Can anyone please explain how LH affects estrogen and progesterone? I tried searching the internet and I don't understand, so can someone EXPLAIN it to me in words? THANKS!! THANKS!
Thanks, but I was already there, I need a human explanation, someone to dumb it down to me, so I understand it.
Certainly! Let me explain how luteinizing hormone (LH) affects estrogen and progesterone levels.
LH is a hormone released by the pituitary gland in the brain. It plays a crucial role in controlling the menstrual cycle in women and the reproductive system in both men and women.
In women, LH is responsible for triggering the release of an egg from the ovary, a process known as ovulation. LH works in collaboration with another hormone called follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) to promote the growth and maturation of ovarian follicles, which contain the eggs.
During the menstrual cycle, LH levels start to surge around the middle of the cycle, typically around day 14 in a 28-day cycle. This surge in LH secretion triggers the release of a mature egg from the follicle, leading to ovulation.
After ovulation, the remnants of the follicle that released the egg transform into a temporary endocrine gland called the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum produces and releases hormones, mainly progesterone.
LH plays a role in maintaining the corpus luteum. If fertilization of the egg occurs, LH continues to be secreted, supporting the corpus luteum to continue producing progesterone. Progesterone is essential for preparing and maintaining the uterus for pregnancy.
However, if fertilization does not occur, LH levels decrease, leading to the decline and eventual breakdown of the corpus luteum. With the loss of the corpus luteum, production of progesterone decreases, and the drop in progesterone triggers the shedding of the uterine lining, resulting in menstruation.
While LH itself does not directly affect estrogen levels, it indirectly influences estrogen production. During the first phase of the menstrual cycle, known as the follicular phase, FSH stimulates the ovary to produce estrogen. As the follicles mature, the increasing level of estrogen feeds back to suppress FSH secretion, leading to a surge in LH secretion. This LH surge triggers ovulation, which marks the transition from the follicular phase to the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.
In summary, LH regulates the menstrual cycle, stimulates ovulation, and maintains the corpus luteum. It indirectly affects estrogen levels through its interaction with FSH, while playing a vital role in the production and maintenance of progesterone during the luteal phase of the cycle.