What is a "follicle-stimulating hormone" or "FSH"?

What is a "follicle-stimulating hormone" or "FSH"?

Richard Paulson (Chief, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, USC) gives expert video advice on: What is "ovulation induction"?; What is "clomiphene citrate"? and more...

A follicle-stimulating hormone (abbreviated to FSH because follicle-stimulating hormone is a mouthful) is the basic hormone produced in the body by the pituitary gland that stimulates the ovaries in a woman and the testicles in a man. It is FSH that rises during puberty and then stimulates the ovary or the testicles to produce either the female hormone estrodial or the male hormone testosterone and makes us go through puberty and makes us look like men and women. And of course, later on in life, FSH is necessary to continue the production of eggs in a woman or sperm in a man. And FSH can be given in the form of an injectable medication if it's lacking from the body, in order to restore ovulation or in order to increase sperm production in a man. So FSH is the basic fertility hormone in the body that controls reproduction, controls the production of the egg and sperm, and controls the function of the adult ovary and testicles.