What happens to a trans woman cyclist's strength and fitness after one year of hormone therapy?
A unique pseudo-eligibility analysis of longitudinal laboratory performance data from a transgender female competitive cyclist
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Some performance metrics were *below* average for cisgender women after hormone therapy
Most public debate assumes trans women retain advantages across the board, but this shows some abilities—like relative jumping power—actually dropped below typical female levels.
Practical Takeaways
Sports organizations might consider individualized assessments of trans athletes’ performance post-GAHT rather than blanket bans.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Some performance metrics were *below* average for cisgender women after hormone therapy
Most public debate assumes trans women retain advantages across the board, but this shows some abilities—like relative jumping power—actually dropped below typical female levels.
Practical Takeaways
Sports organizations might consider individualized assessments of trans athletes’ performance post-GAHT rather than blanket bans.
Publication
Journal
Translational Exercise Biomedicine
Year
2024
Authors
Blair R. Hamilton, Ke Hu, F. Guppy, Y. Pitsiladis
Related Content
Claims (4)
Trans women on hormone therapy perform just as well—or just as poorly—as cis women in sports, with no real difference between them.
A female-to-male cyclist saw her strength, jumping power, and stamina drop after a year of hormone therapy as part of her transition.
One transgender woman cyclist on hormone therapy for a year might have lost some physical edge over cis women cyclists, but her performance changed in different ways depending on the type of test.
A female-to-male cyclist started hormone therapy, and within a year, some of her performance numbers looked more like other women's, while others didn’t — showing a mix of changes.