If you’re contemplating hormone replacement therapy, did you know that there’s a big difference in the safety and effectiveness of different methods? Here are 3 things you need to know about hormone replacement before you select a path.
1. Bioidentical hormones are the healthier choice as evidenced by both physiological data and clinical outcomes.1,2 Bioidenticals, when properly administered, have been associated with a reduced risk for cancer and other serious diseases. Because they have the same molecular structure as those made in the body, they are employed in the same way and easily metabolized and excreted from the body. On the other hand, research has shown that FDA-approved synthetic and animal derived hormone replacement drugs actually increase your risk for cardiovascular disease, cancer, stroke, blood clots and other serious conditions.3,4
2. The delivery method determines the effectiveness of HRT. Patches, pills, gels, cream, sublingual tablets, injections and suppositories all have significant drawbacks.
• Most of these methods create ups and downs in hormone levels that can cause a recurrence of symptoms.
• They do nothing to support around-the-clock hormonal balance.
• There are no bioidentical injections.
• Estrogen or testosterone in pill form must first pass through the gastrointestinal system and liver, metabolizing these hormones into risky byproducts.
• Patches, gels, and creams are messy and inaccurate when it comes to dosing.
Only the pellet implant method has been shown to provide hormones in a way the body can recognize and work with. The bioavailability of natural hormone, around-the-clock, when it’s needed, make pellets the most effective and safest method available. Compared to other methods, studies show that bioidentical pellets are superior for relieving symptoms, supporting bone mass and sleep patterns, and improving sex drive, libido, response and performance.5 Because pellets can last several months at a time, they are also the most convenient delivery method for bioidentical hormones.
3. Not all pellet therapies are alike. Many men and women begin their hormone replacement quest with their primary care physicians, urologists or gynecologists. Most physicians, however, do not have the expert training or knowledge needed to accurately administer pellet implant therapy. For that, you need a specialist who understands the procedure and can properly diagnose, prescribe and administer the precise amount of low dose hormone needed to achieve hormonal balance.
When all is said and done, reestablishing hormonal balance should be the focus of your hormone replacement. With the pellet implant method, key hormones can be restored to beneficial levels in proper ratio to one another. This return to internal balance is needed to support health and well-being as you age.
Give SottoPelle® a call today to set up a consultation with one of our BHRT experts. Experience the renewed sense of well-being that thousands of others before you have. You won’t believe the difference.
1Holtorf K. The bioidentical hormone debate: are bioidentical hormones (estradiol, estriol, and progesterone) safer or more efficacious than commonly used synthetic versions in hormone replacement therapy? Postgrad Med. 2009 Jan;121(1):73-85. doi: 10.3810/pgm.2009.01.1949. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19179815
2 Schwartz E, Holtorf K. Hormones in wellness and disease prevention: common practices, current state of the evidence, and questions for the future. Prim Care Clin Office Pract 2008; 35 (4): 669–705. http://www.holtorfmed.com/pdf/04-Hormones-in-Wellness.pdf
3 Writing Group for the Women’s Health Initiative Investigators: Risks and benefits of estrogen plus progestin in healthy menopausal women. Principle results from the Women’s Health Initiative randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2002; 288:321-333
4 http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/whi/whi_faq.htm
5 Schwartz E, Holtorf K. Hormones in wellness and disease prevention: common practices, current state of the evidence, and questions for the future. Prim Care Clin Office Pract 2008; 35 (4): 669–705. http://www.holtorfmed.com/pdf/04-Hormones-in-Wellness.pdf
