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Cited by 272Hormonal and reproductive studiesLGBTQ Health, Identity, and PolicySexual Differentiation and Disorders

Testosterone therapy for transgender men

Irwig, Michael S·2017·The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology
DOI 10.1016/s2213-8587(16)00036-x
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Abstract

Testosterone therapy is a cornerstone of medical treatment for transgender men who choose to undergo it. The goal of testosterone therapy is usually to achieve serum testosterone concentrations in the male reference range. Testosterone has several desired effects as well as undesired and unknown effects. The desired effects include increased facial and body hair, increased lean mass and strength, decreased fat mass, deepening of the voice, increased sexual desire, cessation of menstruation, clitoral enlargement, and reductions in gender dysphoria, perceived stress, anxiety, and depression. Achievement of these goals comes with potential undesired effects and risks including acne, alopecia, reduced HDL cholesterol, increased triglycerides, and a possible increase in systolic blood pressure. An additional benefit of testosterone therapy (with or without mastectomy) is a reduced risk of breast cancer. Most of the effects of testosterone start to develop within several months of starting therapy, although facial hair and alopecia continue to develop after 1 year. A major limitation in the study of testosterone therapy for transgender men is a paucity of high-quality data due to a shortage of randomised controlled trials (partly because of ethical issues), few prospective and long-term studies, the use of suboptimum control groups, loss to follow-up, and difficulties in recruitment of representative samples of transgender populations.

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Crossref · 10.1016/s2213-8587(16)00036-x

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73 of 73 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Transmen receiving testosterone treatment at replacement doses to create adult male circulating testosterone concentrations exhibit increases in circulating hemoglobin to male levels.

    “Corroborative findings are available from studies of transmen (F2M transgender), that is, natal females who subsequently receive testosterone treatment at replacement doses to create adult male circulating testosterone concentrations, who exhibit increases in circulating hemoglobin to male levels [reviewed in (132–134)].”

    From Circulating Testosterone as the Hormonal Basis of Sex Differences in Athletic Performance (2018) · cites this paper as [132]

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Authors
Irwig, M. S.
Affiliations
George Washington University (US)
Corresponding author
Irwig, Michael S
ORCID
Irwig, Michael S
Venue
The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2017-04
Volume
5
Issue
4
Pages
301-311
ISSN
2213-8587 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/s2213-8587(16)00036-x
OpenAlex
W2336905440
Cited by
272
References
73
Citations by year
2026: 27 · 2025: 27 · 2024: 29 · 2023: 38 · 2022: 37 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 35 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 1
FWCI
2.50
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Hormonal and reproductive studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Sexual Differentiation and Disorders
Keywords
testosterone replacement therapy, transgender men, gender-affirming hormone therapy, gender dysphoria, acne, hair loss, cardiovascular risk, breast cancer risk, mastectomy, serum testosterone levels, long-term outcomes
MeSH terms
Female, Humans, Male, Testosterone, Transsexualism, Treatment Outcome, Hormone Replacement Therapy, Transgender Persons

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