Masculinizing Hormones

Testosterone is available in the following forms:

Injectable: Subcutaneous and Intramuscular administrations every 7-14 days

Gel: Applied daily

Pellets: Must be inserted at office every 3 months

What are the emotional and intellectual effects of testosterone? 

People are very different so their emotional and intellectual changes vary widely. People taking testosterone have reported: 

● feeling less emotional and not crying as easily 

● feeling more angry, irritable, or aggressive 

● thinking differently, having different ways of looking at things 

● mood swings, especially feeling “down” right before the next injection 

● feeling “more like myself” when taking a hormone that aligns with gender identity; feeling more comfortable in one’s body 

What testosterone does not do: 

change a person’s bone structure 

● change a person’s height 

● reduce the size or cause shrinkage of the breasts 

● provide reliable birth control 

What are the risks of taking testosterone? 

The major risks are: 

● high red blood cell counts which can cause blood clots 

● weight gain 

● vaginal dryness 

● risks of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol more comparable to a cis-gender man