says not to give the drug at all if valve disease is found. Monitoring continues with an echocardiogram every 6 to 12 months. Existing pericardial, pleural, pulmonary or retroperitoneal fibrosis is also a contraindication.
You can compare this against the whole library, or read how to check a seller.
What else is like Cabergoline?
Others in Sexual and hormonal, side by side.If you're weighing Cabergoline, it's worth reading Cetrorelix (Cetrotide), Degarelix (Firmagon), and Desmopressin (DDAVP) in the same class.
A prolactin drug whose label asks for an echocardiogram before the first dose.
- Dose
- 0.25 up to 1 mg per dose, twice a week
- How often
- Twice a week
A GnRH antagonist used in IVF to stop an egg being released too early.
- Dose
- Set by the label
- How often
- Daily during an IVF cycle
A GnRH antagonist for prostate cancer, and the one with no testosterone flare.
- Dose
- Set by the label
- How often
- Loading dose, then monthly
A vasopressin analog with more FDA approvals than any other peptide, and a real hyponatremia risk.
- Dose
- Set by the label and the formulation
- How often
- Varies by indication
Guides for this compound
- mcg vs mg: The Peptide Dosing Mistake to Avoid
Your vial says mg and your protocol says mcg. Here is the conversion and how to check it.
Sources
- Dostinex prescribing information, Pfizer(2025)Indication, pre-treatment echocardiogram requirement, contraindications, 0.25 mg twice weekly starting dose and 1 mg twice weekly maximum.
- Dostinex label PDF, FDA Drugs@FDA(2025)Initial US approval 1996 and the current maximum recommended dosage.
Beyond these, 583 records are indexed. Browse the records