A wise man and wit once quipped that the only things we cannot avoid in life are death and taxes. He missed another – ageing! We all get older and for some of us middle age comes with quite striking changes in our bodies. This is often down to our bones and other components wearing with age, but for many people – and women especially – these changes can be brought about hormonally.
We’re here to look at a method of treatment for hormone deficiency known as hormone pellet therapy. We will explain what it is and how it works shortly. But to understand why you might need this treatment it is essential you are familiar with what hormones do in the body, and why you might hit a point where you start to notice changes in the way you feel and your moods. Why are hormones so vital to our daily lives?
Why Are Hormones So Important?
The human body is a complex machine. Within our skin in addition to our skeleton which is what keeps us together are many components that each play a role in keeping us alive and fit. Our essential organs, nervous system, and brain, all work together to keep us going. But without the many hormones in the body, we couldn’t perform even basic tasks.
Hormones are chemicals created by and secreted from glands within the body. The best known are testosterone – the male hormone – plus estrogen which is a dominant hormone in females, and insulin which is important for diabetics.
Now, to understand what a hormone does you need to think of it as a chemical message. Testosterone and estrogen are both associated with – among other things – sexual performance in men and women respectively. Sexual arousal causes testosterone to signal the blood to fill two sacs in the penis which create an erection. That’s just one instance of a hormone doing its job. Another is insulin that regulates the sugar level in the blood.
So, while these chemical messengers are doing their job all is well, but what happens when they stop being produced in the right quantities? And more to the point, why does hormone production slow down?
Why Does the Body Stop Producing Hormones?
For all women bar a few exceptions another thing that cannot be avoided in life is menopause. Usually occurring in her mid-40’s, this is the point at which the reproductive system has passed its working lifespan. The ovaries stop producing eggs on their cyclical basis and stop producing the hormones that come with it. The woman no longer experiences a regular period, and she can become massively imbalances hormonally. This can cause symptoms as follows:
- Hot Flushes
- Night sweats
- Insomnia
- Dryness and thinning of the skin and particularly the vaginal area
- Diminished sex drive and loss of sensitivity to stimulation
- Hair Loss
- Anxiety
- Forgetfulness that may include an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease
- Depression and other mood changes
As you can see there are some symptoms there that can be distressing for a woman who is used to living a healthy and enjoyable life. This is why hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a popular choice for women enduring menopause, and hormone pellet therapy is just one method of treatment.
For men, things are different. Although there is a condition known as andropause which is often referred to as ‘male menopause’ it is not always biological. Men in their 50’s may suffer erectile dysfunction – the inability to create and maintain and erection – thanks to a deficiency in testosterone.
This can be accompanied by other symptoms such as low bone density, poor muscle development, and loss of cognitive performance. In younger men this also occurs and is often the result of poor lifestyle choices such as heavy smoking and drinking and recreational drug use.
So, what is hormone pellet therapy, and why is it becoming more popular as a method of administering HRT? That’s what we’re about to tell you, so let’s move on.
What Is Hormone Pellet Therapy?
In simple terms hormone pellet therapy is a non-invasive and increasingly popular method of replacing lost hormones. The procedure involves small incisions in a couple of places. Via these incisions small pellets are inserted under the skin. These pellets contain bioidentical replacement hormones.
Bioidentical hormones are laboratory created to be as close to the actual hormones in an individual’s body. Over time these hormones will seep into the bloodstream and replace the missing quantities. This is not a permanent solution but will last a few months and then you can undergo the procedure again.
Hormone pellet therapy will be administered by a trained and qualified practitioner in a clinic that offers this method most likely among other forms of HRT. Before we close, we should mention a few of the alternatives.
Are There Alternative Methods Of HRT?
Hormone pellet therapy is a successful treatment method for menopause and for men experiencing the effects of andropause. It is not the only one and the following may be prescribed as more appropriate for some individuals:
- Regular injections of replacement hormones
- Orally taken pills that contain the hormone
- Patches and creams that are applied to the skin
- PRP treatment may also be recommended.
A consultant will ask many questions about the patient’s background and lifestyle in order to correctly assess them for the most appropriate form of HRT that they can provide. Everything will be explained in detail, and we should say that the few risks with hormone pellet treatment are limited to soreness and irritation around the incisions and possible bleeding.
Will Hormone Pellet Therapy be Successful?
If you want to live a healthier life and are considering pellet therapy as a method of getting their be aware that you will be expected to change your lifestyle to help you on the road to recovery. Talk to a consultant now about your problems and arrange for them to see if you are a candidate for hormone pellet therapy.
