Ask Your Doctor This Number: Why This Hormone May Be the Missing Link Between Menopause and Alzheimer's
It is already part of many women's bloodwork. Now there is a reason to pay attention to it.
Source: Wang S-M, Jeong C, Um YH, Kang DW, Kim S, Lee S, Lee CU, Aizenstein HJ, Baek K-H, Lim HK. Follicle-stimulating hormone linked to cognitive decline and amyloid burden in postmenopausal women. Front Aging Neurosci. 2026;17:1697255.
What Are FSH and Estradiol?
Your body makes dozens of hormones, but two of them play a central role in reproductive health and menopause: FSH and estradiol.
FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) is made by the pituitary gland, a small structure at the base of your brain. During your reproductive years, FSH tells your ovaries to grow eggs each month. When your ovaries start running out of eggs during perimenopause, your brain responds by making more and more FSH, essentially shouting louder at ovaries that are no longer listening. That is why FSH levels rise as women approach and pass through menopause. A typical premenopausal FSH level is under 10 IU/L. After menopause, levels commonly range from 40 to over 100 IU/L.
Estradiol (E2) is the most potent form of estrogen your body produces. During reproductive years, your ovaries are the main source. Estradiol regulates your menstrual cycle, supports bone density, affects cholesterol levels, and influences mood and cognition. After menopause, estradiol drops sharply to very low levels, often below 20 pg/mL and frequently below what standard lab tests can detect.
These two hormones move in opposite directions during the menopausal transition: estradiol falls while FSH rises. For decades, researchers assumed the drop in estradiol was the key hormonal change affecting women’s brain health after menopause. New research suggests the rise in FSH may matter more.
The headline findings are above. The part your doctor probably won't explain is below.
