This is amusing because of how completely wrong everything that Tony et al say about the paper.
This is not what the paper said at all.
Study Finds Trans Women's Blood Proteins Resemble Cis Women's After 6 Months on HRT
Researchers followed 40 biological males undergoing feminizing hormone therapy for six months to study how the treatment changes body chemistry. Participants received estrogen (estradiol) plus one of two antiandrogens: cyproterone acetate (CPA) or spironolactone (SPIRO). The study measured about 5,300 blood proteins before and after treatment to identify changes caused by the hormones.
Testosterone fell sharply in everyone using CPA but only in about half of those using SPIRO. Across the board, most protein levels declined—245 in the CPA group and 91 in the SPIRO group—with more than 95% showing decreases. The strongest drops were in proteins related to the testes and sperm production (such as SPINT3 and INSL3), showing clear suppression of male reproductive function. The researchers noted that these changes, especially under CPA, likely signal loss of fertility, though it’s unclear whether this reverses if treatment stops.
The therapy also caused metabolic shifts. As body fat and breast tissue increased, blood leptin levels rose, mirroring visible feminizing effects. Overall, the protein profile in the blood moved toward what is seen in biological females. CPA produced a stronger shift than SPIRO, primarily because it suppressed testosterone more deeply. Immune-related proteins, particularly CXCL13, increased in the CPA group, indicating a possible tilt toward immune activity patterns linked with asthma and autoimmune disorders. However, CPA also produced a protein pattern suggesting reduced risk of artery plaque buildup (atherosclerosis), hinting at a possible protective cardiovascular effect—though that remains unproven.
In short, six months of feminizing hormone therapy dramatically reconfigures blood chemistry, driving it toward a female-like pattern. Testosterone suppression, especially under CPA, drives the most significant changes. The results confirm known physical effects such as breast growth and fat redistribution, while revealing measurable biochemical impacts on fertility, metabolism, and immune balance. CPA exerts stronger hormonal and immune effects but carries known health risks, including liver toxicity, and is not FDA-approved for this use in the United States. The authors conclude that these early results warrant long-term studies to determine whether such proteomic shifts lead to lasting health consequences.
