Susan's Place Transgender Resources

I was trying to open a new jar of Branston Pickle yesterday and realised I simply didn't have the strength to do it. It has been getting progressively harder over the last few months and finally I met my match. I had to go into the shed and clamp it in the vice to remove it!

I knew I had lost upper body strength as I can barely do one push up now! but I've never been unable to open a jar!

I'm wondering whether you lost a significant amount of strength through HRT?

I think this is the first negative I've encountered since going on HRT but it really did make me laugh. Considering I used to work in the trades, I've gone all puny ha ha!

I'm hoping to lose some muscle mass as my upper arms are too big and I'm not keen on them. I look too toned and that's not what I'm after!

I'm only 11 months HRT so may take longer.

Charlotte

You will Charlotte unless you're doing regular weights (and even then they will get smaller).

After your comment I have just looked at mine as it's not something I do really but I have virtually no bicep bump if I flex them now! I hadn't really noticed that happening, weird. I used to have chunky biceps as I used to lift heavy gas boilers around all day!

It seems likely it will happen to you too Charlotte, probably much more rapidly once you have you surgery in Feb.

It seems that estradiol based HRT will, in time reduce most peoples strength and muscle mass, but there are factors which will affect this. If genetics has given you naturally large muscle mass, the reduction from HRT may be less, and age can also affect results.

Studies have shown that within the first year on HRT, blood chemistry changes so that trans women have equivalent haemoglobin to cis women. This limits ability to carry oxygen to muscles, and as most have greater muscle mass than cis women, it actually causes a disadvantage in performance as larger muscles take more of the energy producing oxygen just to stay healthy. This oxygen deficit affects endurance more than short cycle strength.

I have been on HRT for over 7 years, from age 65, and strong genetics for strength and muscle mass. I have lost little muscle mass, and compared to others my age in my gym group, I work with higher weights than all the women and men. I cannot wear sleeveless tops as my deltoid muscles stand out, and I get looks from checkout staff at my bicep flex when lifting shopping bags. My endurance loss has been minimal also, and at 72 years old, I can still swim 3000 metres non stop at my local pool. I have had almost no Testosterone in my system for 7 years.

So, while HRT will reduce strength and muscle mass for most trans women, not everybody benefits.

Hugs,

Allie

I definitely lost strength after I started HRT.  I don't lift weights or anything like that, so I don't have any numbers to quantify the loss. 

I am still our household's designated jar-opener.  That is because I learned long ago to always open jars left-handed, even if you are strongly right-handed.  (Anatomically, the left hand can exert more torque counter-clockwise than the right hand can.  This is why screw threads tighten clockwise, designed for right-handed people.)

My endurance is still quite fair, as long as I moderate my effort level.  At a moderate pace, I can walk all day.  At a brisk pace, I run out of steam quickly.  That is more a result of a lung injury from pneumonia, not anything due to muscles.

I got a Black & Decker jar opener.
https://a.co/d/01eS6MlI
It works real well and dosen't take a lot of counter space

When you've spent a lifetime forcing various mechanical assemblies then opening jars is zero effort! I'm just naturally strong, probably as I've had excess T for most my life until now!