By Shannon Koehle
EmpowHer's Health Reporter
Menopause can be a stressful, irritable time in one’s life. Suffering from hot flashes, mood swings, decreased libido, low energy and more, some women’s symptoms are simply unbearable.
While there are medical treatments available to relieve symptoms, the International Hormone Society, made up of a collection of doctors worldwide, holds that bio-identical hormones may be safer than synthetic ones.
As the International Hormone Society says, “The prevailing concept is that bio-identical hormones may be safer to use than non-bio-identical hormones because they fit the body, in particular when a safer route of administration is used such as trans-dermal delivery.”
Bio-identical hormones made from soy and natural plant ingredients are structurally identical to natural human hormones.
Hormone Pellet Therapy, which administers bio-identical hormones the size of a grain of rice under the dermal layer of the patient’s skin, has been documented in medical journals since the 1940s, says the Institute for Progressive Medicine.
Recently developed in 1992 by Dr. Gino Tutera, SottoPelle, a specific brand of hormone pellets, has become increasingly popular.
Available in many medical offices throughout the states, SottoPelle is said to decrease body fat, relieve depression and anxiety, increase energy and focus, and suppress many other menopausal related symptoms.
With the procedure lasting less than five minutes, using a local anesthetic four pellets are injected under the skin near the buttocks or hip region. Once in place, the hormones will work with one’s body to regulate estrogen and progesterone levels and is effective within 72 hours.
Though the procedure can run around $400 for the SottoPelle treatment, the pellets regulate hormones for up to six months.
Not a one-size-fits-all procedure, the amount of natural hormones composed within the pellet is based on individual hormone level tests. For this reason, the International Hormone Society says, “We think personalized treatments such as those offered by compounding pharmacies offer the best prospect for optimal health care.”
However, not all medical professionals support this treatment.
Critics like the American Medical Association object to pellet therapy since distributions is not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
However, with thousands of people experiencing a rejuvenated life, many say it should be considered as an alternative form for hormone dissention.