The provision of medical nutrition therapy that takes an individual’s culture, ethnicity, and dietary choices into consideration is one of the registered dietitian nutritionist’s most significant responsibilities.
Understanding the conditions for which this population is most at risk, the function of hormone therapy, and appropriate social interaction is crucial for enhancing transgender people’s access to high-quality nutrition care.
Understanding the meaning of transgender
The expression of gender by a person is referred to as transgender. Gender identity or gender expression has nothing to do with a person’s physical characteristics (i.e. sex). When a person is transgender, their gender identification and the sex they were assigned at birth do not match.
Cisgender people identify as the same gender as the sex they were assigned at birth. Additionally, a person may not identify with any socially accepted gender presentation, or they may identify as gender non-binary.
Someone who identifies as queer, gay, bisexual, lesbian, or asexual, to mention a few, may also be transgender, gender non-binary, or intersex (born with a combination of male and female sexual anatomy). However, gender expression and sexual orientation are unrelated.
What are the best dietary recommendations for transgender people?
There aren’t any special nutrition recommendations for transgender patients at the moment. While there is little data on how gender identification affects nutritional demands, studies have indicated that testosterone hormone therapy alters metabolic requirements.
When making nutrition recommendations based on gender identity, healthcare professionals should exercise clinical discretion. The amount of calories, protein, and fluids needed is not considerably different from what it is for cisgender people.
For people who choose to have surgical procedures as part of the transition process, there is a typical increase in the amount of protein and calories needed after the procedure in order to promote wound healing.
Additionally, a lot of transgender people may need hormone therapy as part of the transition process. It can be challenging to determine where a person is in the process because each person’s response to hormone therapy responds differently over time. Hormone therapy for those people may result in weight gain and glucose intolerance. Regarding particular transgender considerations for hormone therapy:
Testosterone hormone therapy (“T”) increases muscle mass, which may, at least temporarily, lead to the formation of bone tissue and an increase in bone mass in transgender men (female to male). Long “T” periods, however, may lower bone mass and raise the risk of osteoporosis. The effects of “T” may also drastically alter or even stop the menstrual cycle, which would affect how much iron is needed. It is crucial to remember that once “T” is started, it is frequently used endlessly.
Estrogen and progesterone both have the potential to contribute to weight gain in transgender women (male to a female). The restoration of estrogen after testicular removal can be crucial in maintaining bone mass. Consistent estrogen replacement therapy has been demonstrated to have no adverse effects on bone density, in contrast to cisgender females, whose natural estrogen can decline over time.
Teens who identify as transgender: The Endocrine Society issued a clinical practice guideline for the endocrine therapy of teens who are gender-dysphoric or gender-incongruent in 2017. For this group, there are many factors to take into account. Hormone suppressants may result in issues with bone health. Exercises involving weight bearing are advised, and calcium and vitamin D supplements may be necessary.
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Redefining transgender nutrition
“In terms of how we view food and how we view our weight, people are assigned a moral value. And we burden others with that. According to Sam Tryon, RD (they/them), “[One of the] significant aspects with an eating disorder is [the] relationship of body size [and] the way a person judges [they’re] self-worth.
They are a registered dietician that works with clients, including trans and nonbinary people, to combat ingrained misconceptions about food and eating disorders. They are headquartered in Maryland.
There is some study on nutrition-related health inequities, such as eating disorders, food insecurity, and chronic diseases, that affect transgender and GNC groups. 3–6 For instance, research has shown that when compared to their cisgender counterparts, transgender communities have a higher risk of cardiovascular illness and myocardial infarctions.
The relationship between these illnesses and elements like hormone therapy and nutritional practises in transgender/GNC populations needs further study, though.The relationship between these illnesses and elements like hormone therapy and nutritional practises in transgender/GNC populations needs further study, though.
Breaking the stereotype
I found it confusing to determine if I wanted to listen to the voice of gender euphoria or the voice of a soul-satisfying approach to eating when it came to nutrition as a trans person.
After all, in reality, discipline, willpower, and control are valued by capitalism and white supremacy. I believed it was essential to prioritise one over the other in the areas of nutrition and gender, going so far as to feel as though my livelihood depended on my passion, discipline, willpower, and control.
Giving in to the force and will of my internalised fatphobia and transphobia, I pronounce capitalism and white supremacy to be winners.
It becomes simple to see money and price tags in everything, such as when purchasing a new garment in the anticipation of one day fitting into it. costs associated with hormones. buying a meal plan manual. Yes, including seeking advice from licenced nutritionists and dietitians.
There is a cost associated with the path to recovery, and it manifests differently for each person.
Takeaway
When it comes to nutrition, trying to “do it properly” may seem alluring, but it might backfire. Consider asking for help if you are having trouble taking care of yourself, are preoccupied with food or your weight, are experiencing guilt over your eating habits, or in any other way struggle with nutrition. These actions could be a sign of an eating disorder or a disordered relationship with food.
A list of trans-identified and trans-allied physicians who might be able to help is kept up to date by the trans and intersex collaborative Fighting Eating Disorders in Underrepresented Populations (FEDUP).
Keep in mind that anyone, regardless of gender identity, ethnicity, age, socioeconomic background, or other identities, can suffer from disordered eating and eating disorders.
And you deserve assistance and the chance to heal, regardless of who you are or where you are.
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