Luteinizing Hormone (LH)
Luteinizing hormone is a pituitary hormone that triggers ovulation in females and testosterone production in males. It rises in females after menopause.
Unit: mIU/mL · 12 slices · age and sex · 1 source
Filed under panels: Hormones · topics: Endocrine
Luteinizing hormone (LH) is released by the pituitary and drives ovulation in females and testosterone production in males. It is measured here in mIU/mL from the NHANES sex steroid hormone panel. Like FSH, female LH rises after menopause, so older female age bands sit higher. The population distribution is wide because the sample spans all cycle phases and menopausal stages.
Population Distribution
Browse by Demographic
| Age (years) | male (mIU/mL) | female (mIU/mL) |
|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | 2.3–9.4 (4.9) | 1.1–20.7 (6.8) |
| 30-39 | 2–9.8 (4.8) | 1.7–27.4 (7.3) |
| 40-49 | 2.3–8.9 (4.5) | 1.9–54.3 (8.8) |
| 50-59 | 2.3–12.7 (5.4) | 7.4–62.4 (33.7) |
| 60-69 | 2.5–13.8 (5.9) | 13.3–54.9 (30.1) |
| 70+ | 2.6–25.7 (7.7) | 13.2–57.4 (28.9) |
Frequently Asked Questions
How are LH and FSH related?
Both are pituitary hormones in the reproductive axis and both rise after menopause. LH triggers ovulation and stimulates testosterone production, while FSH supports follicle development and sperm production. They are often interpreted together.
Why is the LH distribution wide within an age band?
LH surges around ovulation and rises after menopause. A population sample includes women at every cycle phase and menopausal stage within each age band, producing a broad spread that reflects real physiology rather than measurement error.
How does NHANES handle hormone values below the detection limit?
When a result falls below the assay's lower limit of detection, NHANES replaces it with the detection limit divided by the square root of 2. For FSH, values below 0.30 mIU/mL were recoded as below detection and imputed the same way. In groups where many people have low concentrations, the lower percentiles can reflect this imputation rather than distinct measured values.