What is Luteinizing hormone (LH)?

Triggers ovulation and gonadal steroidogenesis. Structurally it is Glycoprotein hormone (α/β heterodimer).

How strong is the evidence for LH?

PeptideHormone grades LH at the "Established" evidence tier — its mechanism and core effects are settled across the peer-reviewed literature. It is catalogued as an endogenous signal the body produces itself, and the tier is an editorial judgment about the public literature that can change as the science does.

What is the half-life of LH?

The reported circulating half-life of LH is ~20 min.

Luteinizing hormoneLH

Triggers ovulation and gonadal steroidogenesis.

EndogenousEstablished

A surge rather than a level — one of the few endocrine signals whose meaning is written entirely in its shape over time.

Identity

Class: Glycoprotein hormone (α/β heterodimer)
Source: Anterior pituitary gonadotrophs
Receptor: LH/choriogonadotropin receptor (LHCGR)

Key properties

Evidence floorClinicalREF1CLIN1

Molecular weight

≈ 30,000 Da

REF

Half-life (native)

~20 min

CLIN

Model dosing

Approximate values for the native hormone; engineered analogs are often deliberately larger and far longer-acting. Each figure carries its own provenance tier, and the floor is the weakest of them - the Standard.

Mechanism

Driven by GnRH pulses, LH triggers ovulation in females and stimulates gonadal steroid (testosterone, estrogen) production in both sexes. It shares an alpha subunit with FSH, TSH, and hCG; its beta subunit confers specificity.

Reference notes

LH and hCG act on the same receptor (LHCGR), so hCG can substitute for an LH signal.
The glycoprotein hormones share an alpha subunit; the beta subunit sets identity.
The mid-cycle LH surge is the immediate trigger for ovulation.

Common questions

What is Luteinizing hormone (LH)?: Triggers ovulation and gonadal steroidogenesis. Structurally it is Glycoprotein hormone (α/β heterodimer).
How does LH work?: Driven by GnRH pulses, LH triggers ovulation in females and stimulates gonadal steroid (testosterone, estrogen) production in both sexes. It shares an alpha subunit with FSH, TSH, and hCG; its beta subunit confers specificity.
How strong is the evidence for LH?: PeptideHormone grades LH at the "Established" evidence tier — its mechanism and core effects are settled across the peer-reviewed literature. It is catalogued as an endogenous signal the body produces itself, and the tier is an editorial judgment about the public literature that can change as the science does.
What is the half-life of LH?: The reported circulating half-life of LH is ~20 min.

Selected literature

Curated peer-reviewed reviews, sourced from PubMed. Selected for relevance, not exhaustive — open any entry on PubMed for the full record and its primary citations.

1.The Roles of Luteinizing Hormone, Follicle-Stimulating Hormone and Testosterone in Spermatogenesis and Folliculogenesis Revisited · International journal of molecular sciences, 2021 · PMID 34884539
2.A Comprehensive Review of Estradiol, Progesterone, Luteinizing Hormone, and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone in the Context of Laboratory Medicine to Support Women's Health · Clinical chemistry, 2025 · PMID 40247783

External references

LH in the public knowledge graph — the same entity resolved across the authoritative chemistry and protein databases.