Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy

Capsules, creams, pellets...which are right for you?

Bio-identical hormone therapy has become common today as both women and men are realizing its many benefits. They sleep better, have more energy and lose weight. Restoring and balancing hormones also improves mood and libido, and relieves PMS, hot flashes, depression and anxiety. It improves memory and helps get rid of brain fog.

Since more doctors are dabbling in bio-identical hormones and offering an array of options, we want to help give you the best information so that you can make an informed decision for your health. Many people ask “what’s the best dosage form for bio-identical hormones?” 

Bioidentical hormones have the exact molecular structure as hormones produced by your body, so when you restore them, your body knows what to do with them. Just as a key fits perfectly into the right keyhole, bio-identical hormones do the same in your cells. Research shows that hormonal decline is associated with loss of body function and increase in disease. Studies demonstrate that bio-identical hormone replacement therapy can improve sleep, fatigue, mood, cognitive function, bone mass, sexual function, muscle strength and body composition, and decrease inflammation. 

Methods of Bio-identical Hormone Delivery

Capsules are able to deliver the exact dose that is prescribed by your doctor.  Capsules allow your doctor to individualize your dose and also make it easy to adjust your dose as you work with your doctor to find the right dose to alleviate your symptoms. {Capsules are the preferred method for administering Progesterone because of the adjustability factor.}  With capsules, you can administer a higher dose than with creams.   

Creams deliver the bio-identical hormones directly into your blood stream through your skin.  

Capsules vs. Creams
Choosing between capsules and creams depends on a few factors: 

a) the dose needed

b) the patient’s preference, and 

c) what works best. 

With capsules and creams, if a woman still has symptoms of a hormone deficiency, then the doctor is able to increase the dose immediately so symptoms can be resolved in a matter of hours or days. If the dose is too high, then skipping a dose for a few days is usually all that is needed to eliminate symptoms.

Pellet Therapy
Pellet therapy involves implants that are placed under the skin that release hormones into your body. The pellets, which are a little larger than a grain of rice, contain hormones (either estradiol or testosterone) which are pressed or fused into very small cylinders.  Then pellets are inserted under the skin through a small incision (either lower abdomen or upper buttocks) with local anesthesia. The incision is then closed with sutures or sterile tape strips. The pellets are replaced approximately every 3 to 5 months. They do not need to be removed – they are dissolved by the body. Patients can begin to feel relief starting anywhere from 48 hours up to 2 weeks after the pellets are implanted.