Why Do I Need Testosterone
The importance of testosterone is frequently ignored. Testosterone levels peak in the mid-20s and then continue to decline. This decline in testosterone can result in low energy, low sex drive, hair loss, weight gain, loss of motivation, and a decrease in muscle mass and tone. Testosterone replacement can greatly improve these symptoms as well as your sleep.
Do Hormone Pellets Cause Weight Gain Or Weight Loss
Many patients get hormone therapy to fix a specific problem and one of the problems they are looking to fix is often their weight.
There is no easy answer to this question because it really depends on if your doctor is able to dose your hormones accurately through pellet therapy.
If the dose is correct then you may expect to see an improvement in your symptoms and you may see some weight loss.
If your dosing is incorrect, either too much or too low, then you may see the opposite effect and you may actually see weight gain .
This is why you see conflicting stories about people who state they either gained weight on hormone pellets or lost it.
Its not the pellet therapy itself but rather the dose of the hormones.
But remember:
The dose can be achieved through other means, such as gels or creams.
The bottom line?
Dont count on hormone pellets as a primary weight loss tool, instead just be happy if they happen to help you with weight loss along the way.
There are much better, and more targeted ways, to lose weight which you can read about here.
Are Bioidentical Hormones Safe
The bioidentical hormones that are approved by the FDA have been tested for safety. They have passed the FDA’s strict standards and are safe for people to use. Like all hormone treatments, there are risks involved. You should weigh the pros and cons of even the FDA-approved bioidentical hormones with your healthcare provider.
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How Effective Are Hormone Pellets
Hormone pellets are therapeutically distinctive from other forms of hormone replacement and augmentation.
- Unlike hormone replacement in the form of gels and creams, hormone pellets are fully absorbed. Gels and creams interact with sweat. They can be rubbed off by friction with clothing.
- Unlike hormone replacement by injection, hormone pellets deliver continuous hormone replacement. Hormones are continuously metabolized by liver enzymes, but they are also continuously released by the pellets for several months.
- And unlike orally administered hormone replacement, hormone pellets do not have to pass through the digestive tract and hepatic portal vein into the liver before they are absorbed by the body. They are not affected by irregularities of digestion and absorption.
Although there are synthetic forms of testosterone such as Testopel that are also given in the form of injected pellets, most hormone pellet therapy involves bioidentical hormones. There are several advantages of bioidentical hormones over synthetic hormones:
Also, because bioidentical hormone pellets are made in small batches by compounding pharmacies, it is easy to adjust dosages. Synthetic hormones are mass-produced by pharmaceutical companies in a small number of dosages.
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
Overview
Your bodys hormones control most of your basic bodily functions. They serve as an internal communication system between cells throughout the body. They coordinate everything from digestion and growth to your appetite, immune function, mood, and libido. So, when your hormones are out of balance, even slightly, it can have a big impact on your health and well-being.
Often, when peoples hormones drop or become unbalanced, they turn to hormone replacement therapies to ease symptoms. One such therapy, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy , has gotten a lot of attention in recent years. It promises a natural solution to hormone issues. But what exactly is BHRT, and hows it different from other hormone replacement therapies?
Read on to learn all you need to know about BHRT, its benefits and risks, and whether it may be right for you.
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What Are The Side Effects Of Hormone Replacement Therapy
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can help men and women balance irregular hormones. Caused by natural fluctuations, thyroid issues, stress, diet and nutrition issues, or genetics, imbalanced hormones can cause various uncomfortable symptoms, such as fatigue, mood swings, loss of libido, hot flashes, painful sex, erectile dysfunction, and vaginal dryness. Dallas Cosmetic Center in Dallas, TX offers bioidentical hormone replacement therapy to help you live more comfortably and to address these issues. If you experience problems caused by erratic hormone fluctuations, our board-certified gynecologist Dr. Otto Huertas provides hormone replacement therapy. This beneficial procedure helps with a variety of symptoms. In rare cases, some patients may have a few side effects, but Dr. Huertas will adjust your prescription amount to ensure it works best for your needs. Please read through our blog to learn more about hormone imbalance and schedule a consultation with Dr. Huertas.
Who Can Use Biote Hormone Replacement Therapy
BioTE therapy is available to both men and women who experience symptoms of hormone deficiency. Hormone replacement therapy is appropriate for both young and older adults, and is a lifelong treatment. If your body fails to produce adequate amounts of testosterone or estrogen, hormone replacement is the only way to return levels to where they can optimize health and well-being.
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Are Compounded Bioidentical Hormones Bad
There are risks to taking compounded bioidentical hormones, but in some cases, they may be a better choice. Compounded bioidentical hormones are not FDA-approved. They are not tested for safety or effectiveness. Many major medical groups do not support using them because not enough is known about their safety and long-term side effects.
Do Bioidentical Hormones Really Work
Yes, they work for some people. You will have different results depending on your symptoms and health history. Talk with your healthcare provider about bioidentical hormones and what form may work best for you. In some cases, your healthcare provider may recommend against using bioidentical hormones in favor of a more traditional hormone replacement therapy option.
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What Side Effects Should I Know About For Biote Hormone Replacement
Unfortunately, a steady decline in the hormones estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone is part of the aging process. As hormones decline, a vast number of side effects can negatively impact your health and your overall well-being. Dr. Lily Phillips of Ageless Grace offers BioTE hormone replacement therapy to individuals in the located Murrieta area, as well as the surrounding areas of Temecula, Menifee, Lake Elsinore, and beyond. BioTE® hormone replacement therapy is used to treat symptoms of hormone deficiency to improve your health and your quality of life.
Why Do I Need Estrogen
In spite of the negative publicity regarding hormone therapy, I still feel long-term estrogen therapy provides numerous benefits for patients in menopause. More recent studies have also confirmed the positive benefits of hormone therapy. Estrogen protects a woman against bone loss, heart disease, memory loss, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and more. Estrogen keeps you looking young and healthy.
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Just Because It Seems More Natural Become Better Informed
Given these significant differences in experiences, Dr. Jiang has serious doubts that women who opt for bioidentical custom compounds are not adequately informed about the lack of clinical evidence regarding the safety and effectiveness of these products. Nor are they sufficiently made aware that this form of hormone delivery is not subjected to the same level of regulation that is required to meet.
Pellet therapy and other compounded hormone products are regulated only be the rules governing vitamins and nutritional supplements, which means very little. They dont have to meet the same rigor as medications reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration , so theres no assurance that what is promised in the bottle is what youll get, or even that it will work as you expect. Rather, these hormonal products gain the attention of the FDA only after there is evidence of harm demonstrated in the people taking these unregulated products.
The study findings should raise red flags for any woman looking to have her doctor prescribe the compounded pelleted hormone therapy. And if you still decide to go this route, Dr. Jiang says: Women on pellet therapy need to be carefully monitored for their estrogen and testosterone levels.
You should understand that that are bioidentical and offer individualized options to women, he continues. There are FDA-approved hormone supplements available that are identical to human reproductive hormones, in a variety of dosages and delivery methods.
Young Women May Need Hormone Therapy Especially If They Feel Tired
Most women feel tired, especially after having kids. The problem is so pervasive throughout society, its expected and standard for women to feel tired. Except, its not normal or healthy. We interviewed HTCA provider Dr. Armi Walker, who explains it well in our interview with her .
Women should be able to experience a full and vibrant life, filled with energy and a good nights sleep throughout their entire lives, including going through menopause. Decreasing levels of hormones, particularly estrogen and progesterone, affect a womans energy.
Using BHRT to help a woman stabilize her hormone levels helps reduce highs and lows of fatigue and sleep problems. As a woman feels better during the day and gets a better nights sleep, she finds that she has more energy during the day. Having more energy allows her to take care of her family, be successful at work, and have time to take care of herself properly without sacrificing anything.
Of course, if a woman simply feels tired, society expectations almost require her to ignore it. Its up to the doctor to begin speaking to women of all ages who report feeling a little tired. Additionally, doctors should talk to their women patients about fatigue, even if they dont bring it up themselves.
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Nering With The Right Practitioner
Whenever you are considering a new medical treatment, its important to ask questions. Its also important that you find a health care practitioner who you can trust to give you accurate answers. You should only undertake treatment you fully understand and are comfortable with and only work with a practitioner whos open in providing all the information you need to feel secure.
To ensure you have the best treatment experiencepossible, the practitioner you choose should be a top medical professional whospecializes in hormone health and BHRT. They will work with you to create acustomized treatment plan designed to fit your body and help you achieve yourhealth goalswhether that includes hormone pellet therapy or anotheradministration method. They will also track your progress over time andfine-tune your treatment plan to optimize efficacy and minimize or eliminateside effects.
If you want to know more about hormone pellets, BodyLogicMD can help. The BodyLogicMD network is comprised of top medical professionals who specialize in hormone health and BHRT. With the guidance of a BodyLogicMD-affiliated practitioner, you can find durable relief from your symptoms and discover new strategies for enhancing your quality of life. Contact a local practitioner to schedule your first appointment, or take the BodyLogicMD Hormone Balance Quiz to learn more about how hormones may be affecting your everyday life.
Side Effects Of Progestogen
The main side effects of taking progestogen include:
- breast tenderness
- vaginal bleeding
As with side effects of oestrogen, these will usually pass after a few weeks.
If they persist, a GP may recommend switching to a different way of taking progestogen, changing the medicine you’re taking, or lowering your dose.
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What Is Bioidentical Hormone Pellet Therapy
Once the decision is made to use hormone therapy, there comes another decision: Which method is the best fit for you? For some women, hormone pellet therapy will be considered a superior method of hormone delivery. With this unique system, 2-3 small pellets consisting of testosterone or estradiol, each about the size of a grain of rice, are inserted beneath the skin, into the fatty tissue of the hip, and the pure hormone is delivered gradually, directly into the bloodstream. The simple in-office procedure takes only a few minutes, first with numbing of the skin, and one tiny incision that only requires a small steri strip, no stitches.
The subcutaneous pellets act as a reservoir of hormone, allowing the body to receive a consistent dose throughout the day and night. The pellets gradually absorb until they are completely dissolved, leaving no residue. Typically, a woman will find that pellets will control symptoms for 3-5 months. Because of the efficient and gradual delivery system of the hormone pellets, side effects are less likely than with oral or injectable hormones, and there is less incidence of issues related to poor absorption, sometimes problematic with hormone creams, gels, or patches.
Where To Go To Start Biote Hormone Replacement Therapy
If you are living with disruptive symptoms of hormone deficiency and reside in the Southern California area close to Murrieta, CA, call Ageless Grace today to schedule an appointment. Ageless Grace offers a complimentary in-person or virtual consultation. Come prepared with a list of your medical history and current symptoms, and any questions you may have. We look forward to talking with you.
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A Closer Look At Hormone Pellet Side Effects
Hormone replacement therapy is remarkably versatile. By supplementing the bodys natural hormone levels, HRT can be used to treat a broad spectrum of hormone-related conditions and symptoms, including perimenopause, menopause, and low testosterone. And while conventional hormone therapies are used successfully by many patients, custom-compounded bioidentical hormones are opening up new doors to treatmentboth for patients who make the switch from conventionals and for patients who seek out bioidentical hormone replacement therapy from the start.
One of the key features of custom-compounded BHRT is the ability to choose from a variety of administration methods. One of most appealing of these methods is pellet therapy. Known for their efficacy and convenience, hormone pellets can be used by both men and women to restore hormone balance and alleviate distressing symptoms. But should you be concerned about hormone pellet side effects? By deepening your understanding of this innovative administration method, you can better determine if hormone pellet therapy is right for you.
Other Problems From Hormone Pellet Therapy
Whether using pellets or topical treatment, hormone replacement therapy with bioidentical hormones is a safe effective treatment for hormone imbalance symptoms. The pellets do add some increased risk of side effects as noted above. In addition to the side effect noted above, the most common problem I have seen with hormone pellet therapy is the very high levels of hormones that are maintained. This typically occurs from poor monitoring of the hormone levels. As a result we see women with testosterone levels that are as high as men and men that have testosterone levels that are well above the upper reference range.
Now this can happen from time to time with any method of hormone treatment. With pellet therapy it seems to be a more common occurrence rather than an exception. This may occur from infrequent lab testing or checking when the hormone levels would naturally be running out and hence lower. This lower lab test then justifies a higher milligram pellet dose. While a more frequent lab monitoring may resolve this, pellet therapy is rarely monitored this way. For some excessively high hormone levels can make you feel just as poorly as low. If you started hormone pellet therapy and you don’t feel any better or feel worse consider having the levels checked a month after pellet insertion.
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What Symptoms Of Hormone Imbalance Can Be Treated
Hormone deficiencies are mostly due to age, genetics, and lifestyle changes. Symptoms of hormone imbalance can include:
-
Vaginal dryness
-
Menopausal symptoms
Dr. Phillips of Ageless Grace can use BioTE pellets to treat all these symptoms by evaluating each patient, performing blood panels to assess current hormone levels, and customizing a treatment plan specific to your needs.
Hormone Pellet Therapy Side Effects Explained
brandon llewellyn| 22 August, 2022
Hormone pellet therapy is a safe, simple, and inexpensive method of replacing or regulating hormones in both males and females. Males may be treated with hormone pellets for steady, regulating augmentation of testosterone levels.
Females past the age of menopause may be given hormone pellet therapy with analogs of estrogen and progesterone to relieve disagreeable symptoms without increased cancer risk. Transgender people may receive hormone pellet therapy as part of their transition.
Like every other therapy, hormone pellet therapy requires balancing benefits with risks. The side effects of hormone pellet therapy are rare, but not unknown.
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The Risks Of Taking Hormone Pellets Outweigh Its Benefits
There is a great appeal to the notion of specially-formulated hormone cocktail to reverse the signs and symptoms of age-related hormone decline. Hormone pellet therapy is one of the most effective in reversing the signs of aging, especially in women. Celebrities and influencers are just raving about its benefits for women going through menopause.
What is hormone pellet therapy?
One method of hormone therapy is hormone pellets, which makes use of a small pellet inserted under the skin. It is an effective delivery method that provides continuous release of a hormone to correct hormone imbalance.
However, Pellet therapy is associated with more side effects as much as 6 times! The risks simply just outweigh the benefits. Are you willing to take the risk?
Although hormone pellets offer a great delivery system, it is usually associated with more side effects.
It was reported that pellet therapy with estradiol and/or testosterone caused as much as 6 times the number of side effects. This includes abnormal uterine bleeding and subsequent hysterectomy. Women who used hormone pellets also reported acne breakouts, crazy mood swings and anxiety, changes in hair patterns, and weight gain.