Several medical professionals promote health benefits of the testosterone pellets. They stress that it can be taken in a form of injections, gels or pellets and may help reduce symptoms of low testosterone such as:
- Sluggishness
- Decreased libido
- Difficulty maintaining an erection
- Hair loss
- Loss of energy
- Increase in the body fat
- Decrease in the muscle mass
- Irritability
- Depression
Using testosterone pellets might relieve some of symptoms due to low testosterone levels. However, testosterone pellets do have some risks and adverse side effects. People must discuss these risks with a doctor before they go for these.
What Are Testosterone Pellets?
Testosterone pellets are basically a form of hormone replacement therapy. These pellets are just the size of a rice grain and a doctor can implant them easily under the skin. These testosterone pellets contain crystallized form of testosterone. They deliver a low but steady dose of testosterone to an individual for around 6 months.
Side Effects of Testosterone Pellets
Although most of the health experts believe that testosterone replacement therapy is beneficial, it may lead to certain side effects and may increase risk of various health complications.
The testosterone pellets might cause the following side-effects:
- Increased in red blood cell production
- Fluid retention
- Acne
- Decreased urine output
- Oily skin
- Increased urination
- Reduced testicle size
- Low sperm count
- Sleep apnea
- Inflammation of breast tissue and/or prostate
What Are the Health Risks?
Excess testosterone levels may increase your risk of the following health conditions:
- Heart attack
- Heart disease
- Prostate cancer
Testosterone pellets may also increase certain health risks. These include:
- Infection at the insertion site
- Dislodging of the pellets and protruding out of the skin
- Incorrect dosage
Taking testosterone supplements or using pellets may disrupt your body’s ability to produce testosterone. This implies that when a person stops taking these supplements, he might feel worse as his body would not immediately get on producing testosterone on its own.
How Do Testosterone Pellets Work?
Testosterone pellets emit a steady but low dose of testosterone spanning for few months. A doctor generally implants these testosterone pellets under your skin, or near the hip subcutaneously. The procedure is rather quick and may be conducted in the doctor’s office.
The doctor would thoroughly clean the area before administering a local anesthesia. This would be followed by a small incision in your skin and would insert about ten pellets.
These pellets would release a low but steady dose of testosterone, for about several months.
Are Testosterone Pellets Effective?
Testosterone pellets garner a mixed feedback from the medical community.
Most people who use any kind of testosterone replacement therapy, including these pellets, get an immediate boost in their energy and sexual drive.
In study conducted in 2014, only 17 percent of those who wanted some kind of testosterone replacement therapy opted for the testosterone pellets. However, out of people who chose them, around 70 percent were extremely satisfied. The rate of satisfaction was same as those who used testosterone injections and gels.[1]. The study also revealed that 64 percent of those who used testosterone pellets loved their ease of use.
A study in 2013, that investigated men’s decisions to either begin or stop using these pellets revealed that there was no significant difference in their testosterone levels irrespective of the fact that they continued or discontinued the use.[2]
Most doctor still recommend testosterone pellets for people who have hypogonadism, wherein the body does not produce enough testosterone.
Dosage
Doctors recommend that people must figure out the exact dosage for them, by using gels and injections, before they switch on to the testosterone pellets. Once a dosage is determined, doctor would begin with the process. A perfect dosage is one which alleviates the effects of low testosterone without significantly raising the red blood cell counts.
What Are the Benefits?
Harvard Men’s Health suggest that people who feel like starting testosterone therapy must consult their doctor and learn more about possible side effects and risks before they make a decision.[3]
Testosterone pellets might provide certain benefits over all other forms of testosterone replacement therapies. These include
- More convenience than using testosterone injections
- Reduced skin irritation than caused by using gels or creams
- No need of daily medication.
Takeaway
More substantial research on the testosterone replacement therapy is required to validate its health benefits and reduce the potential risks. These pellets are way more convenient than all other ways of testosterone replacement for people with hypogonadism.
It is still important to note that people with low testosterone levels must not consider these pellets as an instant fix to increase their energy levels and libido. It is important to consult your doctor before you consider testosterone replacement therapy.
