DRUGS &
HORMONES
HORMONES AND DRUGS: YOUR ESSENTIAL GUIDE
Hey, let’s talk about something crucial – the way hormones can mix with alcohol and drugs. It’s all about having a good time while making safety a priority!
Now, remember, not every drug out there plays a role with hormones. Just so you know, the details we’re sharing are based on the research we’ve got, but there might be a few interactions flying under the radar. And hey, this isn’t a replacement for medical advice. If you’re curious about what could happen, it’s smart to have a chat with a healthcare pro. They’ve got the expertise to guide you right!
STIMULANTS
Feminising hormones and anti-androgens can alter how we experience stimulants generally, including tobacco, cocaine, ecstasy, meth, and amphetamines like speed. It can result in experiencing amplified effects including excess sweating, rapid heart rate and dehydration, and this is more likely with low testosterone levels.
Fluctuations in Oestrogen and Progesterone can change how we respond to stimulants (although studies have been just with cisgender women), and it can affect our state of mind.
Oestradiol can contribute to deep vein thrombosis, and stimulant use has been shown to increase thrombic risk, so best to chat with a healthcare professional to help manage and mitigate the risk.
Progesterone can cause us to feel tired, drowsy or sleepy a couple of hours after taking it, so it can help to schedule when to take it and when to take stimulants.
As Spironolactone acts as a diuretic, we may need to be extra mindful of keeping our hydration levels up while using ecstasy/MDMA, meth and speed so that we don’t risk dehydration.
Testosterone can increase irritability, and restlessness and impact our emotions, so we may find changes in our response when taking stimulants, such as increased sweating and heart rate, and our experiences of irritability and mood swings.
Both Testosterone and stimulant use can contribute to a condition known as polycythaemia (a high concentration of red blood cells). This may feel like fatigue, weakness, dizziness, or shortness of breath. Chat with a doctor to keep an eye on any blood tests.
KETAMINE
There’s currently no evidence to suggest that ketamine use directly reduces the efficacy of HRT. We’ll keep looking and update this information if something new comes to light. While the interaction between Ketamine and HRT is not extensively researched, some research suggests that Oestradiol and Progesterone use may impact how we experience ketamine. This may involve changes to our psychological state, and potentially increased feelings of dissociation or detachment. Progesterone and Cyproterone Acetate can have sedative effects, so we may be particularly tired, fatigued or sleepy during or after taking ketamine.
TOBACCO
Feminising hormones and anti-androgens can alter the experience of stimulants generally, and this includes tobacco. It can result in experiencing amplified effects including excess sweating, rapid heart rate and dehydration, and this is more likely with low testosterone levels.
Progesterone can contribute to an inflammation of the airways and potentially increases the risk of asthma, which is then compounded by smoking.
Oestradiol and smoking tobacco may contribute to deep vein thrombosis, so best to chat with a healthcare professional to help manage and mitigate the risk.
Both testosterone and smoking tobacco can contribute to a condition known as polycythaemia (a high concentration of red blood cells) which may feel like fatigue, weakness, dizziness, or shortness of breath. Chat with a doctor to keep an eye out for any blood work.
Testosterone can increase irritability, and restlessness and impact our emotions, so we may find changes in our response when taking stimulants, such as increased sweating and heart rate, and our experiences of irritability and mood swings.
The smoking cessation chemical Bupropion is contraindicated for use with Testosterone – so before quitting smoking, it’s best to chat with a professional about what will work best.
There’s currently no evidence to suggest that vaping directly reduces the efficacy of HRT. We’ll keep looking and update this information if something new comes to light.
The interactions between vaping and HRT are not well known. Due to the possible overlap with tobacco, check out the tobacco section
WEED
There’s currently no evidence to suggest that weed use directly reduces the efficacy of HRT. We’ll keep looking and update this information if something new comes to light.
The interactions between weed and HRT are not well known. Progesterone and Cyproterone Acetate can have sedative effects, so we may be particularly tired, fatigued or sleepy during or after taking weed. Progesterone can also contribute to an inflammation of the airways and potentially increases the risk of asthma, which is then compounded by smoking.
Oestradiol and smoking tobacco may contribute to deep vein thrombosis, so mixing tobacco and weed is something to chat with a healthcare professional about to help manage and mitigate the risk.
If mixing weed with tobacco, then it’s best to know that both testosterone and smoking tobacco can contribute to a condition known as polycythaemia. This may feel like fatigue, weakness, dizziness, or shortness of breath. Chat with your doctor to keep an eye out during any blood tests.
There’s currently no evidence to suggest that synthetic cannabinoid use directly reduces the efficacy of HRT. We’ll keep looking and update this information if something new comes to light. The interactions between synthetic cannabinoids and HRT are not well known. Progesterone and Cyproterone Acetate can have sedative effects, so we may be particularly tired, fatigued or sleepy during or after taking synthetic cannabinoids. Progesterone can also contribute to an inflammation of the airways and potentially increases the risk of asthma, which is then compounded by smoking.
ALCOHOL
There’s currently no evidence to suggest that alcohol use directly reduces the efficacy of HRT. We’ll keep looking and update this information if something new comes to light.
Alcohol and feminising hormone/anti-androgen use can impact liver function, and how long we experience the effects of alcohol as the liver takes longer to break the alcohol down. It can also affect our ability to concentrate and make us feel drowsy, sleepy or fatigued.
We don’t yet understand the relationship between alcohol, progesterone, and breast cancers, so it’s wise to regularly chat with a healthcare professional and perform checks of our chest, keeping an eye on how our breast tissue may change.
We don’t currently have a lot of research to tell us about how Testosterone prescribed in HRT contexts interacts with Alcohol use. It’s a good idea to be in regular contact with a healthcare professional to keep an eye on blood work in case testosterone and/or alcohol begin to affect our liver health.
NITROUS OXIDE
There’s currently no evidence to suggest that nitrous oxide use directly reduces the efficacy of HRT. We’ll keep looking and update this information if something new comes to light. The interactions between Nitrous Oxide and HRT are not well known. Progesterone and Cyproterone Acetate can have sedative effects, so we may be particularly tired, fatigued or sleepy during or after taking Nitrous Oxide.
OPIOIDS
This content speaks to opioids in general, for specific interactions, check out specific drugs in the All of the Drugs section.
There’s currently no evidence to suggest that opioid use reduces the efficacy of HRT. We’ll keep looking and update this information if something new comes to light.
Oestradiol can affect our opioid receptors and therefore how the body processes it, so it’s best to chat with a healthcare professional about whether our dosage needs to be adjusted.
Spironolactone and opioids can potentially lead to a build-up of toxicity and affect our kidneys.
Progesterone and Cyproterone Acetate can have sedative effects and cause tiredness and fatigue, so taking these along with other depressants may lead to feeling more exhausted during or after using opioids.
Both testosterone and opioids can cause water retention, which means we may experience constipation and bloating when taking both.
We don’t yet know enough about how opioid-induced androgen deficiency (OPIAD) may impact bodies that are taking testosterone, including whether it may impact our absorption or processing of our HRT.
PSYCHEDELICS
There’s currently no evidence to suggest that psychedelics, such as mushrooms or LSD, directly reduce the efficacy of HRT. We’ll keep looking and update this information if something new comes to light. The interactions between psychedelics and HRT are not well known. Progesterone and Cyproterone Acetate can have sedative effects, so we may be particularly tired, fatigued or sleepy during or after taking LSD or mushrooms.
AMYL
The interactions between amyl and HRT are not well known. There’s currently no evidence to suggest that amyl use directly interacts with HRT or reduces its efficacy. We’ll keep looking and update this information if something new comes to light.
INHALANTS
There’s currently no evidence to suggest that inhalant use directly reduces the efficacy of HRT. We’ll keep looking and update this information if something new comes to light. The interactions between inhalants and HRT are not well known. Progesterone and Cyproterone Acetate can have sedative effects, so we may be particularly tired, fatigued or sleepy during or after taking inhalants.
BENZOS
There’s currently no evidence to suggest that benzos reduce the efficacy of HRT. We’ll keep looking and update this information if something new comes to light. The interactions between benzos and HRT are not well known. Progesterone and Cyproterone Acetate can have sedative effects, so we may be particularly tired, fatigued or sleepy during or after taking benzos
VIAGRA/SILDENAFIL
There’s currently no evidence to suggest that Viagra use directly interacts with HRT or reduces its efficacy. We’ll keep looking and update this information if something new comes to light. The interactions between Viagra and HRT are not well known. While dual use is not understood to be unsafe, users may find that the intended effects of Viagra (or any other erectile dysfunction medication), such as causing and maintaining an erection, are hampered by any feminising and anti-androgenising / demasculinising medications.
GHB
There’s currently no evidence to suggest that GHB use directly reduces the efficacy of HRT. We’ll keep looking and update this information if something new comes to light. The interactions between GHB and HRT are not well known. Progesterone and Cyproterone Acetate can have sedative effects, so we may be particularly tired, fatigued or sleepy during or after taking GHB.
ANABOLIC STEROIDS
There’s currently no evidence to suggest that steroid use directly reduces the efficacy of HRT. We’ll keep looking and update this information if something new comes to light.
While dual use is not understood to be unsafe, feminising and anti-androgen hormone users may find that use of anabolic steroids frustrates the feminising and anti-androgenising / demasculinising effects of HRT use. We’d likely experience less effective changes from both or either medication.
While both testosterone and anabolic steroids have masculinising effects that may be desirable, the use of both medications may increase or exacerbate mood swings, irritability and anger, so be sure that we’re keeping our mental and social health in balance.
DOSAGE
Hormone therapies can impact not only how our body appears, but how it distributes and stores muscle mass and fat. Undergoing physical changes through HRT may therefore impact on our safe use: a dosage that our body previously processed safely can become more of a problem than it was before.
Be especially careful if we’re increasing a dosage, because – depending on the substance – this increases our risk of overdose or side effects from use. Chat with a healthcare professional before altering any dosages.
DISCLAIMER:
The information given on this page is not medical advice and should not be relied upon in that way.