What is BioTE?
BioTE is a type of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT). More specifically, the treatment uses pellets with bioidentical hormones, meaning that they are molecularly identical to the hormones that your body naturally produces. This allows BioTE patients to enjoy the benefits and relief of hormone therapy without the uncomfortable side effects from hormones that are not completely recognized by the body. Additionally, without added supplements found in other types of hormone therapy, BHRT hormones are thought to be able to better bind to hormone receptors and effectively function in the body.
How Does BioTE Work?
BioTE works using pellet therapy. Customized pellets will be created with a compound of hormones (estrogen and testosterone) that treat your unique symptoms and needs. In this method, the hormone pellets are inserted just below the skin. . The hormones are then gradually absorbed by the body. Many patients enjoy the benefit of not needing to remember to take a pill or apply a topical cream daily. Instead, the hormones are released by the pellets as needed over a course of 3-4 months and the entire pellet will be absorbed, leaving nothing behind. Patients often report feeling symptom relief within the first few weeks, and sometimes in as little as hours after their BioTE treatment. After 3-4 months, pellet therapy can be repeated with another series of treatments.
Benefits of BioTE Therapy
BioTE therapy is useful for achieving several goals and treating a variety of conditions caused by hormonal imbalance. Some benefits include:
- Improved immune response
- Increased energy and strength
- Easier to lose weight
- Stable mood and increased mental clarity
- Better overall health
- Help prevent age-related illness
- Reduced migraine headaches
Who is a Candidate for BioTE Therapy?
Many patients have hormone imbalances which cause other medical problems. Often, hormone imbalance can increase the risk of age-related problems as a patient ages, including osteoporosis or Alzheimer’s Disease. You may also experience disrupted sleep, fatigue, memory issues, weight gain, muscle or joint pain, vaginal dryness or decreased libido. Patients suffering from these issues may be a candidate for BioTE therapy. Before your BioTE hormone pellets are placed, your doctor will request blood work to determine the correct dosage and ensure that you are a suitable candidate for the treatment.
In addition, the treatment is often excellent for improving women’s reproductive health and correlated conditions. Estrogen pellets have been proven to reduce hot flashes, prevent depression, and improve libido for those experiencing menopause. Menstrual migraines are also common for women, and post-menopausal women also feel the effects of these headaches. Since a decrease in estrogen is what triggers these migraines, estrogen pellets can be used to significantly improve or prevent migraines.
BioTE can also improve symptoms after a hysterectomy, the surgical removal of the uterus. When the uterus is removed, symptoms of menopause will immediately come into full effect, causing an uncomfortable transition with significant physical and emotional side effects. To cope with this sudden, difficult imbalance, hormone replacement therapy, such as BioTE, is used to make the transition more bearable.
The BioTE Procedure
The BioTE procedure is relatively simple. The BioTE pellet is typically inserted into the skin near your buttocks. The area will first be numbed using a mild, local anesthetic. Then, the pellet can be inserted and the insertion site will be covered with a small bandage. The entire BioTE procedure takes just 15 minutes.
BioTE therapy offers the benefit of minimal downtime and recovery. Slight swelling and redness at the insertion site is common but should not persist for more than a few days. For the first few days after your pellet therapy, you should avoid strenuous activities, especially lower body exercise, since the insertion area may be sore. You should also avoid baths and swimming so that you do not soak the bandage, although showering is okay. Once the bandage is removed, you can return to all of your normal daily activities.
Schedule an Appointment
To learn more about BioTE and find out if the treatment is right for you, schedule an appointment with Carnegie Women’s Health in our New York City office. Our knowledgeable and highly-trained staff will evaluate your health and determine whether BioTE is a suitable solution. Call (315) 628-7063 or contact us online to schedule your appointment.
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Health Assessments for Your Appointment
Please download and fill out the gender-specific forms below and bring them to your appointment with us.
Health Assessment for Women
Health Assessment for Men
Additional Resources from BioTE
Women Have Been Misled About Menopause
Menopausal hormone therapy can treat all of the overlooked symptoms of menopause (bouts of anger, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, memory loss, and severe pain before menstruation). Uncertainty about the severity and cause of menopausal symptoms led to skepticism and varied opinions about hormonal therapy during the 20th century, but many recent studies have shown the profound positive effects this treatment can have for premenopausal and menopausal women. One of the main symptoms targeted by menopausal hormone therapy is hot flashes, which are suffered by about 70-80% of women. Hormonal therapy not only alleviates hot flashes, but also the memory loss and risk of cardiovascular disease associated with this common menopausal symptom.
Five Things to Know About Menopause and Horomone Therapy
The severity of menopausal symptoms is often overlooked and watered down to hot flashes and night sweats. As women transition into menopause, they are also at risk of bone loss, fatigue, joint pain, pain during sexual intercourse, depression, weight gain, and more. Hormone therapy is often recommended for women in their 40s or 50s to prevent these complications and ease the transition into menopause. It is generally safe for most women but other treatments like medication with S.S.R.I.’s or cognitive behavioral therapy can be considered for women at high risk of possible complications like heart attack and breast cancer.
