Time Course of Body Composition Changes in Transgender Adolescents During Puberty Suppression and Sex Hormone Treatment
Authors' conclusion
Compared with peers, trans girls experienced ongoing lean mass decrease and fat mass increase during 3 years of PS while in trans boys smaller changes were observed that stabilized after 1 year. A large increase in lean mass Z-scores occurred only during the first year of testosterone treatment. In trans girls, body composition changed only slightly during GAHT. This information can improve counseling about treatment effects.
Study context
- Population
- Transgender adolescents treated with puberty suppression (PS) prior to gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT), gender identity clinic; lean and fat mass Z-scores by DXA using birth-assigned sex as reference
- Participants
- 380 vs 168
- Exposure
- Trans boys vs Trans girls
- Trans boysn = 380
- Trans girlsn = 168
- Outcome
- Time course of total lean and fat mass Z-scores during PS and GAHT
Methodological detailssingle gender identity clinic
- Single gender identity clinic
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Trans boys, lean mass Z-score change, first year of PS
- −0.32 (95% CI −0.41; −0.23)
- Trans boys, fat mass Z-score change, first year of PS
- 0.31 (95% CI 0.21; 0.41)
- Trans boys, lean mass Z-score change, first year of testosterone
- 0.92 (95% CI 0.81; 1.04)
- Trans boys, fat mass Z-score change, first year of testosterone
- −0.43 (95% CI −0.57; −0.29)
- Trans girls, lean mass Z-score change over 3 years of PS
- −1.13 (95% CI −1.29; −0.98)
- Trans girls, fat mass Z-score change over 3 years of PS
- 1.06 (95% CI 0.90; 1.23)
- Trans girls, lean mass Z-score change, first year of GAHT
- −0.19 (95% CI −0.36; −0.03)
- Trans girls, fat mass Z-score change after 3 years of GAHT (unchanged)
- −0.02 (95% CI −0.20; 0.16)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Time Course of Body Composition Changes in Transgender Adolescents During Puberty Suppression and Sex Hormone Treatment. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Published 21 December 2023. doi:10.
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