Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2018 Aug;29(8):571-580.
doi: 10.1016/j.tem.2018.06.001. Epub 2018 Jul 5.

Extragonadal Effects of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone on Osteoporosis and Cardiovascular Disease in Women during Menopausal Transition

Dongxing Zhu  1 , Xiaosa Li  1 , Vicky E Macrae  2 , Tommaso Simoncini  3 , Xiaodong Fu  4
Affiliations
Free article
Review

Extragonadal Effects of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone on Osteoporosis and Cardiovascular Disease in Women during Menopausal Transition

Dongxing Zhu et al. Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2018 Aug.
Free article

Abstract

The risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease increases significantly in postmenopausal women. Until recently, the underlying mechanisms have been primarily attributed to estrogen decline following menopause. However, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels rise sharply during menopausal transition and are maintained at elevated levels for many years. FSH receptor has been detected in various extragonadal sites, including osteoclasts and endothelial cells. Recent advances suggest FSH may contribute to postmenopausal osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. Here, we review the key actions through which FSH contributes to the risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease in women as they transition through menopause. Advancing our understanding of the precise mechanisms through which FSH promotes osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease may provide new opportunities for improving health-span for postmenopausal women.

Keywords: Follicle-stimulating hormone; cardiovascular disease; extragonadal effects; osteoporosis; postmenopause.

PubMed Disclaimer

Publication types

Substances