Will feeling horny ruin hormone levels?

[Princess_Jasmine]

Ok I know this is a funny question to ask but it has really bothered me quite a bit since I began hormones. Whenever I think of sex or feel horny, I always think OH NO the testosterone is immediately gushing from my testicles and will ruin all the hard work I have strived to maintain through my estrogen regimen. I even feel my private parts become a bit sore for a minute or two as if they are trying to grow from the testosterone or something but because I cannot get erections, then maybe thats why they ache a bit? Or is it just all in my head?

Can thinking about sex or even masturbating completely ruin hormone levels ( as in lower my estrogen alot, and increase my testosterone alot)? And if you do get horny and feel ur private parts swell a little bit, does that mean alot of testosterone is produced? Or is just a little bit of testosterone that wont effect you much produced?

Please someone who is very smart on this topic...help!

[maidenprincess]

I think a lot of the girls here are worrying about sex here lately!  I think they are worrying that because they have a libido that they are manly or whatever, which is not true.  You have to remember humans are sexual creatures in that we have pleasure with sex!  Both men and women enjoy it and get those feelings all the time.  It's unfair to put men as the only ones who get horny and pretty ignorant to assume that femininity does not include wanting to get it on!  Women have testosterone too.

If you are on a hormone regimen at right doses, it shouldn't be a problem.  Maybe you are one of the ones who still maintains an active libido while on hormone therapy.  Everyone's body is different.  If you are still concerned, go to your doctor, get your levels checked, and tell him or her what is bothering you.  They will be able to adjust your dosages if needed and help you with your goals.  Otherwise just chill.

If you can't get erections, you shouldn't really worry!  That means your testosterone is low enough not to activate your part.  These symptoms might be psychosomatic.  Be careful worrying too much about it and relax.

[Nero]

I think a lot of the girls here are worrying about sex here lately!  I think they are worrying that because they have a libido that they are manly or whatever, which is not true.  You have to remember humans are sexual creatures in that we have pleasure with sex!  Both men and women enjoy it and get those feelings all the time.  It's unfair to put men as the only ones who get horny and pretty ignorant to assume that femininity does not include wanting to get it on!  Women have testosterone too.

Exactly. The notion of the asexual female norm is a hold over from the Victorian age when a woman's worth lay solely in her virginity.

[Valerie Elizabeth]

Yes, a man body normally increases the flow of testosterone when having sex.

That said, with adequate levels of estrogen in combination with androgen blockers, you have nothing to worry about.

Lastly, I don't know if the testes ever stop producing testosterone because of estrogen and androgen blockers, but I would imagine that it is reduced.  This statement is pure speculation on my part.

[Hannah]

Feeling horney is one thing I think, following through on it and somehow managing an orgasm is another. I can go around for days feeling a little amorous and honestly I think it's just how my healthy female body feels. I'm not sure, I'm still learning how it operates.

However, after an orgasm it feels...weird. Kind of a chill, like if you've ever had dye injected into your veins for a hospital scanner. It is a definite physical sensation not psychosomatic...prolly a surge of hormones from the adrenals but that's 100% a guess. I don't like it and it's not worth it.

[Fer]

The answer is no.

Posted this on a different thread but I also think it applies here.

I think some people are confusing asexuality with celibacy.  Asexuality like bisexuality, heterosexuality & homosexuality is not a "choice".  People don't become asexual.  You're either asexual or you aren't.

[CodyJess]

From the other side of the fence...

If being horny could raise your testosterone levels enough to have a physical impact, I wouldn't need to get a letter for hormones. 

Personal anecdotes aside, I'd talk to my doctor. Ask about how your androgen blockers work, and explain your fears. They're the professional, so they should be able to answer your questions the best.

[Autumn]

Uhm, if you are actually on HRT and asking these questions, *what is wrong with you*? This is a major, permanent change to your body. This is not like getting your hair highlighted. No not even having sex is going to ruin your hormone levels.

You must have been on HRT a long time if you cannot achieve erections at all. The pain comes because the tissue has atrophied from neglect. It's actually probably much better to continue masturbation and sex during HRT to keep the stuff healthy and stay orgasmic for post-op. I don't force erections nearly enough and am starting to notice reduction in size from it, but it's easy to forget. I want to keep as much healthy elastic orgasmic tissue as I can since it's going to be years til i have srs.

[sd]

I have done some research on hormone levels during and after sex. T and E are not released during sex or when you are horny. They are not tied together in this way apparently.

There are two forms of hormones released during and after sex and none will masulinize or feminize you.

[Valerie Elizabeth]

Testosterone CAN be released before sex with a 'novel mate' and is referred to as an "Anticipatory Release" and testosterone CAN also be released after ejaculation and is referred to as "Ejaculatory Release".

Now, the studies behind it show that there is variability to whether or not there is release.  More studies show that it is released than not released.  The variability occurs because of difference in testing testosterone levels, the frequency they are tested, and over what period they are tested.  The intensity of the arousal also plays a role in the release of testosterone.  Lastly, stress and genetics also play a role.  Sometimes, you are genetically not able to do so.


I did not read through these all very thoroughly.  I don't remember any numbers given either.  One article gave a percentage of an increase in 35% after viewing sexually explicit material, however the resource was not available through my school.

I would say that it is variable and it may or may not be released.  Either way though, with the amount of androgen blockers you are taking it wont matter.  With higher levels of estrogen, your body produces less testosterone naturally so your androgen blockers don't have as much to combat anyway.

I mean, lets say that I have a 35% increase in my testosterone levels.  My levels are right around 10 ng/dl.  A 35% increase would be around 3.5 ng/dl, bringing my total levels to around 13.5 ng/dl.  A woman's normal level (average) is between around 10 and 80 ng/dl (I have also heard 20 and 80).  Granted, the study that gave out that percentage of 35% I was not able to read, so I am making assumptions that it is talking about total testosterone levels, and not a 35% increase in testosterone released.  Feel free to bash my math if it's not right!

Lastly, these studies were conducted on genetic men, and therefore I cannot make any conclusion for our FtM friends.  Sorry.

All in all, it will not make a difference, and I wouldn't worry about it.

Data found here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

[Alyssa M.]

I didn't read all the links Valerie posted, but I'm assuming that 15% probably means, "15% with respect to normal male levels." I wouldn't assume that the 15% figure scales with T levels when you're on androgen blockers. That is, unless there's a specific link that deals with trans women in there.

Still, assuming that it is a fixed amount, and you get the full dosage, you're still talking 15% of something like 500ng/dl, which is only a 75 ng/dl, still not very high, and it's effect is blocked by the antiandrogens as well. And that's an upper bound, albeit back-of-the-envelope.

As for erections -- mine were painful for the first few months of hrt, but were fine after that, just slightly diminished.

[Valerie Elizabeth]

I get what your saying about normal male levels, but if your testosterone levels are already diminished because of combined androgen blocker and increased estrogen levels, why would an increase be of what it would have been without blockers and estrogen?

To me, it seems that since your production is decreased, that any increase would be a function of what you are actually producing now, not what would be a normal male level (that was a mouthful).

So, using my example of 3.5 ng/dl is inaccurate because that is based on a measure of total testosterone, not how much I produce over a given amount of time (which could be higher).  I don't know how much testosterone I am producing at any given time, but a total testosterone level shouldn't be affected by an androgen blocker since total testosterone is the amount of bound and unbound testosterone in the blood. 

Even if your testosterone production is bumped up by 35% for an hour (or more), it's not going to be nearly enough testosterone to have any effect.  Your androgen blockers will have already bound to the receptor sites keeping testosterone from binding.  Testosterone also has a very short half life, and a low bio availability. Even if your levels go up, they cant bind anywhere and they wont last long enough to have a chance to bind to anything anyway.

The articles were non-trans related, but it shouldn't make any difference.

So, don't worry about it.  It's ok to get horny, and to masturbate.  It's normal, and it won't hurt anything hormonally.

[Hannah]

So, don't worry about it.  It's ok to get horny, and to masturbate

Yaaaay!

* Becca goes to bed early

[Kurzar]

From the other side of the fence...

If being horny could raise your testosterone levels enough to have a physical impact, I wouldn't need to get a letter for hormones. 

This lol   I'm horny constantly...wish that was all I needed to raise my T levels 

[Alyssa M.]

Valerie -- I'm just giving an upper bound. Even the worst case imaginable is still barely outside normal female ranges.

My point is that extrapolations over an order of magnitude are usually pretty suspect. Just because the baseline levels drop by a factor of 10 or so doesn't mean that the bump will drop by the same factor. Sure, that's the reasonable first guess, but it's just that, a guess. Maybe it changes by more, and maybe by less. The one thing that would really surprise me would be if it increased. So the worst case would be that it not change at all.

And you're correct -- it's just a temporary bump and its effect is blocked by spironolactone (if that's what you're taking), which blocks both the production testosterone and the binding to testosterone receptors.

So, even in the worst case, it's not an issue.

[Abby]

Valerie -- I'm just giving an upper bound. Even the worst case imaginable is still barely outside normal female ranges.

My point is that extrapolations over an order of magnitude are usually pretty suspect. Just because the baseline levels drop by a factor of 10 or so doesn't mean that the bump will drop by the same factor. Sure, that's the reasonable first guess, but it's just that, a guess. Maybe it changes by more, and maybe by less. The one thing that would really surprise me would be if it increased. So the worst case would be that it not change at all.

And you're correct -- it's just a temporary bump and its effect is blocked by spironolactone (if that's what you're taking), which blocks both the production testosterone and the binding to testosterone receptors.

So, even in the worst case, it's not an issue.

Maybe the BP is a factor.  My BP has been 130-140/85-90 (w/ a ghost sys at 180) for the last 2 months.  I haven't lost a hard-on since . . . well, ever.