Topic: Building Muscle On HRT..Please Help?

[missskyler]

Hello, I have been working out and I know it takes a while to build muscle. I do  strength training and compound moves like squats etc so I can look better when muscle comes on.

I weigh 110 and 5’7. I’m looking to get out this weight range to gain more weight/ and or muscle 130 pds or however much I put on.

Since I am on Hormones (depo estradiol ) how long will it take me to build lean muscle? And will this affect my breast growth? And will my metabolism start slowing  down finally?

I want a new look and new me just asking for advice for trans women  who has build muscle .

[Rakel]

Missskyler,

What are your Testosterone blood levels?

If you have a low Testosterone, it will be difficult to build muscle. Taking Estradiol is the wrong hormone to put on weight without overeating. If you have testes, Estradiol will suppress your natural Testosterone production.

Working out will tone your muscles and give you a lean physique, if you work all the muscle groups properly. A modest weight gain of 20 pounds may be possible, but it is much easier if your Testosterone is at least in the normal female range.

[missskyler]

Hey my testorone level is low.

I take estrogen cypionate (depo estradiol) is this not what I suppose to be taking estrogen velerate is no longer Available where I live.

[Maddie]

How low is too low T for muscle?

[missskyler]

I don’t know I can see a little pump in my arms and abs are a little defined.

Is estrogen cypionate not good to take ? I was thinking exercising could affect breast growth?

[Rakel]

Hey my testorone level is low.

I take estrogen cypionate (depo estradiol) is this not what I suppose to be taking estrogen velerate is no longer Available where I live.

Depo Estradiol is very much Estradiol and works just fine. It is a long acting injection and you only need to inject once or twice a month, but not any more often than once a week. The half life is 10 to 14 days.

How low is too low T for muscle?

Normal Testosterone blood levels for young women average around anywhere from 10 to 50 ng/dl.

For young men it is about 20 times as much, 400 to 1000 ng/dl.


My point is, if you need to feminize and still build some muscle, your blood levels for Testosterone should be no more than around 50 ng/dl. Pushing the T into the male range is going to make you look like the female body builders of the 1980's and I am not talking about the fitness models.

[missskyler]

Oh no I don’t want to look like a body builder just fill out in certain areas.

I read on a body building forum female can build muscle without testosterone supplements. I still want to remain soft like I am now just with some added weight and more feminine body.

Also , will this affect my breast growth? Being that I keep my body fat to 20% to put on the muscle

[Rakel]

The more body fat you have the more breast tissue you will have.

Breast are composed of glandular tissue and fatty tissue. Taking Estradiol will cause the glandular tissue to develop to a size typical of your genetic heritage. To get an idea of how big you can expect to get, just take a quick look at other women in your family.

The other main part of breasts are the fatty tissue. Lean women average around 20 to 25% body fat. Obese women are much higher than that, around 32% or more.

As long as you keep your body fat in the 20% area, You will look like the fitness models. Keeping your Testosterone levels below 50 ng/ml will not effect glandular breast growth.

Since you are taking an external Estradiol for transition purposes, your Estradiol blood levels may be high enough to suppress your natural Testosterone production.

My only recommendation is to have your doctor measure your hormone blood levels and go from there. You may need a small amount of Testosterone added to your hormone regimen. Once you add Testosterone, you are open to all the known side effects listed for that hormone.

[missskyler]

Ok thank you.  Other women in my family are between b and c cups I’m still a full a cup so maybe that’s all the breast growth I will get since I’m skinny unless if my metabolism slows.

I do still experience some electric shock pain in nipples but haven’t seen any more breast development

Also the days I workout I take spiro in the morning and workout in the evening

[Ellie_Arroway]

The more body fat you have the more breast tissue you will have.

Breast are composed of glandular tissue and fatty tissue. Taking Estradiol will cause the glandular tissue to develop to a size typical of your genetic heritage. To get an idea of how big you can expect to get, just take a quick look at other women in your family.

The other mail part of breasts are the fatty tissue. Lean women average around 20 to 25% body fat. Obese women are much higher than that, around 32% or more.

As long as you keep your body fat in the 20% area, You will look like the fitness models. Keeping your Testosterone levels below 50 ng/ml will not effect glandular breast growth.

So when I start hormones (which is not going to be any time soon), your recommendation would be that I target 20 to 25% for body fat?

My scales tell me I'm currently at 15.8%. (I know scales do not measure body fat well.) - E

[Jenny_Oh]

So when I start hormones (which is not going to be any time soon), your recommendation would be that I target 20 to 25% for body fat?

Oh, it sounds good but your body won't develop significant subdermal adipose tissue without E2 so there's no point trying, instead you'll just accumulate fat in your abdomen where you don't want it and it won't really "redistribute" once you do start hormones. Once you start E2 you'll slowly build subdermal adipose tissue in places you never expected which will make your skin feel softer and hence more feminine. It's one reason I started out on very low dose E2 only -  to loose muscle mass and accumulate subdermal adipose tissue. Breast development occurs by the glandular tissue growing from the nipple into the fat pad beneath, if there is little to no fat there the breast cannot grow.

[Ellie_Arroway]

Oh, it sounds good but your body won't develop significant subdermal adipose tissue without E2 so there's no point trying, instead you'll just accumulate fat in your abdomen where you don't want it and it won't really "redistribute" once you do start hormones. Once you start E2 you'll slowly build subdermal adipose tissue in places you never expected which will make your skin feel softer and hence more feminine. It's one reason I started out on very low dose E2 only -  to loose muscle mass and accumulate subdermal adipose tissue. Breast development occurs by the glandular tissue growing from the nipple into the fat pad beneath, if there is little to no fat there the breast cannot grow.

Well, I did say when I start hormones... I've slimmed down enough for now. I'm already too slim for men's clothes to fit. I don't want to get too slim for women's clothes to fit!

But my current plan is to maintain my weight until I do get on hormones. - E

[stella-cd]

I have lifted weights steadily for the past 35 years.  I am not bulky but I am a muscular 170 lbs at 5'10" tall.  I have always wondered what would happen to my strength and muscle size if I was to have my testes removed and go on a low dose of estrogen. 

[Rakel]

The testes are the main source of Testosterone for those who have testes. If you remove your testes, then your testosterone levels will drop dramatically.

Your strength and muscle mass will depend on your blood levels. If your Testosterone blood levels are in the female range, then expect to slowly begin to look and feel female. You will have the strength of a female typical for your height and weight.

[stella-cd]

So these women (below link) must be taking steroids or testosterone shots?



My legs are similar in muscularity to the smaller women in this video. All of these women's shoulders and arms are more muscular than me. 

These fitness girls (below link) look like they are natural.  I think sexy