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Testosterone therapy is potentially
dangerous.
A male gender identity
will not protect you
against the risks of testosterone.
For all men (regardless of genital sex at
birth), there are several recognised risk
factors associated with testosterone:
- high cholesterol and associated blood vessel
diseases;
- a higher risk of suffering a heart attack or
even a stroke;
- decreased elastin in the blood vessels
leading to an increased inflexibility of the
vessel walls;
- increased chances of developing tumours,
blood clots, heart disease or other serious
illnesses;
- potential liver damage for men on oral (by
mouth) testosterones; and lastly
- it is possible that testosterone shortens a
person's life expectancy by about five
years.
Testosterone for all men
- decreases HDL (good) cholesterol, increases
LDL (bad) cholesterol, and increases
triglycerides in the blood lipid profile.
Testosterone (androgen) treatment has an
unfavorable effect on the lipid profile
(Asscheman and Gooren, 1992);
- redistributes the fat toward abdominal
obesity, which is associated with an increased
cardiovascular risk;
- can cause weight gain;
- means the most important risk factor is
smoking.
Beginning testosterone treatment means
increasing the natural level of testosterone at
least nine times. Over time, testosterone treatment
for transsexualism will change the hormonal
morphology to that of a physiological male.
The testosterone range of the average man
(identified male at birth) is between
437-707 nanograms per decilitre (ng/dl). The
testosterone range of the average woman
(identified female at birth) (XX) is
24 to 47 ng/dl.
While starting testosterone treatment is
generally a very positive time for men (identified
female at birth), it does not mean
the cells in the heart or liver or the many
intricate blood vessels in the brain or lungs
change overnight to this massive increase of
testosterone.
Over time, the body will function within the
usual parameters of health for men (identified
male at birth) - including the usual
risk factors all men live with.
Both alcohol and smoking impede the uptake of
testosterone and put extra stress on a person's
heart and liver.
Smoking will
limit your body's ability to take in the
testosterone.
Alcohol will reduce
your liver's ability to process the
testosterone.
Risk of Osteoporosis
All men (regardless of identified birth-sex),
have an increased risk of developing osteoporosis
(or loss of bone mineral density) ie fragile/weak
bones in later years or if they become hormone
deficient.
Without oestrogen production (except for a very
small amount from the brain) once the ovaries stop
producing oestrogen or after oophorectomy (removal
of the ovaries) there can be an increased risk of
loss of bone mineral density (Gooren, 1999; Van
Kesteren et al., 1998).
Men, who have had the female reproductive system
removed, run a significant risk for loss of bone
mineral density if they stop testosterone treatment
without replacing it with oestrogen.
The risk of developing osteoporosis rises
significantly in older years, and especially when
there is a lack of hormone (oestrogen or
testosterone) in the body, a fact that is borne out
by both the male and female elderly population
throughout the world.
The good news is osteoporosis is treatable.
If you have a period of time without
testosterone or think you might be at risk, ask
your GP for a bone scan. A bone scan is painless. A
large machine, something like an x-ray machine,
scans your entire skeleton, you can keep your
clothes on, and it only takes a few minutes.
References
- Asscheman H
and Gooren, L J G (1992) Hormone treatment in
transsexuals, Journal of Psychology &
Human Sexuality, 5 pp. 39-54. Available from
http://www.transgendercare.com/medical/hormonal/hormone-tx_assch_gooren.htm
[Accessed June 19, 2006].
- Gooren L G J
(1999) Hormonal Sex Reassignment. IJT
3(3), Available from http://www.symposion.com/ijt/ijt990301.htm
[Accessed June 15, 2005].
- van Kesteren
P, Lips P, Gooren L J G, Asscheman H, Megens J
(1998) Long-term follow-up of bone mineral
density and bone metabolism in transsexuals
treated with cross-sex hormones. Clinical
Endocrinology. 48(3),
pp.347-354.
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Risks of Testosterone
