Luteinizing hormone

LH, the Luteinizing hormone, is responsible for the formation and release of sex hormones in both men and women. It also regulates the woman's monthly cycle. It is also known by the name Lutropin and Luteotropin.

What is Luteinizing Hormone?

The luteinizing hormone is also called luteotropin, lutropin or yellow-coloring hormone - “luteus” means something like orange-yellow in Latin. The term luteinizing is derived from one of the main functions of the hormone, namely the development of the corpus luteum in the ovaries of women after ovulation.

Luteinizing hormone is one of the glandotropic hormones in the human body. These are hormones that basically act on the male and female gonads.

The hormone that is produced in the pituitary gland - the pituitary gland - is responsible for the production of testosterone in men and progesterone and estrogens in women. The maturation of sperm, the male sex cells in the testes, is controlled by the LH, which in men is sometimes called ICSH.

In the sexual cycle of women, the LH triggers ovulation and is therefore of particular importance for fertility.

Production, manufacturing & education

Different glands are primarily responsible for the formation and release in the human body.

The luteinizing hormone is produced in the pituitary gland called the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is a small gland that is located in the middle fossa of the skull. It is assigned a special role in the human endocrine system. In a complex interaction with the hypothalamus, it creates and releases luteinizing hormone.

The hormone itself consists of a chain of amino acids. The way hormone production works means that the formation of LH is influenced by many internal and external factors that affect the autonomic nervous system. For example, psychological stress and external factors can change the hormone level.

Function, effect & properties

LH has a special meaning for fertility and the sexual cycle of men and women. With the onset of sexual maturity, his work becomes more important. Then the luteinizing hormone is responsible for the regulation of the female monthly cycle and for the production of male sperm cells.

The LH has a particularly important position in the female cycle. Together with the egg cell, it first triggers ovulation and then ensures that the so-called corpus luteum is formed from the egg shell, which is then responsible for the release of progesterone and estrogen. This cycle makes fertility possible for women, without which pregnancy would not be possible.

The sex hormones progesterone and estrogen, which are formed, among other things, by the support of the LH, are also responsible for many other factors in the female organism and can have a strong influence on the state of health.

In men, the LH primarily controls the production of testosterone. This hormone is in turn required in the testes to produce sperm cells. In order for testosterone to cross the blood-testicular barrier, the luteinizing hormone is necessary, which makes transport possible. Without the testosterone, the male organism would not be able to produce sperm cells at this point and would be sterile. A lack of testosterone can also affect other areas of the organism.

Illnesses, ailments & disorders

Since the LH is significantly involved in the formation of the important sex hormones, impaired production can lead to many diseases and complaints.

Especially in women, the hormone level is responsible for many areas and functions in the organism. An underproduction of LH can lead to a deficiency of the hormones progesterone and estrogen. Progesterone deficiency leads, among other things, to premenstrual syndrome, which can trigger many complaints in the cycle phase after ovulation.

In severe cases, the lack of progesterone can lead to infertility, fibroids, and cysts in the abdomen. There is also a health risk associated with the lack of estrogen. A permanent deficiency can lead to hot flashes, sleep disorders, a lack of vitality and, above all, a premature aging process.

In men, a disruption in the production of LH can lead to low testosterone levels in the blood. This can then lead to the inability to conceive and various impairments. The psyche and the sex drive are particularly affected.

Erectile dysfunction, depressive moods, sleep disorders and a fundamental loss of vitality and drive are just some of the effects of a testosterone deficiency. The production of LH can be disrupted by a variety of factors, e.g. Poisoning, tumors or constant stress.