FSH supporting-cell signals
Biomarker library
Hormonal Health
FSH
FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) is made by the pituitary gland. In women it ripens egg follicles in the ovaries; in men it supports sperm production.
Measured in your health assessment, with a doctor to explain your result. Book yours
Why it matters
It is controlled by feedback: as the ovaries' output falls around the menopause, FSH rises sharply, which is why it helps assess fertility and the menopause transition. In women it changes across the menstrual cycle.
What a result can mean
Lower than the range
A low FSH can come from a pituitary or hypothalamic problem, very low body weight or intense training, pregnancy, hormonal contraception or testosterone use.
Higher than the range
In women, a high FSH suggests the ovaries are running low on eggs, as in the menopause or premature ovarian insufficiency. In men, it can mean the testes are producing fewer sperm.
What can help
FSH shows how the ovaries or testes are working rather than being treated itself. It is read with your cycle day, age and other hormones, and any fertility or menopause care is tailored to the cause.
Read it with
NoteGeneral educational illustration. Colours, sizes and movement are simplified. This is not a scan or a simulation of your body. General information, not personal medical advice: a doctor reads your own results with your history.
Know your FSH.
Measured in your health assessment and explained by the doctor who reviews your results.