During one of my Live Q and A calls with the women enrolled on my “PCOS Master Plan” course, I was asked how we can go about lowering our Luteinizing Hormone (LH) naturally. The lady asking the question had a normal hormone profile apart from high LH.
One of the hormones that is often screened when diagnosing PCOS is Luteinizing hormone. You see, LH tends to be high in women with PCOS and it tends to be 3-4 times as high as Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) levels (1).  This sounds a bit technical at the moment but I’m going to share with you the things you need to know about LH and how to bring those levels down naturally by following a good PCOS diet, taking supplements and making some lifestyle changes. I also go into a lot more detail on each of these topics in my free “How to Manage PCOS Naturally” masterclass, which you can join here.
What is Luteinizing Hormone?
LH is a hormone that is released by the pituitary gland in the brain. During a normal menstrual cycle, levels of LH are relatively low during the first half of the cycle and then spike just before ovulation. It’s this surge in LH that results in ovulation (2).
Now, as we’ve already said, women with PCOS tend to have high levels of LH in comparison to FSH and we don’t get that surge of LH and this is one of the reasons that we don’t tend to ovulate regularly.
Also, LH causes our ovaries to release androgens (testosterone). It’s this testosterone that is the cause of some of our unpleasant symptoms like hirsutism and acne.
Some of the more serious side effects of high LH levels are infertility and a higher risk of miscarriage (3).
So, you can see that it’s important to try to manage our LH levels to:
- lower testosterone (and improve hirsutism and acne)
- improve fertility
- prevent miscarriage.
Let’s have a look at how we can go about lowering those LH levels naturally:
Manage your Insulin Levels and Insulin Sensitivity
There seems to be a close link between insulin and LH levels. Research done with 10 very overweight women with PCOS showed that as the women lost weight and their bodies became more sensitive to insulin, levels of LH normalized. The study suggested that insulin resistance is linked to higher levels of LH (4).
Another article suggests that high levels of insulin act on Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH) to increase the production of LH. (5)
The bottom line is this: High insulin levels will result in high levels of LH. So, we need to get those insulin levels under control. There are a number of ways to improve insulin levels, many of which I have already discussed in one way or another. You can manage insulin by:
- Exercise
- Eating foods with a low Glycemic Load
- Improving inflammation
- Taking supplements like Inositol
You really need to make sure that you are following a good PCOS diet.
Inositol
Those of you who have been reading PCOS Diet Support for a while will know that myo-inositol is one of my favorite supplements for women with PCOS. The research on its efficacy is great and I think that it has made a huge impact on my own PCOS symptoms. You can read more about it here.
The other good news about Inositol is that it has been shown to lower LH levels too. One study showed that taking Inositol for 3 months significantly lowers LH, as well as free testosterone and insulin (6).
Omega 3
Omega 3 fats are an important element in any diet and are particularly important for women with PCOS. They help to lower inflammation and testosterone levels and have shown to also lower levels of LH. This is another supplement that I take on a daily basis and you can find out more about it here (7).
Exercise
We all know that we should be exercising to help improve our PCOS symptoms. It helps to improve (8)
- Insulin sensitivity
- Frequency of ovulation
- Cholesterol
- Body composition
You may have noticed that I didn’t mention weight loss (although that may be an added bonus). Exercise helps to improve all these elements of PCOS, whether or not you have lost weight as well.
Well, another added benefit of exercise is that it has also been shown to lower levels of luteinizing hormone (9).
So, to sum it up:
Here are the top 4 ways to lower LH naturally:
- Manage your insulin levels and insulin sensitivity
- Take Inositol supplements
- Take Omega 3 supplements
- Exercise regularly
I’d love to hear from you if you have any thoughts, questions or comments on luteinizing hormone and how you can lower it naturally. Leave me a comment below!
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35 Responses
Hello Tarryn . I have been suffering from pcos for about seven to eightdt years now . and know matter what I take like herbal teas or veggies that help to get rid of the bloating .could you help me please? . Because I am trying to lose weight & I want to my periods to come regularly once a month & thankyou.
Hi there Tarryn . I have had pcos for 7 or eight years now . I have been suffering from bad bloating . I just wondering if you could to tell me the right things eat to make it all better . And to erbs can help me to regain normal hormones levels? Thankyou .
Hello Everyone. This is an interesting article. I have already tried all of the above and I still keep getting an LH: FSH ratio of LH being almost twice as high. I have managed to now have optimal insulin levels, even normal testosterone levels. I have pretty much improved hormones by much and symptoms are almost gone. However I still cannot get a period on my own and my LH is stubbornly high. I already tried what is mentioned above, except inositol, and still end up with this problem. What other suggestions do you have? I also have a pituitary tumor but was told by 3 endos that it is not affecting the Gnrh pulse there by increasing LH. According to you all I what else do you suggest I try? I already even got my adrenal hormones under control it is just that stubborn LH. Do you think a pituitary tumor is another possible cause? I would greatly value any opinions. Thanks.
What is the normal Rangeof LH(mIU/mL) for woman?
my LH Level is 7.98 mIU/mL.
What should i do for getting pregnan?
Thank you for the teaching. Can you please tell me if reducing the LH hormone can help me get pregnant.. Also, how long do I need to take the supplement before I get pregnant? Pardon me for asking.. I don’t need something that does not work I’m mediately.. I don’t want to take much time as i am in my mid 40.. thank you once again.
I have been diagnosed with high LH 6 months ago. And been treating my irregular periods for 2 years. My LH is 15.(something) and I have been taking Inositol for the past six months, yet no betterment.
I am having pcod! Suffering from it for 10 years and now m of 23.many doctors were there but now i found that sugar level is also the reason for increasing lh.i am taking FORSON for this . would like to know if it is good for this or not. Plz help me…m having my marriage after 4 mon. And loosing my hairs very badly plz plz help me
Replace sugar with jaggery in your diet. Refinsed sugar is really harmful for PCOS and related health conditions.
My LH level is 26.69. What should I do.? I don’t wanna take a risk of surgery. Pls suggest me
My LH level is very increasing due to last 6 months. As I’m not a married girl. So doctor suggested me a surgery . she said that I’ll take shocks to you ovaries. But I don’t wanna this. My LH level is 26.69 . what should I do? Pls help me ðŸ˜
Talk to your doctor first. If she stays on her statement, consult another one. This can be treated.
Hi there! I am suffering from pcos for 7 months. my FSH was 5.54 and LH was 12.02 since i last tested 6 months back, rest of the hormones are normal except progesterone level which was 0.128 tested on 21st day of my cycle and still i couldn’t get pregnant, am also trying to follow good diet plan. Need ur advice please
my FSH level is 3.39 and LH level is 22.30 . what should i do to conceive as i am 27 and planning for a family . i want to lower my LH level naturally. please provide me with a diet by which my LH level can be lowered .
How much of omega 3 and inositol should i be taking a day? keeping in mind i am insulin resistant and have pcos
Would love to hear back from you asap because just after reading this article this morning i rushed off to buy omega 3(1000mg capsules) and inositol (500mg capsules) and im feeling excited about starting on it
Hye just wanna ask if it works, does my hair on body will go away or i still need to do laser and only after that the hair grow finer?
I am nearly 47 years old. I have been on every drug on the market. Nothing worked. I spent 5 months at Planet Fitness 5 days a week and lost only 10 lbs. I am 4 foot 10 inches and weigh 180 lbs. I don’t eat more than 1200-1500 calories a day. I rarely even eat breakfast. I have never had kids. I had two miscarriages. I asked a fertility specialist who is top of his field and specialized in PCOS to remove the cysts. You would think UT Medicine (The University of Texas at San Antonio. It is a teaching hospital.) would jump at the chance to do the surgery. He said no and told me when I start menopause he could take an ovary. I finally just spend $5500 to have the hair removed from my face. I had to shave twice a day and even with heavy makeup you could see a full beard or shadow under the makeup. I am extremely light skinned with dark brown hair. Next, I will pay for lipo and the CoolSculpting. I finally had enough of the BS run around for over 2 decades. If they won’t fix the issue, then I am stuck masking the symptoms until they remove an ovary or I find someone willing to remove the cysts. Or worse case I rupture an ovary. Thank god I work in IT. Men do not make comments about weight, hair, or any other issue to my face. The few female managers I had were cruel. Does anyone know of an affordable, but good, doctor in San Antonio, TX who will remove cysts? I may have to pay for it out of pocket since my health insurance has almost no doctors in San Antonio for anything.
My heart breaks fur you as I have been struggling since I was 14 with Drs nite mowing with to do with me. I have lacked insurance for many recent yrs. I just turned 35 last week and feel like I am just living in the dumps mentally. The body and facial hair is out of control and my body shape has completely morphed unrecognizable when you myself. Society is beyond cruel. I habe been dieting and exercising an the weight is not really budging. Life is very hard daily. Wishing you hugs and understanding. I too feel your pain, I hope you get what you need♡♡♡
I am 32 and have had pcos since high school and acne since age 10. I have tried many different things. None help. I have always had a lot of acne and hirsutism. I have a great overproduction of free testosterone. I am currently taking the following: spearmint and licorice to block/lessen testosterone; vitex to regulate periods and hormones; tumeric to help with acne inflammation. I am researching again in a “quest” to find possible help. Over the last 6 months or so I came across a website which spoke of what acne and hirsutism from pcos can do to a person mentally and emotionally and I realized in a greater way what I already knew….. that it was describing me. I don’t want to get to a really bad “point” because of this. I just cannot get the testosterone to quit producing. I even tried for months to eat the perfect pcos diet. I went rogue with it and it did absolutely nothing.
This sounds just like me. I’m 26, I’ve been trying for 6 years now to beat the acne and hirsutism. I’m eating all the right things, dairy free, whole foods, etc etc, and taking all the supplements you mentioned and more. It seems to get worse over the years, although sometimes in summer it gets better only to return with a vengeance in winter. The hirsutism I can deal with but the acne I can’t stand, have spent so much time and money trying to deal with it. I don’t want to have to deal with this for the rest of my life.
I would recommend you maintain a 20 hour fast for five consecutive days. You are NOT dieting, once you break your fast you may eat whatever you like and as much as you like but no simple sugars or juices, alcohol etc. This will clear the acne over the next week. Then you need to continue intermittent fasting twice a week to keep your insulin levels in check. I do Mondays and Fridays. I usually have dinner no later than 8pm the previous day and do not eat anything until 4 or 5pm on the day of the fast. You should drink water every hour or so while fasting.
Please discontinue vitex. It is not appropriate for PCOS as the body composition you described indicates that you have alleviated androgens – higher LH to FSH ratio. You should take Omega 3 DHA with vitamin E to aid absorption and the usual supplements mentioned in the article. You really need 250 to 300 hours of cardio each week. “Walking” is not the type of cardio you require; I am talking HIIT. Metformin 500mg 3 times a day will work wonders as well. A lower dose is usually ineffective for PCOS
I ve a problem of absent of mensturation $ high Lh i took tab.dronis tab.obemet sr .meprate for 3 months …aftr few month i check my Lh again during my period bt still my lh level is high so pliz giv me and advice to conciev as soon as possible to my husband happy.
I am curious to know if anyone here has tried rejuvenate flow or vitex or both and had good success with it in managing your PCOS symptoms or perhaps even achieved pregnancy w/it? I am working on diet, exercise and have added inositol and DIM, along with fish oil to my regime and have been taking them all now for quite a few months with inconsistent results. The inositol seemed to really help for a few months and then my cycle has become irregular again. Thanks so much! My PCOS is a bit tricky in that I seem to be resistant to Clomid, Metmormin didn’t really help, and my doctors have told me I didn’t seem to be insulin resistant.
Hi there,
I haven’t tried rejuvenate flow or vitex, but I’ve tried Metformin, DIM, Spironolactone, and I’m on inositol. Metformin gave me horrible migraines that lasted all day no matter what I did. I liked DIM, and thought it was working well, but I dropped it to start the inositol and I think I like it better, but I do have insulin resistance. If you don’t have an insulin issue, maybe see about Spironolactone. It’s a good androgen blocker.Though I did switch to non GMO and organic foods, and natural products and I feel like it’s made a huge difference in the way I feel. Good luck!
I am curious to know if anyone here has tried rejuvenate flow or votes or both and had good success with it in managing your PCOS symptoms or perhaps even achieved pregnancy w/it? I am working on diet, exercise and have added inositol and DIM, along with fish oil to my regime and have been taking them all now for quite a few months with inconsistent results. The inositol seemed to really help for a few months and then my cycle has become irregular again. Thanks so much! My PCOS is a bit tricky in that I seem to be resistant to Clomid, Metmormin didn’t really help, and my doctors have told me I didn’t seem to be insulin resistant.
I have tried vitex, as well as the fertilaid which neither one worked for me just seem to get UTIs from them:( but I did want to try natural if I could but no luck currently on metformin and Femara wish me luck
iam a 25 year Woman with pcod. my lh is very high. I was been taking myo inositol from July, and contraceptive pill to reduce my lh. finally it came normal and I was put on clomphene citrate for 5 days. since my follicle didn’t rupture itself I had to take inj hcg. but In 14 days I got my periods. again I checked my lh level and it was 16 more than what I had. now I’m put on the same contraceptive pill her face for two months. do u have any suggestion??? Im not obese’ so thin I’m and no symptoms of pco other than irregular periods.
thank u very much tarryn for your support to us my request am put on diamel as asuppliment is helpful to me,does it have any importance in lowering my LH. thank u nice evening love your pcosdiet support
I need to lower my Luteinizing Hormone and Follicle Stimulating Hormone. I have been getting my period for 3 months and have been exercising, and eating organic foods. Can you let me know how I can naturally lower my LH hormone and FSH.
Thanks!
Been dealing with PCOS forever, just happened upon this site. I have been able to adjust my life style, lost over a hundred pounds, have a regular period, less acne. However, I still have the excess hair. Mainly below my chin, I had never been told about, or found on my own anything about inositol. I will add it to my daily regime that I take currently. Love this site and all the info!
Once the hair is out, it’s there forever. No matter if your other PCOS symptoms are gone. My suggestion would be to look into electrolysis. it’s a VERY long process and can be costly but the hair would be gone forever. laser is another option that it comes with risks.
What is the best time to drink which vitamins? and can you drink them at the same time or at different times during the day?
Thanks in advance! 🙂
What is the best time to drink which vitamins? and can you drink them at the same time or at different times during the day?
Thanks in advance!
Hello Tarryn! Thank you so much for all the advices. I am taking all the supplements you mentioned except from myo inositol. I live in Norway and they dont sell inositol in the drugstore.. Would like to try taking inositol as well. Maybe i can find it online…
Hi Marinette,
In Austria I had problems to find it too but then I found out that in Czech Republic or Germany you can buy/order as Inofolic. It contains 2g myo-inositol et acid folic.
I hope it help a little bit
Take care
Best
Monika
Fantastic! I see some great reasons why sticking to the PCOS diet even AFTER conception is so vital.