Worried about high FSH levels and their impact on your fertility? This article provides a detailed look at follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), its role in the body, the causes of elevated levels, and natural ways to manage them.
What is Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH)?
FSH, or follicle-stimulating hormone, is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland. In women, FSH stimulates the growth of eggs in the ovaries and helps regulate the menstrual cycle. In men, FSH stimulates sperm production in the testes. Both males and females need Follicle-Stimulating Hormone to reproduce. FSH testing gives you a lot of good info about your fertility. You can use it to figure out your chances of getting pregnant by telling you how many good years of reproductive health you have left.
Why is FSH Important?
In females, FSH is necessary for the menstrual cycle and fertility. It makes the ovaries produce estrogen, and it also makes ovarian follicles grow and produce eggs. Without FSH, the follicles would not mature and ovulation would not occur, leading to infertility.
In men, FSH stimulates sperm production in the testes. Along with luteinizing hormone (LH), it controls testosterone production. Male sexual characteristics and fertility depend on this. Without FSH, the testes wouldn’t make sperm, leading to infertility.
It’s not just for reproduction; FSH plays a role in bone health and metabolism, too. The hormone keeps bones strong by balancing calcium and phosphorus. In addition, it helps regulate cholesterol levels and fat metabolism.
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FSH, AMH, and AFC: Determining Your Egg Count
AMH, FSH, and AFC all test ovarian reserves (how many healthy eggs a woman has left). You can’t get an exact egg count with these tests, but they’re pretty accurate. Let’s look at how they can help you.
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is a hormone that stimulates the production of follicles in the ovaries of women. These follicles mature to form one dominant follicle which releases the egg. High levels indicate the follicles are less in number whereas low levels may be too low to stimulate the follicles.
Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) is a hormone produced by developing ovarian follicles. High AMH levels suggest a high egg supply. Low levels might be a sign that your ovaries aren’t working right. AMH testing can help doctors to evaluate your fertility by providing a rough estimate of the number of eggs remaining in your body.
Antral Follicle Counts (AFC) describe the number of small follicles in the ovaries. It’s easy to get this count with an ultrasound. The AFC tells you how many follicles a woman has in her ovaries, so you can predict her fertility. As a measure of follicle count, it’s more accurate than AMH (Anti-Mullerian Hormone), which is based on hormones. Together, they give you the most accurate results.
Of these tests, the FSH test is the one you’ll hear about the most. You can get a blood test done. AMH and AFC give you valuable info about what your FSH levels mean.
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Having low AMH levels along with a high FSH level can indicate that your egg count is deteriorating. This means that you could have fertility problems.
A normal or low FSH and a higher AMH can improve your chances of getting pregnant. However, you would require your FSH levels to be normal to stimulate the follicles.
Causes of High FSH Levels
Several factors can contribute to elevated FSH levels:
- Age: As a woman gets closer to menopause, her ovarian reserve drops. Eventually, the remaining follicles stop responding to hormones. The pituitary gland tries to make up for this by raising FSH levels.
- Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI): Also called Premature Ovarian Failure (POF), this occurs when your ovaries stop working before you turn 40. Genetics, illness, or trauma can cause it. The pituitary gland tries to make your ovaries work by boosting your FSH level.
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): This hormonal disorder, the leading cause of female infertility, causes enlarged ovaries with lots of cysts. As a result of disrupted hormone balance, women with PCOS may have elevated FSH and LH levels.
- Turner Syndrome: This genetic disorder that affects women, causes premature ovarian failure, resulting in a high FSH level.
- Cancer Treatment: Cancer treatment can damage your reproductive system and cause high FSH levels, especially if you’re fighting cancer in your reproductive system.
- Medications: Medications like gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists can cause high FSH.
- Surgery: Surgery on the ovaries can cause high FSH levels by damaging your remaining follicles.
Is Lowering FSH Levels Enough?
No, lowering FSH levels is not enough to improve fertility by itself. FSH levels can be a good indicator of fertility, but simply lowering FSH levels won’t fix the underlying problem.
Low FSH can also cause infertility. As mentioned above, FSH is critical for the development of sperm and eggs. They won’t mature properly if there’s not enough FSH.
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Managing High FSH Levels Naturally
Want to improve your chances of getting pregnant? It’s important to figure out what’s causing your high FSH. Here are some easy ways to manage your FSH:
Lifestyle Changes
- Dietary Changes: Dietary changes can help treat issues such as PCOS. Studies say that switching to a ketogenic or Mediterranean diet can improve fertility for some women.
- Exercise: Exercise is vital for staying healthy and fighting aging. Your immune system gets weaker when you’re not active enough. You’re also more likely to get overweight and have hormonal problems if you don’t exercise.
- Sleep: Sleep quality and length are important for hormone regulation. There are some biological processes that can only happen while you’re sleeping.
While the above advice may not help reduce your FSH levels directly, lifestyle changes can improve your overall health and push your body to ovulate.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine, and it has long been used to boost fertility. Today, there is evidence that acupuncture may help regulate hormone levels. Through the use of acupuncture, herbs and massage, we are able to improve blood flow into the reproductive organs and restore balance to hormonal production, often reducing FSH levels in the process. Dietary modification and stress reduction techniques are often a critical component of the overall protocol for women with elevated FSH.
Nutritional Supplements
Nutritional supplements like DHEA, CoQ10, and Omega-3 fatty acids may help lower FSH levels. Reduction in FSH Throughout the Menstrual Cycle After Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation in Young Normal Weight but not Obese Women. The use of coenzyme Q10 and DHEA during IUI and IVF cycles in patients with decreased ovarian reserve.
Psychological Support
Psychological support can help you overcome mental health challenges related to infertility. Prioritize talking to a mental health professional or a support group. Lowering stress makes you healthier in every way and keeps your hormones regulated.
Regular Hormone Testing
Regular hormone testing can help you track your FSH levels. Testing kits can help you understand your patterns and figure out your needs. With Inito, you can measure your four fertility hormones - FSH, estrogen, LH, and progesterone metabolite PdG to understand your cycles better.
Medical Interventions
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) involves taking estrogen and progesterone to balance hormones. You can reduce FSH levels with HRT and ease menopause symptoms. Surgical intervention may be what it takes to overcome conditions like endometriosis or ovarian cysts, as these sorts of conditions can cause high FSH levels.
Seeking Professional Help
The most effective way to lower FSH is to fix whatever is causing it. Talk to a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist or other reproductive doctor to explore your fertility options.
Real Stories: You Are Not Alone
A wonderful thing about the modern era is how easily women can share their stories. One of the celebrities most outspoken about infertility is Elisabeth Röhm. You probably recognize her for her role as Serena on NBC’s Law & Order. She wrote an entire book about her struggle to get pregnant with her daughter, Easton. The memoir is called, “Baby Steps: Having the Child I Always Wanted (Just not as I Expected).”
“I found out I had issues, and I acted very quickly,” she said in an interview about her book. “I was still 34, not 38 or 40.” Röhm tells young women to check their ovarian reserves before turning 30. The sooner you know you’ll have a problem conceiving, the more options you have. And the better your chances of having a healthy baby from your own eggs!