Hormone imbalances can affect energy levels, mood, sleep, and metabolism in both men and women. These shifts may happen with age or due to changes in lifestyle, stress levels, or medical conditions. When hormone levels drop or fluctuate, even simple daily tasks can start to feel more difficult.
Pellet therapy is a hassle-free way to stabilize hormone levels and improve your health. With this method, we use small implants placed under the skin to release hormones gradually. At Dr. Christopher Calapai’s office in Garden City, NY, we offer pellet therapy for patients looking for a consistent and low-maintenance approach.
What Is Hormone Pellet Therapy?
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy using pellets is a method we use to deliver hormones steadily. These pellets are about the size of a grain of rice and are placed in inconspicuous areas such as your hip or upper buttock. They slowly release hormones based on how much your body needs. The bioidentical hormones in the pellets are structurally identical to the ones your body already produces, so your system can process them more smoothly. Once the pellet completely dissolves, another pellet can be inserted using the same process.
How Hormone Pellet Therapy Can Balance Your Hormones
Pellet therapy keeps your hormone levels more stable throughout the day without the spikes and drops that can come with other forms of hormone support. When your hormone levels stay within a healthier range, your body can respond more effectively. That stability can help support everything from better sleep and metabolism to mental clarity and sexual wellness. Because the pellets are absorbed gradually, they act more like your body’s natural hormone rhythms. We adjust your dosage based on lab results and your symptoms so you get a treatment plan that fits your body.
Who Is Pellet Therapy Right For?
Patients come to us for BHRT treatment when hormone levels drop or become irregular. For men, the most common reason is a gradual decrease in testosterone, often starting in their 30s or 40s. That can happen naturally with age or due to factors like long-term stress, chronic illness, or poor sleep habits. For women, hormone shifts often show up during perimenopause and menopause, but we also see younger women whose hormone levels have been affected by birth control, thyroid issues, or even intense fitness routines. Estrogen and progesterone levels can fluctuate with these changes, and pellet therapy gives us a way to restore balance.
What Can Hormone Pellet Therapy Treat?
For Women
- Hot Flashes and Night Sweats: These symptoms are tied to shifting estrogen levels, especially during perimenopause and menopause. Pellet therapy can help reduce the frequency and intensity of these disruptive episodes.
- Vaginal Dryness and Low Libido: When estrogen drops, it affects the tissues in the vaginal area and makes them thinner, drier, and more sensitive. This can lead to discomfort during intimacy and a general lack of interest in sex. We use hormone pellet therapy to support tissue health and help restore natural lubrication and sexual desire.
- Mood Swings, Anxiety, Depression: Emotional shifts often show up when hormone levels start to fluctuate. Estrogen interacts with brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, which help regulate mood. When those hormones dip, you might start to feel more irritable, anxious, or even depressed.
- Brain Fog and Memory Issues: If you feel like you are forgetting basic information or can’t stay mentally sharp at work, hormone therapy may help. Hormone pellets can support cognitive clarity and focus.
- Sleep Disturbances: When estrogen and progesterone levels drop, your sleep cycles can get thrown off. We look at your hormone levels to identify the imbalance and use pellets to help regulate those cycles so you can sleep more soundly and wake up with more energy.
- Bone Loss and Muscle Weakening: Low estrogen can impact bone density and muscle tone, which increases your risk for conditions like osteoporosis or general muscle fatigue. Supporting estrogen through pellet therapy can help maintain stronger bones and muscles as you age.
For Men
- Fatigue and Low Energy: When testosterone drops, one of the first things men notice is how quickly they start to feel tired. Restoring testosterone with pellets can help support your energy production and endurance throughout the day.
- Decreased Sex Drive and Erectile Dysfunction: By optimizing hormone levels with pellet therapy, we aim to support a healthy libido and sexual function. A reduced interest in sex or difficulty maintaining erections can often be linked to low testosterone.
- Muscle Mass Decline and Weight Gain: Testosterone helps you build and maintain lean muscle. When levels fall, it’s easier to gain weight, especially around the midsection, and harder to hold onto muscle.
- Mental Fog, Irritability, and Low Motivation: If you’ve noticed brain fog, low motivation, or you’re feeling more irritable than usual, we may check your testosterone levels. BHRT pellets can provide steady support that helps improve clarity, focus, and your overall outlook.
Why Choose Hormone Pellets?
No Daily Application Required
With creams, patches, or oral medications, you’re managing your hormones every day. This can be tedious, and it is easy to forget a dose. When we use hormone pellets, we insert them a few times a year, and they deliver a consistent release of hormones without any more effort from you.
Fewer Hormone Spikes and Crashes
Pellets release hormones gradually and consistently, which gives your body a steadier baseline. We find this helps patients feel more balanced, both mentally and physically, throughout the day and between pellet applications.
No Risk of Transference to Others
With hormone creams or gels, there’s a small risk of accidentally transferring the medication to someone else through skin contact if you don’t carefully wash your hands. That can be especially concerning if you live with children or a partner. Pellets stay completely under your skin, so there’s nothing to rub off or transfer. Once we place the pellet, it stays put and only affects you.
The Hormone Testing and Evaluation Process
Before we move forward with treatment, we talk about your energy levels, sleep, mental clarity, sex drive, mood changes, and any other symptoms. Then, we order a comprehensive blood panel to check your hormone levels. Once we have your lab results, we look at them alongside your symptoms to determine the pellet dosage that is best for you.
The Hormone Pellet Insertion Process
We start by choosing the placement area and cleaning the skin. We will apply a local anesthetic that will completely numb the area so you don’t feel any discomfort during the treatment. Once the area is numb, we make an incision that is just a few millimeters in length. We use a tool called a trocar to insert the pellet into the tissue. You won’t feel the pellet once it’s in place. It is positioned deep enough that it won’t shift or interfere with your daily activities.
After we insert the pellet, we close the small incision using Steri-Strips. These are thin adhesive strips that help the skin seal and heal with no stitches needed. We then cover the area with a bandage and give you easy instructions on how to keep it clean for the next few days.
General Expectations for Pellet Insertion
The whole process takes about 15–20 minutes from start to finish. You may feel a little soreness or swelling in the area for a day or two. We usually recommend avoiding heavy exercise or soaking in water for about three to five days to let the site heal properly. Most patients go right back to their normal routines after leaving the office.
Common Questions About Hormone Pellet Therapy
How Soon Will I Notice Results From Pellet Therapy?
Most patients start to feel the effects of hormone replacement within 7 to 10 days, but that can vary depending on your hormone levels and how your body responds. Some notice increased energy, better sleep, or improved mental clarity within the first week, while others feel more gradual changes over a few weeks. We’ll talk about what to expect based on your lab results and symptoms before we start.
How Often Will I Need Pellet Therapy?
We usually reapply pellets every three to six months. How often you’ll need them depends on factors like your metabolism, activity level, and how your body processes hormones. Men often need reapplication every five or six months, while women may benefit from a shorter interval. We’ll track your levels and symptoms to fine-tune the timing so you stay in that ideal range as consistently as possible.
Are Follow-Up Appointments Important?
Follow-ups are an important part of successful BHRT. We use follow-up visits to check in on how you’re feeling, review your lab work, and decide if any adjustments are needed. These visits also give you a chance to bring up new symptoms or questions that come up along the way.
Can Hormone Pellets Be Removed?
Once a pellet is inserted, we don’t typically remove it unless there’s a medical reason to do so. The pellets are designed to dissolve slowly and naturally over time, so there’s no need for a second procedure to take them out. If you ever want to stop treatment, we can simply wait for the current pellet to wear off, and your body will gradually return to its baseline hormone levels.
When Is the Best Time to Start Hormone Pellet Therapy?
Starting hormone therapy depends on your symptoms, hormone levels, and personal health goals. Some patients come to us in their 30s or 40s when they start noticing early changes like low energy, mood shifts, or trouble sleeping. For women who are interested in using hormone therapy to prevent cardiovascular disease, it is recommended to begin treatment before the age of 60 or at or near menopause. If you’re already noticing changes that don’t feel normal, or if your labs show hormone levels outside the optimal range, it’s a good time to start the conversation.
About Your Provider
Dr. Christopher Calapai is board-certified in family medicine and anti-aging medicine, with advanced training in chelation and fellowship certification in stem cell therapy. He takes a comprehensive, root-cause approach to care and looks beyond symptoms to understand the full picture of each patient’s health. Education is a central part of how he practices. He takes the time to explain complex topics in a way that makes sense. As founder of The Stem Cell Foundation and a frequent educator on radio and in the office, his goal is to help patients feel informed, understood, and empowered in their care. When you come to him for hormone therapy, you will enjoy the benefits of constant oversight as your body adjusts to more balanced hormone levels.
Find Out If Hormone Pellet Therapy in Garden City Is Right for You
Hormone pellet therapy can support more consistent hormone levels without daily maintenance and reduce symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and low libido in both men and women. At Dr. Christopher Calapai in Garden City, NY, we use lab testing and detailed evaluations to determine the most appropriate hormone dosage for your needs. To get started, call (516) 794-0404 or contact us using the online form.
