How Hormones Change Athletic Skills in Transgender People
Effect of gender affirming hormones on athletic performance in transwomen and transmen: implications for sporting organisations and legislators
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Trans men exceeded average male sit-up performance after one year of testosterone.
Most assume hormone therapy only brings trans athletes 'up to par'—but this shows they can surpass biological males in specific metrics.
Practical Takeaways
Sports organizations should consider event-specific hormone policies, especially for endurance vs. strength events.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Trans men exceeded average male sit-up performance after one year of testosterone.
Most assume hormone therapy only brings trans athletes 'up to par'—but this shows they can surpass biological males in specific metrics.
Practical Takeaways
Sports organizations should consider event-specific hormone policies, especially for endurance vs. strength events.
Publication
Journal
British Journal of Sports Medicine
Year
2020
Authors
T. Roberts, Joshua Smalley, D. Ahrendt
Related Content
Claims (7)
Trans women on hormone therapy perform just as well—or just as poorly—as cis women in sports, with no real difference between them.
Trans guys on testosterone get just as good at running 1.5 miles as cis guys within a year — starting out about 15% slower but catching up completely thanks to hormone therapy.
Trans women under 30 who've been on hormone therapy for a year are still 9% faster at running than cis women the same age, even though they've lost their edge in push-ups and sit-ups. This suggests that one year of hormone treatment might not completely level the playing field for endurance sports.
Before starting hormone therapy, trans women can do 31% more push-ups and run 1.5 miles 21% faster than cis women under 30 — probably because of the effects of testosterone during puberty.
Trans women on feminizing hormones slowly lose upper body strength over time, and after about 2 years, their push-up ability becomes similar to that of cis women.