The physical and hormonal characteristics
of 60 male-to-female transsexuals and 30 female-to-male transsexuals were
measured before or during treatment with commonly used forms and dosages of
hormones. Only two patients (both female-to-male) had either a congenital
defect in hormonal production or abnormal genital development. Patients were
seen at 3- to 6-month intervals for an average of 18 months. The response to
therapy was examined over time; physical parameters, hormonal
concentrations, liver function tests, lipids, and glucose were measured.
Three patients were changed from ethinyl
estradiol to conjugated estrogen because of liver enzyme elevations. Ethinyl
estradiol (0.1-0.5 mg/day) was equal to conjugated estrogen (7.5-10 mg/day)
in its ability to suppress testosterone and gonadotropins and to promote
breast growth. Maximum breast growth required 2 years of therapy. During
treatment with testosterone, female-to-male transsexuals had a significant
mild elevation of cholesterol and triglyceride.
The female-to-male transsexuals receiving
testosterone cypionate, 200 mg every 2 weeks, ceased to have menstrual
periods and became progressively masculinized. A mean maximal clitoral
length of 4.6 cm which achieved by 1 year of therapy. Based on the data
generated by this study, we recommend as hormonal therapy 0.1-0.5 mg/day of
ethinyl estradiol or 7.5-10 mg/day of conjugated estrogen for male-to-female
transsexuals, and intramuscular testosterone cypionate, 200 mg every 2
weeks, for female-to-male transsexuals.
Citation:
Arch Sex Behav 1986 Apr;15(2):121-38 an article published on the Internet by
PubMed <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/>
