Hormone Pellets

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) may offer relief for many common and debilitating symptoms that medical providers often overlook. Some of these symptoms include:

• Exhaustion
• Stress
• Foggy thinking
• Weight gain
• Sleep disturbances
• And so much more

Often, people with symptoms like these are suffering from hormonal imbalance. These ailments may be managed by getting to the root cause of these complex conditions and returning the patient to a state of hormonal balance. BHRT may be a simple method for correcting these complex issues through hormone optimization.*

Bioidentical hormone replacement pellet therapy is a personalized approach to hormone replacement. It allows a patient’s body to absorb the right level of hormones at the right time using a delivery method the body can process efficiently.

Pellets are small capsules (about the size of a grain of rice) that contain bioidentical hormones like testosterone or estrogen. A bioidentical hormone is the exact molecular structure of hormones the body produces naturally.

They are inserted under the skin, where hormones enter the bloodstream as they dissolve over several months. Our studies show that patients may see the effects of hormone optimization up to four weeks after a pellet insertion. Everyone is unique and some people may feel the effects immediately, while others may take up to two or more pellet insertions before they feel full effects.

Hormones delivered by pellet therapy bypass the liver, do not affect clotting factors, do not increase the risk of thrombosis, and avoid the fluctuations of hormone levels some patients may experience. Biote bioidentical hormone pellets are made from soy or the yam plant to create estradiol and/or testosterone molecules, unlike synthetic hormones, which are made from animal parts or urine and have a different molecular structure than what the body produces.

As each patient’s symptoms are unique, so is each patient’s path to hormone optimization. Some patients report some relief in as soon as four weeks, but full hormone optimization may take up to six months. Many report feeling more benefits after the second insertion. Our hormone optimization therapy will be customized to balance each patient’s hormones and fit their specific needs.

• The Pellet Insertion Method
  • During an in-office visit, a patient is brought into the exam room, and the insertion site, usually somewhere around the upper buttocks, is numbed. A small incision is made, and the hormone pellet is inserted. Afterward, the insertion site is covered with a small bandage. The pellet dissolves, and the body absorbs the contents, leaving nothing behind. Every patient’s symptoms are unique, so each journey is customized to fit their needs. Some patients report seeing improvement in as little as four weeks, but full optimization can take up to six months. Many patients report feeling the benefits after the second insertion.

• Post-Insertion Care
  • After the pellet-insertion process is complete, it’s best to abstain from lower body exercise for a short period of time. Walking is fine, but more strenuous exercise is not recommended. Showers are permitted, but bathtubs, hot tubs, and swimming should be avoided. After the bandage is removed, you can resume normal exercise and swimming routines.

During the in-office visit, which only takes a few minutes, patients are brought into the exam room, and the insertion site is numbed. The most common site of insertion is the upper buttocks. A small incision is then made for pellet insertion. Once the pellet is inserted, the insertion site is covered with a small bandage.

Yes, there are two major pellet therapy types: estrogen pellets and testosterone pellets.

Estrogen is a hormone that possesses many functions and occurs in the bodies of both men and women. In women, estrogen is commonly associated with reproduction—it prompts the menstrual cycle and develops the female body’s secondary sex characteristics. However, in both sexes, estrogen is responsible for many facets of bone health, cholesterol metabolism, and the thickness and collagen content of the skin.

In women, estrogen levels are reduced as they get older. Hormone levels in women drop most dramatically during perimenopause (immediately before menopause) and during menopause. In fact, after female menopause, many men may have higher estrogen levels than women. If a woman has had a radical hysterectomy involving the removal of both ovaries, her estrogen levels will struggle significantly, as the ovaries’ primary responsibility is estrogen production. Although adrenal glands produce some estrogen, as does fat tissue, this is often not enough to effectively balance and maintain women’s hormone levels.

Estrogen pellets are small cylinders that are custom compounded and composed of estradiol, a form of estrogen. Estrogen pellets may relieve emotional, reproductive, and non-reproductive symptoms. The most common administration for estrogen pellets is to help address the uncomfortable symptoms of aging in women.

Estrogen pellets are primarily used to combat the effects of menopause. Studies have shown that estrogen may also help relieve some symptoms associated with mood, bone density, and heart health.

Pellets last up to three to six months depending on gender, weight, absorption rates, and the amount of deficiency or surplus of hormones present within the patient at the time of insertion. Pellets are reinserted between two to four times per year to help keep hormones optimized and balanced and may take up to two insertions before feeling the full benefits.

We will conduct extensive lab work while considering a patient’s candidacy for BHRT using pellets. We can do the blood draw at clinic in preparation for your consultation and have results to review at your first appointment.

No fasting is required in advance of the insertion.

Since pellets are bioidentical and contain hormones like those our body produces, pellets are completely dissolved and absorbed, leaving nothing behind.

Testosterone is a hormone normally found in both men and women that is responsible for many critical body processes. Testosterone is produced in the testes and ovaries, and deficiencies can occur in men and women as the body ages.

After pellet insertion, it’s best to abstain from lower body exercise. Walking should be fine, but strenuous activity is not recommended. Avoid bathtubs, swimming and hot tubs ; however, showers are permitted. After removal of the bandage, normal activity may resume.

Testosterone pellets are composed of powdered testosterone fused into a pellet using stearic acid as a binding agent. The compounding pharmacies used by Biote provide high-quality pellets with ingredients that are meticulously tested. This testing process gives pharmacists, Biote Certified Providers, and patients confidence in the pellets’ quality.

Every person’s body is different, but at the end of a pellet cycle or when stopping pellet therapy altogether, symptoms of fatigue, low mood and sleeplessness may recur. Typically, the patient’s symptoms will return to the same state prior to BHRT as their estrogen and testosterone levels begin to drop.

Testosterone has been shown to relieve a wide range of reproductive, emotional, and non-reproductive conditions. Some of these include low energy, sexual dysfunction, mood swings, irritability, and many others.