Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy (GAHT) and Microdosing

Transgender patients seeking gradual and more subtle physical changes may elect to use microdosing of their GAHT. The effects of microdosing- taking lower doses of hormone intentionally- allows the patient to achieve a gradual change in their body without experiencing any drastic adjustments. The use of microdosing in the GAHT also affords the transgender patient some financial benefits, if the full dose GAHT pricing is causing financial difficulties.  Finally, microdosing with GAHT lowers the risk of aggravating any preexisting medical conditions that may be negatively affected by full strength therapies.

Microdosing may be utilized in a variety of medications used in GAHT. Whether the transgender patient is being treated by injectables, topical gels, topical creams or patches, the current prescribed dose may be reduced, intentionally, for the reasons mentioned above. For example, an injectable medication dose may be reduced from 50mg to 20mg; a patch delivery medication may be ordered at a lower dose (from 4mg to 1-2mg dose). Topical gel and cream-based medications may be prescribed in lower percentage concentrations. Patients choosing to microdose medications must be fully informed of the medication effects/side effects/ and the “anticipated” effects of this “off label” dosing regimen.

More information on microdosing?

Check out the following article, “Neither male nor female: Why some nonbinary people are 'microdosing' hormones”, at https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/neither-male-nor-female-why-some-nonbinary-people-are-microdosing-n1028766