What Is Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy?
The BioTE method of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy uses custom-compounded pellets (approximately the size of a grain of rice) that contain doses of testosterone and estrogen. These hormones are bioidentical to those already present in the body and work to restore hormones to optimal levels. The pellets are placed subcutaneously in the buttocks and release a continuous stream of hormones as the body needs them. Once inserted, the pellets dissolve slowly, so that they only need to be re-administered every 4-6 months depending on the patient.
The Importance of Hormone Balance
For men and women, the sex hormones estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone perform several important processes. We begin to produce less of these hormones as we age, which can start as early as someone’s mid 20s or early 30s. Hormonal imbalances occur when there is too much or too little of a hormone in the bloodstream. Hormones are important for regulating most major bodily processes. Because of their essential role in the body, even the smallest hormonal imbalance can cause side effects throughout the body. The goal of hormone optimization therapy is to provide patients with an enhanced sense of well-being. This could mean a return to the balance they once knew, or it could also mean providing a balance never felt by the patient before. In addition to feeling great, balancing our hormones may be able to help reduce the risk of certain concerns connected to hormone health.
Hormone Imbalance Symptoms for Men:
The most common symptoms of hormonal imbalance in men are often disregarded until they impact quality of life so severely that treatment is aggressively sought out. Some of the symptoms of hormonal imbalance in men include:
- Low Energy
- Sleeplessness
- Weight Gain
- Brain Fog
- Decreased Sexual Performance
- Inability to Maintain Muscle Mass
- Low Mood
- Anxiousness
- Elevated Blood Sugar
- Abnormal Heart Conditions
- Decreased Bone Density
Hormone Imbalance Symptoms for Women:
- Heavy, irregular, or painful periods
- Osteoporosis (weak, brittle bones)
- Hot flashes and night sweats
- Vaginal dryness
- Breast tenderness
- Indigestion
- Constipation and diarrhea
- Acne during or just before menstruation
- Uterine bleeding not associated with menstruation
- Increased hair growth on the face, neck, chest, or back
- Infertility
- Weight gain
- Thinning hair or hair loss
- Skin tags or abnormal growths
- Deepening of the voice
What Can a Patient Expect From BHRT?
While everyone’s results are different, the process for considering, getting, monitoring, and continuing with BHRT is typically the same with most patients. The first appointment with one of our certified BioTE provider’s will involve extensive hormone testing. The next appointment will be to review the patient’s test results, then, if the provider finds that the patient’s hormone levels are unbalanced, the hormone pellet insertion can be performed during that visit. The next round of BHRT pellets will be inserted in three to six months, depending on a variety of factors that determine absorption rates and needs as every patient’s path to balancing hormones is unique to them.
Meet Our Certified Providers
We are excited to share that Leslie Karr, NP, is certified to offer BioTE services to existing and new patients! We decided BioTE was the right choice for our patients because restoring and balancing ones hormones makes a significant difference in the quality of life.
Leslie Karr, N.P. Nurse Practitioner
