#IMUSCLE BODY COMPOSITION HOW TO#
#IMUSCLE BODY COMPOSITION PLUS#

23 Since GAHT significantly lowers testosterone levels in transgender women, 24 it is possible that they may experience reductions in HCT and Hgb, which would be anticipated to negatively affect endurance performance. 22 Testosterone exerts erythrogenic effects that results in increases in both HCT and Hgb. 21 HCT values are also higher in males (42%–52%) than females (37%–47%). Typical values for Hgb differ between males and females, with ‘normal’ values ranging between 131–179 g/L for men and 117–155 g/L for women. 20 Low Hgb, or low HCT, the volume of red blood cells compared with total blood volume, can lead to a diminished supply of oxygen to the tissues, and therefore have a direct effect on endurance performance. Hgb is a protein carried by the red blood cells that is responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to peripheral tissues. In endurance sports, Hgb is of importance. 19 These parameters are of relevance to athletic performance. 14 However, studies in non-athletic transwomen undergoing GAHT also report changes in lean body mass (LBM), 15 muscle cross-sectional area (CSA), 16 muscular strength 17 and haemoglobin (Hgb) 18 and/or haematocrit (HCT). In non-athletic transgender populations, studies are commonly focused on clinical outcomes, such as bone health. 13 To date, there have been no prospective studies investigating the changes in athletic performance in transgender athletes after hormonal transition.

#IMUSCLE BODY COMPOSITION PLUS#

GAHT for transwomen consists of an antiandrogen agent plus the introduction of exogenous oestrogen, 12 with the goal of altering the hormonal milieu and, as a result, feminisation of the body. In contrast, the performance-related differences between transwomen who have received gender affirming hormone treatment (GAHT) and cisgender women are less clear.

There are many quantifiable performance-related differences between male and female athletes. 7–9 Although no openly transgender athlete has competed in the Olympics to date, the increasing visibility of gender-diverse people in society 10 means that the sports administrators and legislators must create rules to accommodate athletes from outside the sex/gender binary. There has been heavy criticism of this, and previous, testosterone-based regulations. 1–4 Presently, World Athletics requires that transgender athletes 5 and athletes with differences of sexual development 6 have testosterone levels ≤5 nmol/L in order to be eligible for the female category. Regulations governing the participation of athletes from outside the sex/gender binary have existed since the 1940s.

#IMUSCLE BODY COMPOSITION HOW TO#

Currently the world of sport, from grassroots level to elite, is facing the challenge of how to include transgender people in sporting competitions.

Imuscle body composition