Quote from: Stephanie on February 25, 2010, 06:56:22 PM
I have been reading Lierre Keith's amazing book The Vegetarian Myth, Keith devotes a chapter to soy and the phytoestrogens contain in soya and other plants. Soya affects the human body in many ways but it has a particularly harmful effect on the brain. This got me thinking about the effect of synthetic oestrogen/testosterone on our brains.
There are studies that show a strong correlation between hrt and dementia in later life. Of course these studies used genetic females as their participants, but it is probably safe to assume that the findings of these studies are relevant to transsexuals.
There are no long term studies into the effects of oestrogen and testosterone in transsexuals. We have absolutely no idea what harm we could be doing ourselves neurologically in the coming years. We are at once both researcher and participant in an unorthodox and unofficial long-term study where it will lead us nobody knows. You would be amazed at just how little is actually known and understood about the human brain. It stands to reason that long-term hrt use must rewire the brain, just as much as it remodels the body. However, many of us seem to assume that this 'rewiring' will be in a positive direction. Isn't this belief based far more on wishful thinking, that scientific evidence?
Personally I would love to have a more feminine figure, softer smoother skin, and breasts. I am just not sure I want to go where medical science fears to tread because the final results could be devastating. Do not think that your doctor will step in an intervene if anything appears to be wrong, by the time negative symptoms show it might well be too late to do anything.
To end on a more positive note I really do hope that taking hrt long-term is safe, and it was not my intention to scare you. I just think that I will wait a few years before deciding about going on hrt long-term.
Post Merge: February 25, 2010, 12:20:34 PM
Perhaps I have just been reading too much and managed to scare myself. I am 22 so even the smallest chance that I might be demented in 20 years terrifies me.
Science proves one thing one week and another week proves the exact opposite.
The same age as you, I've been on HRT for 15 months; from the outset I also harbored some concerns on how it may affect my cognition short- and long-term. This was in part because of a study demonstrating how quickly hormones can alter the brain in transsexuals, such as a pretty significant decrease in overall brain size in many MtF participants. Of course, this isn't also without benefits as female hormones have a positive effect on memory, verbal skills, and 'balance' between the left and right sides. Also, emotions are heightened and since they play key roles all throughout the mind, it stands to reason there's a beneficial effect here too, or at least the potential for it.
When I began HRT, just to be sure, I began taking multivitamins & omega oils, developed better nutrition, and 'exercised' my brain a few hours a day in various ways including learning a new language. Over a year later, I would certainly consider my mind to be in a much better condition than on the outset. In fact even areas of typical male strength like visual-spatial and analytical skills have sharpened rather than weaken, as I stimulate those skills on a daily basis.
The message being: yes while hormones do affect the brain, mental activity and nutrition are greater factors. Besides, I'm pretty sure women are less susceptible to mental illnesses and dementia anyway... making this a bit moot.
