Hormone Therapy

For trans, non-binary and intersex people, hormone therapy often refers to gender-affirming medical treatment with hormones such as testosterone or estrogen. It can support physical changes that better align with a person’s gender identity or sense of their body. Common abbreviations include HRT for “hormone replacement therapy”; in medical contexts, the term gender-affirming hormone therapy is also used.

Testosterone is often applied to the skin as a gel or injected at regular intervals. Estrogen is commonly used as a gel, patch or tablet and may, depending on the situation, be combined with medication that reduces the body’s own testosterone effects or production. The appropriate form, dosage and follow-up should be discussed with qualified physicians, such as endocrinologists, gynecologists, urologists or specialized healthcare providers. Regular blood tests are important to monitor hormone levels, liver values, blood count, metabolism and possible side effects.

Hormone therapy can have desired effects, but it can also involve risks and partly permanent changes, for example to the voice, body hair, breast tissue, skin, fat distribution, libido or fertility. It should therefore not be started without medical supervision or with products from unsafe sources. In Germany, gender-affirming hormone therapy can generally be covered by health insurance when medically indicated; the exact requirements and procedures may vary depending on the insurer, medical practice and individual situation.