A systematic review and meta-analysis published in the journal of JAMA Pediatrics found that puberty suppression in transgender and gender-diverse adolescents temporarily slows bone development, particularly at the lumbar spine. While absolute bone mineral density remained stable during puberty suppression, it increased modestly after gender-affirming hormone therapy, with partial recovery of bone health when compared to peers.
Puberty represents a key window for achieving peak bone mass, which plays an important role in determining fracture risk later in life. As the use of puberty blockers and gender-affirming hormone therapy continues to expand in gender-diverse youth, understanding their long-term effects on skeletal health has become increasingly important.
A new systematic review and meta-analysis has found that while pubertal suppression with temporarily slows bone mineral accrual in transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) adolescents, subsequent gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) promotes substantial recovery in bone health. However, researchers say the extent of long-term “catch-up” remains uncertain, underscoring the importance of careful monitoring during treatment.
That’s the beauty of science, it’s self improving…
This article specifically, is a meta review of studies that have already been available and all experts in the field should already know (I’m no expert and I’ve known about this for years) that puberty blockers do this. As with pretty much everything anyone does, there’s always a cost and a benefit and you should always weigh them up carefully with big life altering decisions. For people with gender dysphoria some delayed bone growth is no big deal compared to being allowed to be themselves.
That’s my point, I don’t see a benefit of solving one thing at the expense of another to be strong enough, because in the end both suffer anyway.
This is very common treatmemt in modern medicine — not just for this particular case, but in general, e.g. a very simplified case: let’s kill your liver a little with the pill to treat your headache a little.
And with hormonal things it’s just the next level of messing up with your body — simply because of the sheer amount of different systems affected by a simple hormonal shift. And again, it’s not specific to this particular topic, something like hormonal contraception, for example, is another case from the same cohort. Does it prevent unwanted pregnancies? — Yes, it does. Is it worth messing up with your body to avoid some other kinds of contraception? Eeeh… up to you, up to you.
Everything has side effects… It’s not your position to say weather they’re worth it or not.
All the research shows quality of life increasing with gender affirming care. So, you’re suggesting that a temporary delay in bone growth is worth a long term reduction in quality of life…
I’m not in a position to dictate my opinion as a call to action for others, yes. But I’m in a position to say that for me it sounds incomprehensible and fucked up. And this is precisely what I said in my original comment.