Glossary

Risk Reduction for DIY Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy

(last updated 5/21/2025)

Anti-androgen (aka testosterone blocker)
This kind of drug lowers the masculinizing effects of testosterone.

Blood clots
This is when blood cells clump together, and physically block blood flow through the body and to the organs. When blood flow slows or stops, the affected organs do not get enough oxygen. This is especially dangerous for the lungs, heart, and brain.

Blood pressure
This is how hard the blood pushes against the arteries, veins, and heart. Blood pressure which is too high or too low harms health in many ways, over the short and long term.

Cholesterol
These are waxy chemicals produced by your liver, and how much is produced is affected by estrogens, testosterone, and progesterone. High levels of some types of cholesterol may be a sign of health problems.

Dehydration
Our bodies work best when they have enough water. Dehydration is when the body has too little water, and dehydration can be mild to strong. Frequent dehydration may harm the kidneys and other organs.

Dose
A specific amount of a drug or medication. For example, the strength of a specific pill along with how often one takes the pill.

Egg-freezing/sperm-banking
The planned collection and storage of human eggs and human sperm, for possible future biological reproduction.

Epidemiologist
A scientist who studies the health of groups of people.

Estrogen
This is a hormone produced by several organs. The ovaries make it in the largest amounts. It is present in all humans. This hormone has many effects in human bodies. It is taken by some people as a gender-affirming drug for “feminizing” purposes.

Ferritin
This is how iron is stored in the body. One can have low ferritin, but not be anemic. So it is important to check ferritin levels.

Heart attack
This is an injury to the heart muscle, when it does not have enough oxygen.

Fertility
This is the biological ability to reproduce.

Heart attack
This is an injury to the heart muscle, when it does not have enough oxygen.

Labs
These are scientific tests on parts or products of the body, such as blood, urine, etc. They help us understand one’s health.

Progesterone
This is a hormone produced by multiple organs. The ovaries make it in the largest amounts. It is present in all humans. This hormone has many effects in human bodies. It is taken by some people as a gender-affirming drug for “feminizing” purposes, and less often for anti-androgen purposes.

Risk
The chance that some harm will happen to one’s health over time.

Risk-reduction
Lowering the risk of harm to one’s health by using the available knowledge to inform one’s choices. Think of risk-reduction as ‘stacking the deck’ in favor of your health.

Sperm-banking/egg-freezing
The planned collection and storage of human sperm and human eggs, for possible future biological reproduction.

Stroke
This is an injury to a part of the brain when it does not have enough oxygen.

Testosterone
This is a hormone produced by several organs. The testicles make it in the largest amounts. It is present in all humans. This hormone has many effects in human bodies. It is taken by some people as a gender-affirming drug for “masculinizing” purposes, and less often for anti-androgen purposes.

Triglycerides
These are a kind of human fat. High levels of triglycerides may cause or be a sign of health problems.