Changes in Energy Expenditure (EE) in Transsexuals Undergoing Hormonal Therapy

Launched by TEL-AVIV SOURASKY MEDICAL CENTER · Dec 10, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This is a small, forward-looking study to understand how a person’s daily energy use changes around gender-affirming hormone therapy. The main idea is to measure resting metabolic rate (the calories your body burns while at rest) before starting hormones and then again after several months of treatment. Researchers will also track changes in weight, body fat and muscle, waist size, blood pressure, and routine blood tests (including hormones, blood sugar, and cholesterol). They’ll also look at gut bacteria and overall daily activity. A special testing room will be used to measure energy use, and participants will wear a activity tracker for about a week.

If you’re eligible, you could join this observational study as a transgender person (trans women or trans men) who is 17 years or older, has not had hormone therapy in the past year, and has had a stable weight in the last six months. Exclusion criteria include pregnancy, certain medical conditions, or medications that affect metabolism. If you join, you’ll have visits at baseline, around 3 months, and around 6 months after starting hormone therapy, with overnight fasting blood tests, measurements of height, weight, body composition, and blood pressure, plus the energy-use test and the stool sample. The study is conducted at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center in Israel and is offered by invitation, aiming to enroll roughly 20–40 participants.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. TW and TM with no prior hormonal therapy in the last one year. 2. Stable weight in last six months (\<±5% weight change),
• • -
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Postmenopausal TM.
• • 2. Oral contraceptive use.
• • 3. Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
• • 4. Glucocorticosteroid treatment
• • 5. Uncontrolled thyroid disorders
• • 6. Use of drugs that potentially impact body metabolism