Hormone Pellet Therapy 101: What Is It? What Are Its Benefits?
by Anand Thakkar, M.D. ~
Have you ever heard of hormone pellet therapy? Well, if you haven’t, you’re in the right place.
It might seem odd that pellets are used in hormone therapy, but oddly enough they are potentially the best method of stable delivery of the necessary bioidentical hormones to maintain your preferred levels.
In this article, we will cover what hormone pellet therapy is, what’s inside of them, and what the benefits are.
So keep reading to learn more.
The Comparison of Traditional Hormone Therapy Drawbacks And Lack Thereof in Pellet Therapy
When it comes to traditional means of hormone therapy, such as gels, creams, tablets, and pills – there are many drawbacks. First and foremost is the lack of stable distribution of hormones.
By using either of the methods, an immediate spike is quickly adjusted by a big drip that develops a roller coaster of emotions and mood within the patient. Chemicals on hormone patches can cause allergic reactions. Pill-delivered estrogen increases the risk of heart attacks and blood clots.
However, hormone pellet therapy, which is plated below the skin is superior to traditional methods. As it provides, a steady and high hormone delivery over the course of three to six months
It’s the most effective delivery method for both women and men.
What’s Inside of Hormone Pellets?
The pellets are consisting of estradiol, estrogen, or testosterone, with the hormones fused into solid cylinders, the size almost identical to a tic-tac.
Hormone pellets are developed by pharmacy compounds and transported in sterile glass packages. Progesterone cannot be delivered via pellet for, because the pellet would have to be of a very large size, and thus very uncomfortable if placed under the skin.
The benefit of hormone pellets is the stability and healthy level of hormone levels that are delivered over a period of several months, which means you get to avoid the roller-coaster effect of traditional methods.
It also helps maintain a healthy balance of estradiol to estrone, which is crucial to hormone therapy for women. Unlike synthetic hormones and pills, bio-identical hormone pellets don’t lead to blood clots, and consequently heart attacks.
It is known that pallets deliver greater relief for menopausal symptoms, such as disturbed sleep, hot flashes, irritability, and poor libido.
Pellets that deliver testosterone will help improve bone density, lead body mass, muscle strength, while reducing the risk of chronic diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Not to mention, pellet hormone therapy is convenient. There is no need to manage and maintain a schedule. These pellets have been used since the 1930s and there is more data support their use than any other delivery method.
How Are the Pellets Inserted?
In most cases, the pellets are inserted into the upper buttocks through a tiny incision, which is covered with a sterile-strip. Prior to the insertion, local anesthesia is performed, and the entire procedure will take about 3 minutes.
Other than bruising and minor discomfort afterward, there are rare complications from the simplicity of the procedure. After insertion, it is suggested to avoid physical activity for 2 days, and swimming or bathing for 5 days.
What Are the Benefits of Hormone Pellet Therapy?
When it comes to hormone pellet therapy, the list of benefits is long and detailed. However, it’s important to understand only the three most important advantages of HPT. So let’s get to it.
Stability of Hormone Delivery
The pellets are designed to provide you with a stable delivery of hormones. It is inserted into the subcutaneous tissue, which is avascular compared to other tissues, which reduces the rate of absorption.
This allows the body to break the pellet down through the surface area of contact, which relatively evenly supplies the hormones directly into the body over the course of months.
The delivery peaks at the one month mark, and begins to slow after that point at a steady rate. This can be directly compared to the erratic and unpredictable deliveries of oral or transdermal approaches, which tend to have peaks and troughs in hormone delivery.
Bioidentical, Not Synthetic/Pharmaceutical
Hormone pellets are always made with bioidentical hormones. These are exact replicas of the existing hormones in your body, and significantly more superior than pharmaceutical or synthetic solutions.
Whenever you look for any type of hormone replacement therapy, make sure that bioidentical hormones are used. So if you need estrogen, look for therapy that contains estradiol. If you want progesterone, look for therapy that contains progesterone USP.
Synthetic solutions of estrogen have Ethynil estradiol, conjugated equine estrogens, and esterified estrogens. Synthetic progesterone has norgestrel, norgestimate, levonorgestrel, megestrol, desogestrel, medroxyprogesterone acetate, norethindrone acetate.
As you can see, there’s a lot of excessive synthetics that are harmful to the body. So stick to bioidentical hormones.
Set & Forget
The most important benefit of hormone pellet therapy is the fact that you can set it and forget it. They are completely hands-off. You get the procedure done in a short visit, and the pellet does the rest of the work for the next several months.
Most people tend to star feeling recessive symptoms of the past slowly creep in after 4 months, which drives them to get another pellet installed. This is great for those who don’t have the time to apply gels or creams.
And if you can’t stand being injected, this is another great option for hormone therapy.
Hormone Pellet Therapy for You
Now that you know all about hormone pellet therapy, you are well on your way to ensuring that you get the possible treatment for your symptomatic conditions. Whatever hormone imbalances you may be treating, hormone pellet therapy is exceptional for long-term steady treatment.
If you’re interested in getting some pellets, get in touch with us and we will happily accommodate your needs.
Dr. Anand Thakkar is a licensed Internal Medicine physician. He is Board Certified in Anti-Aging & Regenerative Medicine. He has been a member of the teaching faculty for students at Chicago Medical School and has been featured on ABC, FOX, USA Today, Chicago Tribune, and Forbes as a recognized authority in wellness, fitness & nutrition, weight loss, anti-aging, hormones & metabolic medicine, holistic medicine, lifestyle coaching and women’s & men’s health.
Learn more about Dr. Thakkar or Chicago Weight Loss and Wellness Clinics here.