Men and women have the same set of chemicals like hormones, but there are big differences in their quantity. Hormones secrete the pituitary and thyroid gland. They are rightfully considered an invisible mechanism for controlling the whole organism. After all, these substances affect a lot: the condition of the hair and skin, the appearance of neoplasms, the flow of menstruation and menopause, the ability to have children, mood. In women, hormone production is much more difficult than in men. The reason for this process is the cyclical functioning of the female body.
What is luteinizing hormone?
This hormone enters the body through the work of the pituitary gland. It regulates the activity of the sex glands that we have, namely, it stimulates the production of progesterone in the female body and testosterone in the male.
This hormone is not always excreted in the same amount. In women, its production depends on what phase the ovulation cycle is in. The peak of its content in the body falls on ovulation; when this phase passes, its concentration decreases. The main objective of LH is that it is involved in the formation of the corpus luteum.
The main reasons for the shortage
LH can have different indicators throughout the cycle. When passing tests, the doctor pays special attention to this. But why is it generally necessary to take tests and watch the concentration of this hormone? The fact is that with its shortage there are problems with the woman’s health and other troubles, which we will talk about later.
When does LH shortage occur?
- With an increased level of prolactin - hyperprolactinemia - an inverse LH content is observed (the norm in women on the 2nd day of the cycle, as well as the subsequent days of the menstrual and follicular phase, can significantly exceed the hormone levels in the patient. But in the first days of the cycle, namely in the menstrual phase, the analysis do not prescribe, as the results may be unreliable).
- If the fair sex has a luteal phase deficiency, then this behavior of the luteinizing hormone is observed.
- With obesity.
- With such a bad habit as smoking.
- If a woman’s medical history included surgery.
- With frequent stressful situations.
- Also, a low content of LH in the blood is observed in some rare diseases.
Why is it so much?
If there is a lot of luteinizing hormone in the body, this also affects the condition of the woman as a whole: her well-being, nervousness, the ability to have children, and so on. An increased level of this substance in the blood indicates, most likely, the insufficiency of the fulfillment of its functions by sex hormones, and there may also be a phenomenon such as ovarian exhaustion syndrome, pituitary tumor, endometriosis. Infectious diseases also affect its content. As a result, without control, LH (hormone) rises , the norm in women in this case is significantly different from the indicators of the substance in the body according to the analysis.
In addition to other rare diseases and the listed reasons, the level of luteinizing hormone is affected by starvation, as well as debilitating, serious sports training. As we can see, there are many reasons why the LH concentration in the blood changes. Taking certain medications also leads to an imbalance of the substance. It is worth taking special care and caution to take the drugs "Clomiphene", "Naloxone", anticonvulsants and "Spironolactin."
LH - the norm in women
The only way to find out about the exact content of LH in the body is a blood test for hormones. Such analyzes require special training. How to prepare for this laboratory test, we’ll talk below, but now we’ll figure it out, LH hormone - what is the norm in women?
The biggest temptation for many of us is to interpret the results after we have them in our hands. If there is no specialist nearby, you can see the reference values of the content of this substance (that is, the LH norm in women). But you should not get carried away with interpretation, since only specially trained people with a medical education know where the norm is, what your meanings are talking about and what to do with them now.
Most often, reference values are distributed among the phases of the female cycle, but sometimes experts study the phases every day. The LH norm in women on the 3rd day of the cycle is from 2.4 to 12.6 mIU / ml. These indicators are individual for each woman, since each has its own amount of hormones secreted in principle. Some experts claim that the norm is from 2 to 14 mIU / ml, but the doctor already needs to deal with this. Also, the content of luteinizing hormone in the blood differs depending on age. In girls and girls under 17 years old, the lower threshold is always below 2 mIU / ml. It should be noted that the LH norm in women on the 5th day of the cycle at the beginning of the menopause is significantly different from that of patients of reproductive age. It averages from 18 to 72 mIU / ml.
How does a woman detect an imbalance of this hormone?
Like many people living on earth, we tend to go to the doctor as a last resort, when something is very worrying. We usually attribute the usual nervousness, weakness, and dull eyes to problems in the family, work, lack of sleep, and various stresses. These reasons are really many for everyone. But the problem can be hidden much deeper. Increased nervousness, abundant hair growth in different parts of the body, rapidly oily hair on the head, broad shoulders and affective conditions may indicate an increased or decreased level of LH, the norm in women of which also varies depending on the phase of the cycle.
How to take an analysis of the content in the body of LH?
To determine the level of the hormone, you need to prepare in advance. First of all, physical activity and sports are excluded for 3 days. Before passing the test, you can not smoke an average of 3 hours. The analysis is done on the 6.7 day of the cycle, if it is regular. The situation is more complicated with an irregular cycle. In the case of an irregular cycle, blood is taken from 8 to 18 days. LH analysis (the norm of which has already been prescribed in women) is given strictly on an empty stomach, you can drink only water. 8 hours before it, no food should be ingested. It is important to provide the patient with a state of rest both physical and emotional 30 minutes before the study.
Why should I take this analysis?
If the results of the analysis differ from those indicators that are defined as the LH norm in women, then this may indicate many pathologies in the body. These can be diseases such as infertility, menopause, Turner syndrome, and some others. To accurately determine the diagnosis, it is necessary, having fulfilled all the requirements for preparation, to pass an analysis of LH. The norm in women on the 3rd day of the cycle will not differ significantly until the 14th day, so there is no point in taking it for several days for the accuracy of the results, except for the irregular cycle.