FSH and LH tell the testes and ovaries to make hormones that bring about changes during puberty. Human sex hormones work closely with one another. So doctors might do an FSH test along with blood tests that measure LH, estradiol, and testosterone.
FSH and LH levels can help differentiate between a condition affecting the ovaries themselves (primary) and dysfunction of the ovaries due to disorders of either the pituitary or the hypothalamus (secondary). High levels of FSH and LH are consistent with conditions affecting the ovaries themselves.
FSH, LH and oestradiol should be checked early in the menstrual cycle (day two – six, where day one is the first day of menstruation). Elevated FSH suggests reduced ovarian reserve and the possibility of impending premature ovarian failure.
The test is used to help diagnose or evaluate: Menopause. Women who have polycystic ovary syndrome, ovarian cysts. Abnormal vaginal or menstrual bleeding.
When a woman's FSH blood level is consistently elevated to 30 mIU/mL or higher, and she has not had a menstrual period for a year, it is generally accepted that she has reached menopause.
Before menopause: 5 to 25 IU/L. Level peaks even higher around the middle of the menstrual cycle. Level then becomes higher after menopause: 14.2 to 52.3 IU/L.
If you have a persistent change of seven days or more in the length of your menstrual cycle, you may be in early perimenopause. If you have a space of 60 days or more between periods, you're likely in late perimenopause. Hot flashes and sleep problems. Hot flashes are common during perimenopause.
The FSH test is not considered diagnostic for the menopause. Sometimes women in the early stages of the menopause transition can actually have high estrogen levels because that month the follicles she has remaining in her ovaries were able to responded to the high levels of FSH and produce more estrogen.
Menopause markers
FSH levels are higher than luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, and both rise to even higher values than those seen in the surge during the menstrual cycle. The FSH rise precedes the LH rise; FSH is the diagnostic marker for ovarian failure, while LH is not necessary to make the diagnosis.
Untreated LH deficiency will result in infertility, and if it occurs before puberty, the patient will fail to develop puberty and secondary sexual characteristics. The lack of testosterone will lead to loss of muscle mass, bone density loss, and loss of sex drive in men.
Symptoms: Suppression of GnRH release in women results in decreased secretion of LH and FSH (ie, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism), manifesting as amenorrhea and hypoestrogenemia. Ongoing hypothalamic suppression can lead to serious consequences such as osteoporosis and bone fractures in these women.
If you are a woman, high FSH levels may mean you have: Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), also known as premature ovarian failure. POI is the loss of ovarian function before the age of 40. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a common hormonal disorder affecting childbearing women.
Women, when they undergo menopause, lose bone and gain body fat. FSH, which rises at menopause, could be responsible for the weight gain and bone loss that many women experience in their middle ages.
Normal LH numbers depend on a few things, like your sex and age. For women, normal results are: 5-25 international units per liter (IU/L) before menopause. 14.2-52.3 IU/Ll after menopause.
After menopause there is a 30–40% decrease in LH and FSH between the ages of 50 and 7535, 38.
A change in menstrual patterns and the appearance of hot flashes are usually the first signs. Although blood tests are not required, healthcare providers can run blood or urine tests to determine levels of the hormones estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH).
When testing for menopause is warranted, doctors may order an FSH test to detect elevated levels of FSH in the blood. Measuring FSH can help determine if a woman is perimenopausal or has already gone through menopause.
Menopause is divided into three basic stages: perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. During this time, the ovaries begin to atrophy which causes a decline in the production of the hormones that stimulate the menstrual cycle; estrogen and progesterone.
Often your doctor can make the diagnosis of perimenopause based on your symptoms. A blood test to check hormone levels may also help, but your hormone levels are changing during perimenopause. It may be more helpful to have several blood tests done at different times for comparison.