WHAT EXACTLY ARE HORMONES AND WHY ARE THEY SO IMPORTANT?

Hormones are the life-sustaining chemical messengers produced by a group of glands known as the endocrine system. Hormones are needed for growth and development, sexual function, metabolism, repair and rejuvenation, and overall well-being. Unfortunately, levels of these critical hormones can greatly diminish due to stress, nutritional deficiencies, lack of exercise, lack of sleep, environmental pollution, long-term use of prescription or over-the-counter medications, and advancing age. As hormone production decreases, the body often begins to slow down its rejuvenation and repair of tissues and organs. This can cause health to decline and aging to accelerate.

Two key hormones vitally important for rejuvenation and repair of the body are estrogen and testosterone—produced by the ovaries and testicles. Around age 40, we begin to lose the ability to produce sufficient levels of estrogen and testosterone. Good health is slowly replaced with a host of age-associated health problems. People often lose the vigor and energy for life they once had. We have been led to believe these changes are an inevitable part of the aging process, and that we must simply learn to endure them. Getting older does not have to mean the end of a happy and healthy life. Hormones are our life-force. With Hormone Pellet Therapy, you can now put back these life-giving hormones and restore what was lost. (For more information about testosterone, click here to read Dr. Thomas's article entitled “The Hidden Power of Testosterone.”)

WHAT IS HORMONE PELLET THERAPY?

Hormone Pellet Therapy is a state-of-the-art medical protocol, utilizing tiny hormone pellets that provide an on-demand delivery system to replenish the missing amounts estrogen and testosterone. They are designed to supplement or add to your own hormones—not replace them. The pellets contain low-dose, plant-based hormones derived from a naturally occurring compound found in soy and wild yam called diosgenin which is biologically equivalent to human hormones. They are hand-formulated under sterile conditions in licensed compounding pharmacies in the United States, using the purest ingredients and manufactured to the highest standards.

The pellets are slightly larger than a cooked piece of rice and are painlessly placed beneath the skin. Hormone Pellet Therapy allows your body to receive the hormones it needs directly into the bloodstream 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The body uses the pellets as a reservoir or “hormone bank”, withdrawing from it as needed. This makes estrogen and testosterone available exactly when you need it, in the correct amount you need, and in a form that is equivalent to your own. Depending on your metabolic state at any given moment, blood flow will automatically increase or decrease around the pellets. When more hormone is needed—like during stress or exercise—blood flow increases and more hormone is absorbed. When less hormone is needed—like during sleep—blood flow decreases and less hormone is absorbed. And when the body is given back the exact hormones it is missing, normal physiology is restored, allowing one to experience improved health and vitality.

IS HORMONE PELLET THERAPY NEW?

Hormone therapy using pellets is FDA-approved and is not new. If you haven’t heard about the benefits, you’re not alone. Hormone pellets were originally developed in France in 1935 to help alleviate the symptoms of menopause. They were first used in the United States from the early 1940’s to the early 1970’s before synthetic hormones were heavily marketed, and are currently popular in Europe and Australia for both men and women. Since the 1970’s, medical education in the United States has been geared toward synthetic hormones, and most physicians practicing today were never trained in the use of hormone pellets. The truth is hormone pellets have been available for over 60 years but are grossly underutilized. But a growing number of physicians in the U.S. have begun to realize the importance of restoring hormones to healthier levels, and many are now using pellets to do so.

IS HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY USING PELLETS SAFE?

Yes, and there is an abundance of published data to support the safe use of pellets. For over 60 years, hormone replacement therapy using pellets has been documented in hundreds of medical journal articles worldwide. But don’t let the words “hormone replacement therapy” scare you. This isn’t the same as animal-derived or synthetic hormones manufactured by large pharmaceutical companies. This is about plant-derived estrogen and testosterone that is biologically equivalent to the estrogen and testosterone produced by your own body. Fear of cancer prevents some people from restoring youthful hormone levels, but rather than cause cancer, data is now suggesting that low doses of hormones may actually help protect you from cancer. If you have a history of breast or prostate cancer, the decision of whether to use hormones should be made after discussion with Dr. Thomas, and after considering natural ways to support your immune system including consuming abundant cruciferous vegetables while minimizing red meat, high-fat dairy, and sweets, and taking vitamin D, calcium D-glucarate, and lignans found in organic flaxseed meal (click here).

HOW DO PELLETS COMPARE TO PILLS, CREAMS, PATCHES, SHOTS, HERBS, OR VITAMINS?

It is difficult for prescription hormone pills, creams, gels, patches, and shots to produce a normal physiologic state because they cannot deliver the varying amounts of hormones required by the body at different times, causing a peak-and-valley or roller-coaster effect, and subjecting one to potentially excessive dosages. Because hormone pills are absorbed through the digestive tract and pass through the liver before the body can absorb them, some of the hormone can be lost in the process. And no over-the-counter herbal or vitamin product can return your hormones to normal physiologic levels, and any claims to the contrary are simply untrue.

There are no peaks and valleys of hormone levels with pellet therapy. Just like the natural, built-in hormone-delivery system of your body (endocrine system), pellets work on an ongoing basis, automatically delivering correct amounts of hormones directly into the bloodstream when you need it. This consistent level of hormones can give you the same sense of well-being and vitality you felt in your 30’s. And when your body returns to normalized physiologic function, you may sleep better, think more clearly, and enjoy an increase in your energy levels, as well as your sex drive. You could feel like the old you again!

WHAT MAKES PELLETS A DESIRABLE FORM OF HORMONE THERAPY?

• Derived from natural plant sources—not animal

• A more physiologic way to deliver hormones

• Consistent and balanced level of hormones utilizing low dosages

• Safe, reliable, and hassle-free

• Can take just 48-72 hours to get into your system and begin working

• Lasts up to six months at a time

• Less expensive overall

WHAT CAN HORMONE PELLET THERAPY DO FOR ME?

You won’t believe how good you can feel when your hormones are restored and balanced to more youthful levels. The quality of life given back to every man or woman by putting back life-giving hormones can be significant. The benefits of Hormone Pellet Therapy are numerous and may include:

• Increased energy levels

• Increased sense of well-being (“zest for life”)

• Increased sex drive & satisfaction

• Improved mental sharpness, concentration, and memory

• Improved sleep

• Decreased body fat

• Increased muscle mass and strength

• Increased response to diet & exercise

• More stable moods—less irritability and grumpiness

• Less anxiety and depression

• Less joint pain and muscle aches

• Improved flexibility and mobility

• Increased bone density

• Fewer & less intense migraine headaches

• Lower cholesterol levels

• Improved blood sugar levels

• Increased blood flow to the heart

• Decreased state of inflammation

• Men: Stronger erections

• Women: Reduced hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and breast tenderness

What Are The Possible Side Effects?

There are very few side effects since the pellets are simply restoring the hormones to physiologic levels. When first starting therapy, there will be a short adjustment period. The most common side effects are generally mild and can include temporary breast or nipple tenderness, and temporary water weight gain. For more information, click here to download a read a copy of our Informed Consent: Female or Male.

CAN HORMONE PELLET THERAPY LESSEN THE NEED FOR MAINTAINING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE?

Not at all. While Hormone Pellet Therapy can be one of the most effective ways to fight the signs of aging and regain more youthful vigor, good health habits are extremely important. Maintaining proper hormone balance along with a healthy lifestyle can be an incredibly powerful combination. For more information, click here to download and print a free copy of Dr. Thomas’s Top Ten Tips for Healthy Living.

HOW DO I RECEIVE TREATMENT?

The need for hormones is determined by medical history (symptoms), physical examination, and lab work. Proper hormone restorative therapy involves balancing and maintaining optimal levels of estrogen and/or testosterone. Hormone requirements can vary considerably between individuals. Hormone Pellet Therapy is a scientific and closely monitored approach. For women, estrogen along with a small amount of testosterone is what returns a woman’s body to its normal physiologic state. Men on the other hand, produce tiny amounts of estrogen in their bodies, and need only testosterone supplementation to achieve balance and return to optimum well-being.

After your hormone levels are accurately measured and analyzed via blood testing (we don’t use saliva testing as its reliability may be questionable), you will receive the proper dose of pellets to fulfill your body’s individual requirements. The procedure itself is simple and is performed in the comfort of our office. Using a local anesthetic, the pellets are painlessly placed beneath the skin in the hip or buttock area. The entire procedure takes less than 15 minutes. Depending on the individual, it can take as little as 48-72 hours and up to 90 days before symptoms will begin to improve (the average is 4-6 weeks). The pellets slowly dissolve over time, and can last several months. To maintain the numerous health benefits, depending on the individual, the procedure needs to be performed 3-4 times per year the first year, and just 2-3 times per year thereafter (click here to read comments from patients).

What are your fees and does insurance cover the cost?

This is about all about your quality of life, and restoring hormones to optimal levels is one of the best things you can do for your health. Fortunately the cost is reasonable. Not including lab fees (which are usually covered by insurance and Medicare), the average cost to get started is $485 for women and $860 for men (the cost to maintain the treatment is much less). Because hormone pellets can last up 6 months at a time, compared to other forms of hormones (pills, creams, gels, patches, shots), pellets are up to 75% less expensive overall. The difference in cost between men and women is due to men’s requirement for more testosterone than women. Some women will also need to take a safe, plant-based Progesterone supplement which costs about $25 per month, and some men will need to take a safe, estrogen-lowering medication called Anastrozole which costs about $18 per month. Except for lab fees, insurance and Medicare does not cover the cost of Hormone Pellet Therapy, but employer-based Flexible Spending Accounts—also known as “Flex Plans”—will reimburse most of the cost however. Detailed information about our fees is discussed by Dr. Thomas during a consultation.

Personal Message from Dr. Thomas: “Hormone Pellet Therapy has improved the lives of thousands of patients. On the face of it, it seems a little expensive, but this is more than offset because of how much longer it lasts and the lower maintenance costs compared to other forms of hormone therapy.”

How DO I get started?

For complete information on getting started, click here.