Follicle-stimulating hormone: new roles in metabolic regulation and aging

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) was once thought to play a role only in reproduction, promoting follicle development and maturation in women and spermgenesis in men. However, in recent ten years, FSH has been found to have new functions on metabolic regulation and aging. FSH regulates bone formation, fat metabolism, energy homeostasis, cholesterol production and cardiovascular disease by binding with its receptor FSHR. These newly discovered regulatory roles of FSH are exciting, as it is suggested that blocking FSH may have potential translational impacts on treatments of a series of age-related diseases, including osteoporosis, obesity, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease.