{"id":15149,"date":"2021-11-16T11:15:19","date_gmt":"2021-11-16T11:15:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.blog.hormona.io\/?p=15149"},"modified":"2021-11-16T11:01:35","modified_gmt":"2021-11-16T11:01:35","slug":"what-is-fsh-and-why-is-it-so-important","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.hormona.io\/blog\/what-is-fsh-and-why-is-it-so-important\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is FSH And Why Is It So Important?"},"content":{"rendered":"

This massively important hormone not only affects fertility and ovarian health in women, it even affects men. We know, crazy, right? And yet, despite that\u00a0male connection<\/u><\/a>, there\u2019s surprisingly little information out there for anyone with fritzy FSH. Which, as it turns out, could be almost anyone. But it\u2019s mostly women. Shocker.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

FSH \u2013 A pain in the anterior pituitary<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s start with where and why FSH exists in the first place. That first part is pretty simple. FSH is produced and released into your bloodstream from your\u00a0anterior pituitary<\/a>\u00a0gland. And although we said we were going deep into your brain, technically, it\u2019s actually located underneath your amazing brain.<\/p>\n

Regular Hormonas will definitely recognize this particular cranial resident, as will anyone with Graves or Hashimoto\u2019s, as FSH isn\u2019t the only hormone the pituitary gland is in charge of. \u00a0As part of the endocrine system, the gland plays a huge part in the healthy function of your\u00a0thyroid<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n

But in the case of FSH, the pituitary plays a crucial role in the development and smooth running of your\u00a0reproductive system<\/a>. The whole shebang. From start to finish.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

How does the FSH hormone function?<\/h3>\n

All things being equal, you shouldn\u2019t even notice FSH quietly doing its job until you reach puberty. From then on, as a biological woman,\u00a0FSH<\/a>\u00a0will be part of your daily existence and will be for much of your life. Even as a biological man, the hormone works away, but generally in a much more stable fashion.<\/p>\n

So, what exactly, is this hormone responsible for in both sexes? Essentially, it\u2019s the bedrock of reproduction. For women, it\u2019s in charge of the growth and maturation of ovaries and Fallopian tubes, as well as the production and release of eggs on a monthly basis.<\/p>\n

FSH in men oversees the formation and proper working of the testes and the production of sperm and testosterone. Without it, low fertility is almost certain regardless of sex.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Post-puberty imbalance in FSH<\/h2>\n

Once your periods have begun, your FSH levels, in a similar way to estrogen, rise and fall according to where you are in your menstrual cycle. The hormone is responsible for getting eggs to the right place at the right time, should some sperm happen to come by, but even before that, it\u2019s got a job to do.<\/p>\n

The eggs sit inside the follicles in your ovaries, but can\u2019t just plunge into the unknown. They first have to mature to the right level before being released into the uterus. So, long before we have any idea anything is happening, we\u2019ve already grown and sent an egg that\u2019s ready for fertilization.<\/p>\n

PMS notwithstanding, natch, this all generally happens with little fanfare. The problems arise when FSH levels are too high, or have dropped or even disappeared. And that\u2019s outside of any of your usual period-related changes. Complex, right?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Complexity of the hormone in puberty<\/h3>\n

Those complexities actually start before puberty. If FSH levels are too high, both biological girls and boys can experience early-onset puberty at around age nine. Conversely, a deficit of FSH in children can lead to delayed puberty. Both may point to the glandular, central nervous system, or brain issues.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Complexity of the hormone in adults<\/h3>\n

In adults, FSH imbalance can lead to infertility questions, regardless of sex, and can also be part of a larger pituitary issue.<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019re an adult, FSH\u00a0imbalance<\/a>\u00a0can be caused by a number of things. Ovarian issues, PCOS, cancer, and Turner Syndrome can all have an adverse effect on your levels. But so, too, can menopause, the aforementioned pituitary and hypothalamus gland issues and, believe it or not, being what\u2019s described as \u201cvery underweight\u201d.<\/p>\n

All of the above can have a direct effect on your\u00a0fertility<\/u><\/a>. And it doesn\u2019t get more direct than not producing eggs.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What is a normal FSH level to get pregnant?<\/h2>\n

Here\u2019s where it gets a little odd. Weirdly, shall we say, healthy FSH levels should be fairly low, even during that menstrual spike. It seems that it doesn\u2019t take a huge amount of the stuff to persuade an egg to mature and start its journey.<\/p>\n

FSH only really gets very high when your pituitary isn\u2019t getting the egg-ready message. And that happens when there isn\u2019t enough estrogen in your body to switch it off. As a result, you produce more and more FSH in an effort to force an egg to maturation.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Struggling with infertility<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re\u00a0under 40<\/u><\/a>\u00a0and have been trying to conceive with no success, there\u2019s a chance that FSH is in the mix. And that goes whether you\u2019re biologically female or male.<\/p>\n

High FSH in males can point to wider sperm development issues, as well as the problems described above. In females, it might indicate ovarian or egg development changes. And this is probably why there\u2019s so little literature about FSH before it was discovered as part of a wider reproductive issue.<\/p>\n

Essentially, you don\u2019t know it\u2019s a problem until it\u2019s a problem and you\u2019re struggling with infertility. And that in and of itself is a massive problem.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Menopause Strikes Back<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re in or around your 40s, there\u2019s a good chance your FSH is spiking right now. Because, oh yes, it\u2019s back again, the\u00a0menopause<\/a>\u00a0is one of the most common causes of high FSH.<\/p>\n

And here\u2019s why:<\/p>\n

FSH levels are directly linked to the number of egg sacs you currently have. Each sac dies back after the release of an egg, and we\u2019ve all got a finite number of sacs. As you get older, that number gets smaller, until, sadly, they\u2019re all gone. And that, in essence, is the menopause.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

FSH levels in menopause<\/h3>\n

As such, FSH levels are often taken as a good indicator that you\u2019re in the menopausal transition. It\u2019s a VIP at the hormonal extravaganza that is the end of your periods and a spike in levels can help with a diagnosis. We say can because, as with any and all things hormonal, it\u2019ll be individual to you.<\/p>\n

Some women experience huge rises in FSH levels, while others will see almost no change at all. Any diagnosis of menopause or otherwise should include a thorough discussion of all of your symptoms in conjunction with any test results.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Signs and symptoms of FSH imbalance<\/h2>\n

This brings us neatly to the signs that something might be awry with your FSH levels. You\u2019re probably way ahead of us here, but any long-term changes to your period are good indicators that something isn\u2019t right. These changes include:<\/p>\n