Transfem @lemmy.blahaj.zone miss_brainfart @lemmy.ml 12 mo. ago

A few questions about HRT

So a lot of the changes that are introduced by taking estrogen sound pretty cool. Kinda goes without saying in this community, but I'll say it anyway, and you can't stop me.

Softer skin (fuck yeah)
Bodyhair growing thinner (fuck yeah)
New bodyfat gets placed where other women have it too (actual shape-shifting, how cool is that)
Reduction in testicular volume (does that mean they won't be in the way all the time anymore? Sounds great, actually. Fuckers only exist to get squished when I want to sleep on my side. Absolute design flaw.)

What I'm not quite understanding yet is the effects on muscle mass.

Do you lose existing muscle mass?
Do you decrease the potential for future muscle growth?

Or is it both, even?

Either way, I guess I'll shift more focus to lower-body excercises to counter-act my shoulders. The Glutes are by far some of the most important muscles in the history of humankind, after all.

So anyway, I hope you're all doing good, and have a nice weekend

24 comments

You can retain some of the muscle mass you already have if you keep using your muscles but some of it will be lost. New muscle growth will be harder since testosterone helps grow muscle and with the testosterone level of a woman it will be harder to grow muscle and you won't be able to grow as much muscle as a man.

This website lists all the possible changes that come with HRT: https://genderdysphoria.fyi/en/second-puberty-fem
- pickle jars become harder to open
  
  They really had to rub it in, huh
  
  Jokes aside, that explains it more, thank you.
  Most sources just state reduction in mass and/or reduction in growth without going into any detail, so that was a lot more helpful than what I previously found.
Transfem here, on estrogen monotherapy since early 2021. Super low T level; average or above estradiol. I do take a DHT blocker (finasteride). Added progesterone 2 months ago.

This is all very much YMMV.

What I can almost guarantee unless you have a very unusual endocrine system, are softer skin and breast growth. You'll notice sore nips in a month or so, then thinner/softer skin after 6mo to a year (it's constant but takes a while to appreciate).

HRT has not prevented me gaining or maintaining muscle. I was skinny and not super strong before, but the physical nature of my warehouse job has actually built muscle. My glutes and thighs are like steel. Added bonus, upper body strength has increased and rounded out my breast size <3 highly recommend staying fit while transitioning.

I don't weightlift, I just lift a lot of things, move constantly... and work my ass off. Ultimately I think it will come down to "use it or lose it". Same with the noodle. It will absolutely atrophy if you don't actively use it.

Fat redistribution... not really seen this. Altho I'm skinny so that may play a role. It's very very subtle if anything has changed shrugs probably most overrated and underwhelming aspect of HRT for me personally.

Testicles have shrunk noticeably. Makes sense as they are literally useless now xD mine aren't super tiny, they still get in the way and hurt. It's easier to tuck when they shrink, a lot of times they find their way up there naturally. Getting them snipped ASAP.

any other questions, ask away <3
- So I was looking through old posts on my old account, and there it is:
  A helpful comment I haven't replied to. Unacceptable.
  
  So let me thank you now, better late than never. I appreciate all of you so, so much <3
Reduced testicular volume means that the actual testes are going to shrink. I've been on hrt for about four months and mine have about halved in size.

Also your muscles are going to reduce. After being on hrt for a few weeks, I went to help my dad move a heavy armoire and I could barely make it budge. After that I decided to start working out, but I don't have access to weights or a gym, so I've been doing pushups and I've definitely gotten stronger from them but I don't think I'm as strong as I used to be yet.
- I'm pretty sure it takes way longer than a few weeks to see any noticeable muscle change
  
  My changes have been happening really fast for some reason. I even had breast growth on week one and they are now a lot larger than what I've seen other people have at four months. When I did my first follow up, my doctor said my E levels were a lot higher than expected for the time I had been on it so idk what is up with me.
- Losing some strenght is a bit annoying, but it's all worth it, when I look at everything else
As someone who's 4 years in and training for roller derby, I've noticed my muscle structure on my arms is very femme now. My legs didn't take nearly as a precieved hit as my arms and upper body. Also, cardio and aerobic ability was completely dead.
- cardio and aerobic ability was completely dead
  
  Can it fall below zero? My cardio is already super bad, it'll be a struggle if it gets worse
  
  Just to give you an idea, the two weeks I was out in order to heal from FFS I came back and would get winded from warm ups
  
  Your body will acclimate though
Muscles, like everything else in your body, are always dying and being replaced. Growth will slow and overtime they will atrophy even with exercise as replacement growth is slower.

Individual genetics vary a lot but in general once everything has normalised in 5 years or so if you're the soft of person that strength trains regularly you can be expected to be about as strong as a man who never does any manual work.

It is what it is.
- I'll gladly trade some muscle for all the other benefits. Guess I need to start looking for a therapist now, if I want this to happen anytime soon
  
  Well it was for me, but it does make you aware of more ways the world is built for men. E.g. mechanical advantage on bolt cutters.
  
  I'm currently ~6 months into an estimated 2 year effort to be able to do a pullup and I do wish there were non masculinising T analoges haha.
Love your enthusiasm. You make it sound exciting. I'm still trying to figure out what's going on with myself and you make it sound a lot less scary. Thank you Miss brainfart 🙂
- I'm glad to see that I'm able to help you feel better about it^^
  
  I'm not going to lie, it is a bit scary to think about it. Getting the diagnosis from a therapist, with which I can then get the prescription for hrt, that I will have to take to an endocrinologist who will have to check what's best for me and my body...
  
  Whatever the procedure is in your country, it's a big step to take, and it's perfectly okay to be afraid. We're only human, after all^^
  
  But god damn, are hormones fascinating :D
  So much about our body and mind is regulated by hormones, it's incredible what they do for us, every single day :D
3yrs in. I'd say I've lost maybe 10-15% of my strength. I gained about 8 pounds, and I've def gotten curvier, grown boobs, hips, and a butt. My thighs are thicker. It only follows that I lost muscle and gained fat.

My body temperature regulation became less stable too. I get hot and cold easier.

I also stopped drinking, after drinking for 20 years, when I started transitioning. I also cut most dairy out in the past year. So, other factors and such...
- All these comments do is motivate me further to look for therapists already. Can't get it prescribed without one.

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