Follicle-stimulating Hormone: What It Is And How It Affects Our Body
Do you know follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)? It is a hormone linked to fertility. Its levels vary in situations such as: fertility problems, pregnancy or being under hormonal treatment, among others.
In this article we will see everything about this hormone: what its functions are, where it is produced, what are the “normal” levels of it during the different stages of the menstrual cycle, what abnormal levels (both low and high) of it imply and Finally, what does the follicle-stimulating hormone test or examination consist of?
Follicle-stimulating hormone, also called follicle-stimulating hormone or follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is a type of gonadotropin hormone. This hormone is found in humans and also in other mammals.
Its function is essential in the reproductive cycle, and it participates in both sexes in growth and development
Follicle-stimulating hormone is produced in the pituitary gland; The pituitary gland, also called the “pituitary gland,” is a small gland located just below the brain, which produces different hormones, which travel to the bloodstream and perform their functions.
Functions in the body
What function does this hormone have in men and women? In men, follicle-stimulating hormone is involved in sperm synthesis. In women, its function is related to the regulation of the maturation of the body until the stage of puberty. Furthermore, in this sense, it is the hormone responsible for stimulating the synthesis of estrogens.
On the other hand, in the first phase of a woman’s menstrual cycle, follicle-stimulating hormone modulates oocyte maturation Oocytes are female germ cells; That is, they are cells in a stage prior to that of mature eggs (which end up becoming these).
Furthermore, follicle-stimulating hormone is a marker that allows the diagnosis of certain gynecological irregularities in women, in relation to infertility and menstruation (period).
Thus, it is about a hormone closely linked to fertility, both in men and women Its levels, as we will see later, allow us to determine if the sexual organs work well, or if there is a problem (with abnormal levels).
Levels
Follicle-stimulating hormone levels vary throughout life. To give you a general idea, before puberty, your levels range between 0 and 0.4 units of FSH per liter of blood.
As we grow and once we enter the stage of puberty, its levels increase up to 0.3 and 10 units per liter of blood.
Menstrual cycle
Later, when we enter fertile age, Follicle-stimulating hormone levels also vary during the menstrual cycle Within the menstrual cycle, we find three major phases or periods:
Menopause
Finally, During menopause, follicle-stimulating hormone levels increase dramatically these being between 25 and 135 units per liter of blood.
Abnormal levels of this substance
What happens when our follicle-stimulating hormone levels become abnormal? Various pathological situations can trigger this, such as: suffering from anorexia, being underweight, having absence of ovulation, suffering from a disorder of the pituitary or hypothalamus, etc.
On the other hand, in a pregnancy situation Follicle-stimulating hormone levels may also change suddenly or be abnormal.
High levels of follicle-stimulating hormone may be the basis of specific situations that should be known, in both men and women.
1. 1. In women
In the case of women, high levels of FSH can indicate: a situation of menopause or postmenopause (already mentioned), a premature menopause, when one is under hormonal treatment, if one suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome, If you suffer from Turner Syndrome (a genetic disorder that affects the development of girls, where the X chromosome is missing or incomplete), if you have any type of tumor in the pituitary gland, etc.
1.2. in men
In men, elevated FSH levels could indicate: castration, alcoholism, receiving chemotherapy, increased testosterone, suffering from Klinefelter Syndrome, taking medications containing testosterone, andropause, etc.
2. Low levels
On the other hand, low levels of the hormone in women indicate malfunction of the ovaries when producing eggs, pregnancy, anorexia nervosa being treated with birth control pills or corticosteroids, etc.
On the other hand, in men, low levels of the hormone indicate the existence of one of these situations: reduced function of the pituitary gland (or hypothalamus), being under stress, being underweight or produce few sperm.
The follicle-stimulating hormone test
It is very common, especially among women, to perform a follicle-stimulating hormone test. What this test does is measure the amount of this hormone we have through a blood sample.
It is mainly used to evaluate ovarian function ; This implies the evaluation of the degree of fertility in the woman. Typically, the follicle-stimulating hormone test is performed in assisted reproduction centers (although not only in these), where women who show difficulties (with their partner or not) in getting pregnant come.
We have seen the usefulness of the FSH test in determining possible fertility problems, in both women and men.
Specifically, the follicle-stimulating hormone test allows us to determine whether the sexual organs, both female and male (ovaries or testicles), are functioning properly, or if there is an underlying problem that makes pregnancy difficult. On the other hand, the test also allows us to confirm whether the woman is in the menopause stage.
Beyond being performed in assisted reproduction centers, this test can also be requested by your gynecologist or endocrinologist Thus, other situations that allow this test to be evaluated are:
Values
When the follicle-stimulating hormone test is done, the reference values of the population are consulted, according to age and gender of the person in question. The phase of the menstrual cycle you are in is also taken into account.
Carlson, N. R. (2005). Behavioral physiology. Madrid: Pearson Education.
Prieto-Gómez, B. and Velázquez-Paniagua, M. (2002). Reproductive physiology: gonadotropin-releasing hormone. Rev Fac Med UNAM, 45(6): 252-257.
Rosenweig, M.R., Breedlove, S.M., & Watson, N.V. (2005). Psychobiology: An introduction to behavioral, cognitive, and clinical neuroscience. Barcelona: Ariel.
