FAQ

Arterosil is a unique, patented supplement made from a rare seaweed that restores blood vessels’ lining for improved heart, circulation, skin, and sexual health. Our arteries and veins have a protective “non-stick” lining called the endothelial glycocalyx. This layer prevents cholesterol and other damaging particles from sticking to the vessel wall. The endothelial glycocalyx is a delicate structure that can be damaged by high blood sugar, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Arterosil HP contains specialized sulfated polysaccharides that help deliver the building blocks to maintain and support this protective lining. Not only does Arterosil HP promote a healthy heart and circulation, and improve blood pressure, but it also helps support youthful appearance of the skin and normal erectile function.

Curcumin is the primary bioactive substance in turmeric. Its properties include anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation (boosts immune response), and anti-depression. Curcumin enhances the activity of the COMT enzyme, which helps metabolize estrogen via methylation. It protects cells from DNA damage from improper estrogen metabolism and helps promote a healthy immune system and offers relief of muscle and joint aches. Not all curcumin supplements are created equal. Most forms are poorly absorbed in the bloodstream whether coming from food or a nutritional supplement. BioTE Curcumin-SF is the most clinically studied curcumin supplement on the market with a 29 times greater absorption rate than ordinary curcumin.

This product combines omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA from the purest fish oil sources with coenzyme Q10 to support cardiovascular, muscle, and brain health. DHA and EPA have a critical role in supporting cardiovascular health. CoQ10 is an anti-oxidant that works inside the cells of metabolically active tissues, in particular the heart muscles. As we age, we produce less CoQ10 in our mitochondria, the cell’s energy power source. CoQ10 is combined with pure fish oil to help the body absorb and use CoQ10 better.

This nutraceutical provides minerals iodine, zinc and selenium which help the body form thyroid hormones: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). T4 and T3 regulate our body’s metabolism of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Every cell in our body depends on T4 and T3. Iodine also helps support healthy breast tissue by up-regulating proteins involved in estrogen metabolism. This product is helpful for women with fibrocystic breast disease. Some healthy foods can cause relative iodine deficiency by binding to iodine, which makes the bound iodine inaccessible for T4 and T3 production. These foods include raw cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, soy, peanuts, pine nuts, turnips, and rutabaga.

Serene is a fast-acting, natural way to help relieve stress and anxiety when you need it most. This nutraceutical contains dihydrohonokiol-B (DHH-B) which is a potent, stress-relieving extract derived from magnolia tree bark. It has neuroprotective and anxiolytic properties and has been traditionally used in much of southeast Asia. It works by inhibiting stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol which are associated with stress.

This nutraceutical is a proprietary blend of melatonin, natural herbs, and plant extract that works synergistically to help calm the mind, reduce anxiety, and promote sleep. Deep Sleep is not habit forming and can be taken daily. Most users wake up refreshed without feeling groggy. This product is ideal for anyone having trouble falling or staying asleep.

This product is a combination of three peptides (GHK-Cu, argireline, and leuphasy) to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and promote firmer, healthier skin. The combination helps reinforce skin’s support structure by promoting cell turnover, enhancing skin clarity, and reducing muscle tension and contraction. This product can be used on patients who receive BoTox.

This product combines a potent hair-stimulating peptide, PTD-DBM, with methyl vanillate to provide a solution to hair loss. These products work synergistically to activate Wnt/ β-catenin pathways and reduce DHT-induced hair follicle miniaturization associated with male pattern baldness. It has been shown to stimulate normal hair growth and promote hair cell proliferation, helping hair appear thicker and fuller.

 

This product was created to promote thicker, fuller hair by retaining hair follicles and reducing hair loss while increasing the count and density of hair. This product is a combination of two potent peptides, GHK-Cu and Zn-thymulin. GHK-Cu has been shown to strengthen existing hair by stimulating growth in thinned areas. Zn-thymulin is a combination of zinc and a nonapeptide called thymulin. Together, they extend the anagen phase of hair follicles and reduce hair loss associated with zinc deficiency.

BPC-157 is a 15 amino acid peptide that targets the brain, gut, musculoskeletal systems.

Uses:

-Anti-inflammatory (benefits of NSAID without the side effects): chronic inflammatory conditions, Lymes, Chronic viral infections, Auto-immune disease, Fibromyalgia

-Bowel: Leaky Gut, IBS

-Neuroprotection: Parkinsons, other neurologic disorders

-Musculoskeletal: joint and tendons inflammation

BioTE pellets are made from the steroid ring purified from the soy or yam plant to create estradiol or testosterone. There are no soy allergens in the pellet. Stearic acid is the binding agent. It is VERY rare to be allergic to stearic acid.

Pellets were first developed in 1939 and were given to women who underwent hysterectomies. They have been widely used in Europe and Australia and are the longest studied form of hormone replacement therapy to date.

Bio-identical HRT was very popular until a large pharmaceutical company developed and patented Premarin in 1942. This was a popular synthetic estrogen hormone made from pregnant horses. Bio-identical hormones are natural compounds and cannot be patented and cannot be exclusive to one pharmaceutical company; this limits pharmaceutical companies’ interest.

There is significant scientific data on pellet therapy focusing on heart, breast, bone, and brain protection. This information can be on the www.BioTeMethod.com website. Select “Support” and “Studies.”

The ingredients estradiol and testosterone used in the pellets are FDA approved, but the actual pellet is not. However, the manufacturing of BioTE pellets takes place in 503B facilities which ARE under strict regulations by the FDA and pharmacy boards.

BioTE is the only company to have its affiliated pharmacies’ pellets independently tested with 8 quality measures. Pellets from BioTE’s affiliated pharmacies are e-beam sterilized which assures the highest quality of sterilization currently available. BioTE pellets are consistently produced with only 3% variance in testosterone and 5% variance in estrogen.

Injections contain SYNTHETIC testosterone suspended in oil and are time released. They give a “roller coaster” effect due to the surge of hormones initially following the injection and then drop following absorption. Injections are metabolized through the liver.

BioTE pellets release bio-identical testosterone based on cardiac output. The more active you are, the better the hormones are absorbed. Pellet testosterone is metabolized in the kidneys.

Commitment to eating healthy, exercise, and compliance with nutraceuticals.

Your lab results and answers on the health assessment form will be used to customize your personal program recommendation. Additional prescription oral hormones may be required to optimize your overall health (thyroid hormone, progesterone for women).

Less than 2% of our patients experience actual side effects or secondary responses.

These secondary responses may be noticeable in the first two rounds during the initial balancing phase or re-optimization phase.

In women:

– Fluid retention or swelling, especially in hot months. This is temporary and we can prescribe a mild water retention pill if needed.

– Breast tenderness: we recommend taking an extra DIM SGS+. Iodine+ also helps!

– Post-menopausal bleeding: some women may experience irregular bleeding after starting hormone therapy. This is most commonly caused by noncompliance with progesterone therapy. Post-menopausal bleeding is NOT normal and should be evaluated and treated. Please tell Dr Chung if you are having any bleeding!

– Sleepiness: progesterone therapy can cause patients to be sleepy. Most patients take it with dinner or at bedtime. If you have been prescribed progesterone, you may need to figure out the best timing for you. If sleepiness if a real issue for you, we can change the progesterone pill to a sublingual form.

– Acne: if acne is an issue for you, we can prescribe spironolactone to offset this side effect.

– Hair loss or hair growth: again, spironolactone can help with this.

In Men:

– Mild fluid retention, acne, hair growth may occur.

– Testicular shrinkage may occur. This means there will be decreased sperm count, decreased testicular mass, and possible prostate enlargement. These side effects occur much more frequently with synthetic testosterone.

Here are the requirements:

-Bloodwork before the first treatment, 4-6 weeks after your first pellet insertion, and then annually

-Age 26 or older

-No current breast or prostate cancer

-Epilepsy patients cannot receive estrogen but they CAN receive testosterone

-No Alzheimer’s disease

-Not pregnant

-Willingness to commit to healthy diet and regular exercise

-Patience to see results

-Willingness to take recommended Nutraceuticals/Supplements (especially DIM!)

Breast cancer survivors and/or patients with a family history of breast cancer are potential candidates of BioTE therapy. We will discuss your options during your consultation.

BioTE therapy is NOT birth control! Premenopausal women should remain on contraception to avoid pregnancy. Pellets are NOT recommended DURING pregnancy or while attempting to conceive. POST-PARTUM patients ARE candidates for pellet therapy.

The transition is seamless. We will help you convert from your current form of hormone replacement therapy to BioTE therapy.

For Women: estradiol, total testosterone, FSH, TSH, free T4 and free T3, TPO, CBC, CMP, vitamin D, vitamin B12

For Men: estradiol, total testosterone, free testosterone, PSA, TSH, free T4 and free T3, TPO, CBC, CMP, vitamin D, vitamin B12

 
-If on hormone replacement creams, patches or oral HRT, patient should not apply or take their hormones directly before getting their blood drawn. Further instructions will be given.

-Once blood is drawn, patient may resume taking or applying the above.

-For injectable testosterone: BioTE recommends drawing blood on the day the patient would have received the injection (the injection can be given AFTER they have had blood drawn).

-Once pelleted, women stay on their existing estrogen hormone therapy for 3 days and then discontinue on day 4 after receiving the pellet.

-Men should discontinue their existing hormone therapies 7 days AFTER pelleting.

-A woman using testosterone cream should discontinue their cream 7 days AFTER pelleting.

-Timing of labs if getting thyroid labs checked should be 3-4 hours AFTER taking morning dose.

BioTE pellet insertion is a minor surgical procedure performed under local anesthesia. The hormone pellets are placed under the skin most commonly in the fat of the buttock or fat of the belly. The whole procedure takes approximately 5 minutes.

Purpose of these restrictions: to prevent infection and pellet extrusions.

-No heavy lifting or glute work (squats/lunges/cycling)

-No immersion in water (pool/tub/etc)

-Women: Remove ice when no longer cold; remove outer dressing day after procedure; remove steri-strips on Day 3.

-Men: Remove ice when no longer cold; remove outer dressing on Day 5; Remove steri-strips on Day 7.

It is not uncommon to see some bruising or develop a collection of blood around the area of the pellet insertion. The purpose of the ice and restriction of activity is to reduce the risk of hematoma.

No. Even if a patient discovers they are pregnant, have an infection or have developed prostate or breast cancer, or any other diagnosis unrelated to optimizing hormones, BioTE does not recommend removing the pellets due to the trauma to the tissue. The pellets will eventually dissolve and disappear.

Depends! Energy, mood, hot flashes, and sleep improve within the first four weeks. Libido may take longer. Most feel moderate relief with the first pellet insertion, but we recommend you get at least 2-3 pellet insertions before your symptoms are optimized.

You can decide to discontinue BioTE at your discretion.

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