Whether you are a long-term pellet therapy patient, someone who is considering pellet therapy for the first time or a healthcare practitioner, you may wonder: Are all hormone pellets the same? Are all pellet therapy options the same? Those are great questions, and the short answer to both is: no.
How do you find the best pellet therapy option for you or your patients? Discover the answer to these questions:
- What is pellet therapy?
- How do pellets differ?
- How do pellet therapy methods differ?
What is pellet therapy?
Subcutaneous pellet therapy is a form of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) that utilizes small tic-tac sized hormone pellets implanted under the skin to help patients achieve hormone balance. The pellets typically contain plant-based hormones that are designed to mimic the body’s own hormones, and patients generally see a practitioner 3-4 times/year for women or 2- 3 times/year for men to achieve and maintain hormone balance.
Pellet therapy is an alternative to other forms of hormone replacement (daily oral medication, topical creams, hormone injections). It is preferred by many patients because it is more convenient (insert it and forget about it for several months), not messy like topical applications and may be easier to tolerate because patients are less likely to experience wild fluctuations of hormones that may come with some HRT formulas and methods.
You can check out our Pellet FAQ page for additional details.
How do pellets differ?
First, let’s consider how pellets are similar. In general, pellet therapy pellets are formulated with different hormones (e.g., testosterone, estrogen and/or DHEA) and other ingredients like binders and lubricating agents. The type and number of pellets used depends on the patient’s needs as well as the quality of the pellet.
Hormone pellets are designed to promote hormone optimization and support symptom relief. However, not all pellets are created equal. For example, are the pellets used by EvexiPEL Certified Providers different than those other pellet therapy providers use? YES.
In fact, the proprietary pellets produced by FarmaKeio Oursourcing*—the preferred pellet of EvexiPEL Certified Providers who employ the EvexiPEL Method to administer pellet therapy—is so groundbreaking it received a patent in 2023.
What makes the EvexiPEL pellet different?
The pellets used by EvexiPEL Certified Providers are specifically formulated to address one of the most common complaints associated with subcutaneous pellet therapy: pellet extrusion. This pellet is also designed to produce a slower rise to peak and a slower drop off of hormone levels, maintaining steady dosing throughout the treatment cycle and requiring fewer appointments.
Research in the British Medical Journal has shown that common complaints of both male and female pellet therapy patients include post insertion discomfort and scar tissue build up, secondary to the inflammatory response. Further, this inflammatory response and the resulting scar build up may lead to two problematic issues for patients: pellet extrusion and erratic hormone absorption rates.
As reported in a scholarly review (Brinks, A et al., 2010), it is well established that post insertion pain and extrusion of hormone pellets are common side effects. Pellet extrusion rates have been reported in the literature as high as 12 percent in males (Cavender, RK, et al. 2009). Across the more than 15 years, EvexiPEL founder, Terri DeNeui, DNP, ACNP, APRN-BC has practiced pellet therapy, she has also found pellet extrusion to be a common complaint, especially in male patients.
To address these concerns, she partnered with FarmaKeio Outsourcing’s team of pharmacists, researchers, and scientists to focus squarely on mitigating inflammatory response and scar tissue build up when developing the proprietary pellet formula used by EvexiPEL Certified Practitioners today. The resulting formulation—which has been tested in hundreds of medical practices with thousands of patients—includes trace amounts of triamcinolone (TCA), a corticosteroid, to mitigate inflammatory response.
In a retrospective chart review of patients receiving hormone pellet therapy (1,400+ males and 4,500+ females), the rate of post-insertion pellet extrusions was reduced by greater that 50% (pellets with TCA) compared to the prior year (pellets without TCA). Male patients in this review experienced a 75 percent reduction in pellet extrusions when using testosterone pellets formulated with trace amounts of TCA.
The proprietary pellet formulation was also designed to produce a slower rise to peak hormone levels and a slower drop off and subtle return to symptoms. Compared to rapid rise methodologies that are associated with a greater incidence of reported side effects, the patented pellet more closely mirrors the natural hormone secretion process of the human body. When Dr. DeNeui began using the now patented formulation, she witnessed a better experience for her patients—better results and greater comfort a during the procedure and at the insertion site.
Are all pellet therapy options the same?
As noted in the introduction, pellet therapy options are not all the same. The provider you choose and the technique he or she uses to place pellets are also critical. Along with inflammatory response, research also shows that provider technique, placement location and body composition are other commonly know variables related to post-insertion complications of hormone pellets.
Dr. DeNeui developed the EvexiPEL Method of pellet placement to address these specific concerns. As the EvexiPEL technique has become more widespread, certified providers report a decreased incidence of tissue trauma that causes scarring because there is more surface area for hormone absorption. This technique combined with the patented pellets help ensure patients achieve better outcomes with pellet therapy.
Hormone optimization goes beyond pellets and pellet therapy
EvexiPEL Certified Providers are committed to the continued improvement of patient outcomes. The patented pellet formulation and the EvexiPEL Method help patients achieve that goal, but it doesn’t stop there. To learn about the many ways EvexiPEL Certified Providers can assist patients in optimizing their hormones and their health, contact us.
*FarmaKeio Outsourcing is an FDA-registered 503B facility and the exclusive producer of the patented pellet featured as part of the EvexiPEL Method.
