Hormone treatment for trans youth linked to lower risk of suicide and depression, large study finds

• A study found trans youth who access hormone therapy are less likely to report depression and suicide.
• The study looked at data from 11,000 trans adolescents, ages 13 to 24.

Starting gender-affirming hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is linked with lower rates of depression and suicide, according to one of the largest studies of transgender youth.

Published in the Journal of Adolescent Health on Tuesday, the study pulled data from a Trevor Project survey of 34,759 LGBTQ youth, including 11,914 trans adolescents ages 13 to 24.

According to the study, trans youth under 18 who wanted HRT and received it had a 38% lower chance of being depressed or having suicidal ideations in the last year compared to those who wanted it and could not receive HRT.

"It's clear that gender-affirming care has the potential to reduce rates of depression and suicide attempts, while banning this vital care and exposing young people to harmful political rhetoric can cause real harm," Amit Paley, CEO and executive director of The Trevor Project, said in a statement.

Experts say these findings are especially significant as states across the US attempt to pass medical bans that would restrict access to hormones for trans youth.

Not all trans people go on hormones. But for those who need it, receiving it can be life saving.

HRT is a common treatment used to address gender dysphoria – the acute anxiety and distress caused by a misalignment between a person's body and their internal gender. The therapy works by changing a person's physical appearance. This can mean using testosterone to get a deeper voice, develop facial hair, and build muscles or using estrogen to grow breasts, reduce the appearance of muscles, and change the shape of the body.

According to the survey, 36% of youth were not interested in receiving HRT, 50% were interested in starting HRT but are not currently taking hormones, and 14% were currently on HRT.

While not all trans people need to go on hormones, authors of the study say starting HRT can save the lives of those who do need it.

The findings fall in line with previous studies that have linked gender-affirming care and familial support to better mental health outcomes for trans youth.

A 2020 study published in Pediatrics of 300 trans youth found adolescents who receive gender-affirming care, such as HRT and talk therapy, were less likely to report self-harm, depression, and suicidal ideations throughout their lives. Another study published in 2019 found transgender youth who receive parental support early on were able to develop their gender, interests, and desire on the same timeline as their cisgender peers.