A new study shows that puberty-suppressing drugs given to gender dysphoric kids stunt their bone growth and do not alleviate psychological distress regarding their gender.
Puberty blockers are generally seen by transgender activists as a “pause button” so that children have more time to decide whether to proceed with a full medicalized gender-transition.
According to the study, both height and bone strength saw “some growth but less than would be expected during those years without hormonal suppression” among kids who had completed chemical puberty blockade at age 16.
“You are taking calcium out of the bones of girls which cannot be introduced later; you’re putting them at risk for osteoporosis. On top of that, you’re taking the ovaries and testicles, which have not yet started to mature to the stage of fertility, and you’re cutting them off at the knees, essentially making them sterile,” said pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Quentin Van Meter. “When you give puberty blockers to a pubertal-aged child, what you’re doing is sideswiping them out of the physiological development that puberty is intended to create and facilitate.”
The study also claims that the blockers do not alleviate psychological distress, with 43 of the 44 children followed in the study going on to take cross-sex hormones.
“We would have expected a large positive placebo response, as these kids and their parents were desperate to get the drugs,” said Dr. Michael Biggs of Oxford University, who has criticized the study’s methodology.
Despite the ongoing dysphoria, the study still claims that the overall experience of the children was “positive.”
HD Editor’s Note: Why Is This News Biblically Relevant?
Ken Ham in his article on the risks of puberty blockers, explained that Christians “must stand against this tide of secularism, pointing broken, hurting people to the truth that brings freedom” – Salvation Through Jesus Christ:
Despite the risks, many families and children will still go ahead and take these puberty blockers to delay what their body would otherwise do naturally. How should we understand this within the lens of a biblical worldview?
Well, from the Bible we know that God cares what we do with our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19–20). He made us in his image (Genesis 1:27) and skillfully wrought us together (Psalm 139:13–14). And he made us either male or female (Genesis 1:27). Our bodies are not our own to do whatever we please; instead, they ultimately belong to our Creator, and we are to honor him with our bodies.
Do some people, including children, genuinely struggle with gender dysphoria and other issues? Sadly, in a fallen world, yes, they do. But the answer is not found in risky drugs, body-mutilating surgery, or a change of name and pronouns. The answer is found in having an identity that is rooted in Christ and his design of us as male and female.
Our culture will continue to wage war on biology and biblical truth as the LGBT agenda marches on. But as Christians we must stand against this tide of secularism, pointing broken, hurting people to the truth that brings freedom: we are created by God, male and female, in his image, and our identity and value are not in our physical body—our value is in our identity as children of God if we will repent and believe.
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