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HRT does not impact height, width, or limb length, has a very small impact on muscle fiber type, heart and lung size, and actually results in increased area bone mineral density. This would not mitigate advantages in explosive activities such as weight lifting, hammer throw etc.
In a study in the Journal of Sporting Cultures and Identities, Trans Women undergoing HRT displayed hemoglobin, hematocrit, and low-density lipoprotein that resembled 46XX female values, as well as dramatically increased body fat levels, and reduced muscle mass.
There is a strong link between hormone composition & athletic performance, above all testosterone levels. Pre-puberty, males have 03-2.4 nano-moles per litre (nmol/l). After it increases to between 9.2-31.8 nmol/l. Females remain in the 0.3-2.4 nmol/l range before & after puberty
Studies show Trans Men given 30 nmol/l testosterone for a year had increases of 20% thigh muscle mass, 19.2% overall muscle mass, 15% red blood cells. A study of 23 on cross-sex hormones for a year resulted in increases of 10.4% muscle mass, 18% grip strength, 9.7% body fat loss.
A study looking at over 1,000 elite female athletes in 5 sports (400m, 400m hurdles, 800m, hammer throw, pole vault) showed that those with higher levels of natural testosterone (still rarely exceeding 2 nmol/l) had a 1.8% to 4.5% advantage in most (not all) track & field events.
62 Post-menopausal women given 7.2 nmol/l of testosterone (similar to that of male puberty) exhibited a 4.4% increase in muscle mass, 3% in bloody haemoglobin, and 12-26% in muscle strength compared to a placebo group. This shows the significance of high levels of testosterone.
Hormones have a significant impact on height, width, and limb length during puberty. When hormones are taken as an adult post-puberty the impacts on these things is minimal to none as once our growth plates have fused, they stop growing.
Considering his disadvantage at the start of a race and in bends, there was not enough evidence of a net advantage. As such, it was not possible to prove that his use of running blades as a TUE took his overall net capacity above the 100% of a two-legged athlete.
Double leg amputee Oscar Pistorius was initially rejected from competing in the 2008 Olympics due to an advantage over athletes competing with two natural legs. Running at the same speed Pistorius was found to expend 25% less energy than able-bodied sprinters under study.
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It is fine if a TUE takes an athlete up to 100% of the normal performance range, if above then it is not allowed. Even 1% makes a large difference in elite sports. In the 100m sprint, 0.7% was the difference between 1st and 2nd place in the 2016 Olympic final.
The mean difference in performance is approximately 10%, ranging from 5.5% in Swimming, to 36.8% in Weight Lifting. Looking at top ten performers, analysis reveals a similar gender gap trend in 1982 at 11.7%. This suggests women will not run, jump, swim, or ride as fast as men.
Morphologically, size (height, width, limb length), muscle fiber composition, heart and lung size, hormonal composition etc, male and female humans typically fall within distinct ranges. These differences give most males an athletic advantage over most females.
Gamine type is a better decider: ie. a male will be capable of producing sperm gametes, having a Y chromosome, and be morphologically male. However those with Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome do not share all of these characteristics and can be easily mistaken for the opposite sex
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This is due to factors that heavily corrolate with the male sex and provide significant sporting performance advantages - height, width, heart and lung size, bone density, muscle mass, muscle fiber type, haemoglobin etc. Sports are segregated due to morphology, not chromosomes.
Trans Men prescribed male hormones after puberty have a TUE that puts them nowhere near 100% of male capacity. Those who take hormones before puberty have been shown to have performance levels comparable to 46XY men also prescribed testosterone-at or below the TUE 100% mark.
There are some small differences across sports, likely from physical and societal factors, but these are relatively minor. By the end of puberty, the differences between males and females are dramatic. 2,000 men in the world could beat the fastest ever female sprinter.
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Trans Women who have undergone male puberty keep the physical advantages (height, width, limb length, heart & lung capacity etc) that result from the process. Evidence doesn’t currently suggest that hormone treatment sufficiently mitigates these advantages compared to 46XX women.
A study conducted on autopsies of 113 bodies aged 1 week-20 years showed that before the age of 15 there was no difference between male and female muscles. Trans Women who transitioned before male puberty competing against 46XX women may be fairer than those who did so after.
46XY Male bodies contain more fast-twitch muscle fibers (between 18.6 and 68.5% depending on the types of twitch fibers) than 46XX females on average. It is unclear if this is mitigated by Trans Women not undergoing male puberty.