Masculinizing hormone therapy

Masculinizing hormone therapy, also known as transmasculine hormone therapy, is a form of hormone therapy and gender affirming therapy which is used to change the secondary sexual characteristics of transgender people from what is typically perceived as feminine to what is typically perceived as masculine.^[1][2][3] It is a common type of transgender hormone therapy (another being feminizing hormone therapy), and is predominantly used to treat transgender men, transmasculine individuals, and other gender diverse people who were assigned female at birth. Some intersex people also receive this form of therapy, either starting in childhood to confirm the assigned sex or later if the assignment proves to be incorrect.

The purpose of this form of therapy is to cause the development of secondary sex characteristics such as voice deepening, increased body hair, enhanced size and sensitivity of the clitoris^[4][5], redistributed fat, and muscle distribution. It cannot undo many of the changes produced by puberty, which may necessitate surgery and other treatments to reverse. The medications used for FTM therapy include, mainly, androgens (namely testosterone) and GnRH analogues.

While the therapy cannot undo the effects of a person's first puberty, developing secondary sex characteristics associated with a different sex can relieve some or all of the distress and discomfort associated with gender dysphoria, and can help the person to "pass" or be seen as their gender identity. Introducing exogenous (not internally produced) hormones into the body impacts it at every level and many patients report changes in energy levels, mood, appetite, etc. The goal of the therapy, and indeed all somatic treatments, is to provide patients with a more satisfying body that is more congruent with their gender identity.