Stopping testosterone therapy: what the science says about discontinuation

What did @marzmunrogue actually say?

This one is pretty straightforward. The creator says they stopped testosterone after four years for a mix of personal and medical reasons: blood pressure concerns, hair loss, and a shift in gender identity toward non-binary. They're clear that stopping T doesn't make them "less trans or invalid." There's no health misinformation here, no dosing advice, no miracle claims. This is a personal disclosure, and it deserves to be read as one.

The framing is honest. They mention body dysmorphia going back to 1986, describe feeling "both feminine and dominant," and acknowledge ongoing self-discovery. What they're describing, a person re-evaluating hormone therapy based on evolving identity and physical side effects, is a documented and clinically recognized experience among transgender and non-binary individuals.

Does the science back this up?

Yes, on every specific medical point they raised. Blood pressure elevation and androgenic alopecia are both well-documented side effects of exogenous testosterone, and they are among the legitimate clinical reasons someone might discontinue therapy. The identity piece is more personal, but it's supported by research on gender diversity.

On blood pressure: a 2019 study by Maraka et al. in the Annals of Internal Medicine found cardiovascular risk signals in transgender men on testosterone, including hypertension concerns, particularly with longer duration of use. Four years of testosterone puts someone squarely in the range where providers should be monitoring blood pressure closely.

On hair loss: testosterone converts to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) via the 5-alpha reductase enzyme, and DHT is the primary driver of androgenetic alopecia. This is not controversial. Studies including Randall (2008) in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings confirm that androgen-sensitive hair follicles respond to DHT in genetically predisposed individuals, regardless of whether the testosterone source is endogenous or exogenous.

On discontinuing T and identity: Coleman et al. (2022), the WPATH Standards of Care Version 8, explicitly recognizes that gender identity is not fixed, and that non-binary individuals may choose partial, intermittent, or no hormone therapy. Stopping T is a valid medical and personal choice.

What did they get wrong (or right)?

They got it right. There is genuinely nothing medically inaccurate in this video. The side effects they named are real. The framing that stopping testosterone does not invalidate trans identity is consistent with current clinical guidance. They did not give dosing advice, recommend anything to viewers, or make any claims about what others should do.

If anything, the video is admirably restrained. They describe their own experience without generalizing it. "Aren't we all" figuring ourselves out is not a medical claim, it's a human one.

One thing worth adding context to: blood pressure and hair loss are manageable with clinical intervention in some cases. Antihypertensives can be added to a hormone regimen, and DHT-blocking agents like finasteride have been used in transgender men, though that comes with its own trade-offs. This creator chose to stop T instead, which is a completely legitimate choice, but viewers should know that discontinuation is not the only clinical option when side effects arise. Talking to a provider first matters.

What should you actually know?

If you're on testosterone and experiencing blood pressure changes or hair loss, those are real signals worth taking seriously with a clinician, not just managing on your own. Blood pressure in particular warrants monitoring because cardiovascular risk in transgender men on long-term testosterone is an active area of research, not a settled one.

The Getahun et al. (2018) study published in Annals of Internal Medicine followed over 2,800 transgender men and found elevated rates of cardiovascular events compared to cisgender women, though the absolute risk remained relatively low. That does not mean testosterone is dangerous, but it does mean it is not without physiological consequences that deserve tracking.

On identity: the experience of identifying as non-binary after years of binary trans identity, or after being on testosterone, is more common than online discourse suggests. A 2021 study by Burgwal et al. in the International Journal of Transgender Health found that non-binary individuals report distinct experiences with hormone therapy, including some who prefer lower doses or no hormones at all. Stopping T to align with a non-binary identity is clinically supported and personally valid.

FormBlends does not recommend any specific hormone regimen. If you are considering changes to your testosterone therapy, speak with a licensed provider who understands transgender health.