Improve FSH Levels

FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) is essential for fertility and reproduction, among other things. There are many factors that lower the levels of FSH produced by the body, and this can lead to reduced fertility. Therefore, it is important to take steps to improve your body's FSH levels if you are trying to conceive. Start with Step 1 below for more information.

Steps

Increasing FSH Levels Through Diet

  1. Eat more foods containing essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids are important in the production of hormones in the body, including FSH. Essential fatty acids include omega-6, omega-9 and omega-3. [1]
    • The foods that provide the body with omega -3 are fish oil and flax oil and oily fish (salmon, trout, mackerel, sardines, herring and anchovies). Women are encouraged to eat at least two servings of oily fish per week to increase the level of omega -3 in the body.
    • A good source of omega-6 are borage oils (which can be taken in supplement form), while good sources of omega-9 include avocados, sunflower oils, nuts and seeds.
  2. Consume more dark green and sea vegetables. Dark green and sea vegetables provide the body with the vitamins and minerals necessary for a healthy endocrine system, which, in turn, is necessary for FSH production.
    • Dark green vegetables include kale, spinach, broccoli and cabbage, while sea vegetables include things like nori, kelp and wakimi. Spirulina can also be taken as it provides the body with proteins and minerals.
    • Women who wish to improve their FSH levels are advised to eat at least five portions of these foods per day. This can be done by blending green veg into a morning smoothie, eating a green salad for lunch and including at least two portions of green or sea veg with dinner.
  3. Introduce more ginseng to your diet. Ginseng helps to support and nourish the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus, both of which are essential in regulating FSH levels. You can take ginseng as a supplement — it is recommended that you take two 500mg capsules twice a day for best results.
    • Ginseng is also widely used to increase fertility in men and studies have shown that it plays a vital role in the prevention of erectile dysfunction and enhancement of sexual performance. [2]
    • You shouldn't take more than the recommended dosage of ginseng, as it can affect the blood's ability to prevent clotting.
  4. Take 2000 to 3000mg of maca each day. Maca is a root like vegetable that grows in high altitude areas that have intense sunlight. Maca helps to nourish the endocrine system, which has a positive effect on the release of hormones (including FSH) in the body. Maca can be found in supplement form and the recommended dosage is 2000-3000mg per day.
  5. Take vitex capsules daily. Vitex is an herb that regulates the pituitary gland, helping to balance the production of hormones in the body. The pituitary gland works by sending chemical signals to different parts of the body and communicating the amount of hormones that are needed by different organs and tissues.
    • Vitex can be taken in supplement form and the recommended dosage is 900 to 1000mg daily. Vitex supplements should be taken over the course of a month to boost FSH levels.
    • Be aware that vitex capsules work best on an empty stomach and therefore should be taken early in the morning before breakfast.

Increasing FSH Levels Through Lifestyle Changes

  1. Stimulate FSH production through self-massage. One easy, low-cost way of boosting FSH levels is to use massage to stimulate the glands that produce FSH and other hormones. Try using gentle circular motions to massage the lower abdomen for 10 to 15 minutes each day, to boost FSH and increase fertility.
    • You could also try rubbing the ball of your big toe. In reflexology, the big toe is linked to the pituitary gland, which is essential for balancing hormone production in the body.
  2. Maintain a healthy weight for normal FSH levels. Maintaining a healthy weight is essential for the production of FSH. Being underweight will decrease the amount of FSH the body produces, which negatively affects fertility. A healthy weight is defined as having a BMI between 18.5 and 25.
    • Your BMI (body mass index) is your weight measured relative to your height. To find your BMI, divide your weight (in pounds) by your height (in inches squared), or use an online BMI calculator.
    • If your BMI is under 18.5, you are underweight and if it is over 25, you are overweight.
  3. Reduce stress to boost FSH levels. When you are feeling stressed out, your body releases stress hormones (such as cortisol) which negatively affect the amount of FSH your body produces. Therefore, it is important to reduce stress in order to keep boost your FSH levels.
    • To decrease stress, you can use relaxation methods such as getting some exercise, doing yoga or meditation or taking a long, hot bath. It is also important that your balance your work with rest.
    • Getting enough sleep is another important factor in reducing stress. Try to get 7 to 8 hours sleep a night and follow a consistent schedule, where you go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
  4. Cleanse the body to remove excess testosterone or estrogen. Having too much testosterone or estrogen in the body can interfere with FSH production. The liver helps to remove excess hormones from the body, but over time the hormones can build up and the liver becomes overwhelmed. Therefore it is important to perform a cleanse from time to time in order to detox the liver.
    • You can purchase special liver cleansing kits that are specifically designed to rid the body of excess estrogen and testosterone and boost fertility.
    • These fertility kits contain cleansing capsules that renew the liver and help it to perform efficiently. They also contain special herbal teas that detoxify the blood and maintain the health of the uterus. [3]

Increasing FSH Levels Medically

  1. See a doctor who can diagnose the cause of low FSH levels. Although the methods described in the sections above can help to improve FSH levels, your body's hormone levels will not return to normal levels if the underlying cause is not addressed. Therefore it is important to see your doctor and undergo rigorous testing so the underlying cause of low FSH levels can be diagnosed and hopefully cured.
    • The tests used to find the cause of low FSH levels vary hugely. Your doctor may look at hormonal panels that compare the level of certain hormones in the body (such as GnRH and estrogen), or they may do a biochemical analysis, which looks at enzymes and other substances that affect the operation of certain organs and glands.
    • In certain situations, you doctor may turn to radiographic methods to diagnose the cause of low FSH levels, such as ultrasound, CT scan and MRI.
  2. Undergo surgery to remove any tumors or cysts. In some circumstances, low FSH levels are caused by a tumor or cyst on the ovaries, testes or hypophysis. If this is the case, the tumor or cyst will need to be surgically removed.
  3. Try hormone replacement therapy to bring FHS levels back to normal. The level of FSH your body produces is directly affected by the levels of other hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone. Hormone replacement therapy involves taking medications that contain synthetic forms of estrogen and progesterone. Once these hormonal imbalances are addressed, your FSH levels should return to normal.

Understanding the Role of FSH in the Body

  1. Understand the function of FSH. FSH stands for follicle stimulating hormone. Although FSH is an important factor in many bodily processes, its most important function involves the growth and development of the ovarian follicles, which are essential for reproduction.[4]
    • Each month, FSH is secreted at certain points during a woman's menstrual cycle, to keep the follicles growing and enable the ovulation process. Without adequate FSH levels, successful pregnancy isn't possible.
    • Aside from aiding the reproduction process in women, FSH also helps with bone growth, the development of sex organs, the production of sperm and boosting the metabolism.
  2. Familiarize yourself with the conditions that can lower FSH levels. FSH levels are determined by a complex and delicate network of hormones. Therefore, there are a large number of conditions that can affect your body's production of FSH. These underlying conditions must be identified and treated in order for FSH levels to return to normal levels. Some of the most common conditions that can lower FSH include:
    • Polycystic ovarian syndrome:' With this condition, there are multiple cystic follicles in the ovaries, which leads to the excessive production of estrogens and androgens. High levels of these hormones can significantly lower FSH levels.[5]
    • Hypopituitarism: With this condition, the function of the hypophysis is suppressed, which can greatly affect the levels of FSH, since this is where FSH is produced.
    • Hypogonadism: As a result of many different syndromes, the diminished functional activity of gonads (testes in males, and ovaries in females) will interfere with FSH levels, since this condition can disrupt both GnRH and estrogen production (hormones necessary for the production of FSH).
    • Tumors: A tumor in one of several different locations — such as the hypophysis, the ovaries or the testes — can cause abnormal FSH levels.

Warnings

  • FSH is physiologically increased in women over the age of 40. These naturally increasing levels of FHS indicate a reduction in the ovarian reserve (meaning that less and less high quality eggs are produced). This is the most common cause of infertility among women over 40.[6]

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ Speroff, L., & Fritz, M. A. (2011). Clinical gynecologic endocrinology and infertility. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
  2. ↑ http://natural-fertility-info.com/american-ginseng-male-fertility-tonic.html
  3. ↑ Schlegel, P. N. (2013). Biennial review of infertility: Volume 3. New York, NY: Springer.
  4. ↑ Sadler, W. T. , Langman’s Medical Embryology 11th Edition; Wolters Kluwer, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2010
  5. ↑ Kumar, V., Abbas, K., Fausto, N., Mitchell, N. Robbins Basic Pathology 8th edition; Saunders Elsevier 1600 John F. Kennedy Blvd. Philadelphia, 2007
  6. ↑ Yen, S. S. C., Jaffe, R. B., In Strauss, J. F., & In Barbieri, R. L. (2014). Yen & Jaffe's reproductive endocrinology: Physiology, pathophysiology, and clinical management.
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