Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
Hormones are chemical messengers that are found throughout your body that are used to direct what your body should do.. Hormones can have a feminizing/masculinizing effect on the body depending on what hormone is being used. During hormone replacement therapy, hormones or their agonists/antagonists from outside the body are taken by an individual to have that feminizing/masculinizing effect. When talking about hormones, agonists usually stimulate the effects of a hormone while antagonists inhibit the effects of a hormone. Estrogens are a type of hormone that tends to be feminizing and androgens like testosterone tends to masculinizing. Several other hormones can be used in both feminizing and masculinizing hormone replacement therapy.
It is never too late to start hormone replacement therapy! While the effect really differs from person to person, overall your body should still be able to respond to hormones at any age. Here is a list of hormones that you will most likely use during hormone replacement therapy:
It is never too late to start hormone replacement therapy! While the effect really differs from person to person, overall your body should still be able to respond to hormones at any age. Here is a list of hormones that you will most likely use during hormone replacement therapy:
Estrogens - steroid hormones (like estradiol) that induce the development of female sexual characteristics
Androgens – steroid hormones (like testosterone) that induce the development of male sexual characteristics
Progestogens - steroid hormones (like progesterone) that are used to maintain pregnancy or are used at other periods during the menstrual cycle. Progestogens are used mainly in HRT to increase the appearance of female sexual characteristics, but progestin and other progestogens can also be used as a contraceptive for any person transitioning that is going through menstruation.
Androgen Antagonists (Antiandrogens)– compounds that suppress the expression of androgens (progestogens are considered antiandrogens)
Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH ) Agonists – compounds (like nafarelin) that stimulate the release of GnRH. An increase in GnRH , the hormone that controls the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis that in turn helps control the reproduction system. Too much GnRH wears out GnRH receptors, and shuts down hormone production in this axis, which includes the sex hormones naturally synthesized by the body. The gonads (ovaries and testicles) are part of this axis, and these organs stop producing estrogens and androgens.
Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH ) Antagonists– compounds that repress the release of GnRH, which also shuts down the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis by lowering the levels GnRH available to bind and stimulate GnRH receptors.
Androgens – steroid hormones (like testosterone) that induce the development of male sexual characteristics
Progestogens - steroid hormones (like progesterone) that are used to maintain pregnancy or are used at other periods during the menstrual cycle. Progestogens are used mainly in HRT to increase the appearance of female sexual characteristics, but progestin and other progestogens can also be used as a contraceptive for any person transitioning that is going through menstruation.
Androgen Antagonists (Antiandrogens)– compounds that suppress the expression of androgens (progestogens are considered antiandrogens)
Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH ) Agonists – compounds (like nafarelin) that stimulate the release of GnRH. An increase in GnRH , the hormone that controls the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis that in turn helps control the reproduction system. Too much GnRH wears out GnRH receptors, and shuts down hormone production in this axis, which includes the sex hormones naturally synthesized by the body. The gonads (ovaries and testicles) are part of this axis, and these organs stop producing estrogens and androgens.
Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH ) Antagonists– compounds that repress the release of GnRH, which also shuts down the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis by lowering the levels GnRH available to bind and stimulate GnRH receptors.
These are just the major types of hormones that may be used. Some hormones may be taken orally, but many must be injected. While it may be tempting to save money and trips to the doctor, never self-dose! Endocrinologists (doctors who specialize in the endocrine system, which is the system dealing with hormones) have been trained to calculate a patient’s correct dosage. You never know if your medical history indicates that your dosage may be different than the average dose for you body weight. Who knows! You might just have a medical susecptability or resistance to one of these hormones.
Side Effects
Like any drug, hormone therapy also comes what a variety of side effects:
Depression
Weight Gain
Acne
Headache
Nausea
Higher incidence of cancer, hypertension, and diabetes
Blood Clots/Stroke
Hot Flashes
Osteoporosis
Sterility
Weight Gain
Acne
Headache
Nausea
Higher incidence of cancer, hypertension, and diabetes
Blood Clots/Stroke
Hot Flashes
Osteoporosis
Sterility