Luteinizing hormone is a hormone produced by the body’s reproductive system. It is produced and released by the anterior pituitary grand and it controls the function of the ovaries in females and the testes in males. In males, it stimulates the Leydig cells in the testes to secrete testosterone, which increases sperm production and increases muscle mass as well as creating changes in the voice, and the growth of facial and body hair.
In females, luteinizing hormone stimulates the ovaries to produce estradiol so that they release an egg during ovulation. When there is fertilization, luteinizing hormone stimulates the corpus luteum to produce progesterone that supports pregnancy.
The causes of luteineizing hormone deficiency may include the following:
- Problems related to the hypothalamus such as Kallmann Syndrome
- Stress
- Problems related to the pituitary gland such as tumors, inflammation, damage, anti-psychotic or anti-emetic medications, under-active thyroid gland and kidney dysfunction