HORMONE THERAPY IN EDMONTON AND SHERWOOD PARK
Benefits of Hormone Balance
Balanced hormones are absolutely essential to feeling your best—physically, mentally, and emotionally. As we age, hormone levels naturally decline, which can disrupt nearly every system in the body. In women, this often begins in the mid-30s, years before the average age of menopause. For men, testosterone levels may drop significantly after 50, though symptoms can appear earlier.
Common symptoms of hormone imbalance include:
In Women:
- Anxiety, depression, and mood swings
- Hot flashes, brain fog, and headaches
- Bloating, dry skin, joint pain
- Vaginal dryness, atrophy, or low libido
- Bone density loss and increased cardiovascular risk
In Men:
- Irritability, mood changes, and depression
- Low libido and erectile dysfunction
- Weight gain, muscle loss, and fatigue
- Hair loss, acne, and difficulty sleeping
- Gynecomastia and decreased physical strength
Hormone therapy helps restore balance and provides symptom relief; all while supporting long-term vitality and well-being.
What is the Biote method?
Biote is a leading hormone optimization system designed to address imbalances in hormone production through bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) using small precisely dosed pellets of testosterone and estrogen that are inserted under the skin.
Backed with decades of scientific research backing its protocols, Biote helps both women and men manage the physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms that arise from hormonal decline—especially during menopause and andropause.
At Hemingway Modern Medical we are proud to offer this innovative, science-based therapy as one of the few providers of Biote Hormone Pelleting Therapy in Canada. Dr. Jamie Olesen and Taylor Nichols have completed Biote’s intensive training at their headquarters in Irving, Texas, ensuring you receive personalized, medically guided care rooted in the latest research and safety standards.
How Does It Work?
We start with a comprehensive consultation to assess your lifestyle, health status, symptoms and goals. We then have a follow up appointment after your laboratory results are complete to discuss the results. Even if your labs appear ‘normal’ that does not mean that you may not benefit from hormone therapy. There is a wide range of ‘normal’ and our goal is to titrate up your levels to upper normal.
Biote pellet therapy uses tiny, customized bioidentical pellets—about the size of a grain of rice—inserted just under the skin in the hip or flank. These pellets slowly and consistently release bioidentical hormones over the course of 3–4 months, offering a steady, stable solution without the spikes, crashes, and uncertainty that can be associated with creams, patches, or pills. We monitor your initial hormone peak about 1 month after pellet insertion and for the trough prior to re-insertion. After the initial rounds of pellets, we are able to decrease laboratory investigations to about once or twice a year.
What Are the Treatments Like?
Pellet therapy is designed to be simple, safe, and sustainable. After your initial consultation and lab work, the insertion is performed in-clinic by Dr. Olesen as a minimally invasive office procedure that takes about 10 minutes and requires no stitches/sutures. The area is completely numbed beforehand using lidocaine buffered with sodium bicarbonate (to reduce the sting). Then, a 0.5cm incision is made, and a trochar is inserted which then serves as a conduit for the pellets to be inserted. The trochar is then removed and the small incision is closed with steri-strips gauze, and tagaderm.
Once in place, the pellets elute a consistent, low-dose hormone release tailored to your body’s needs.
There’s no need for daily applications or remembering to take pills. Most patients return for their next insertion about every 4 months, depending on their hormone levels and how their body responds to the treatment.
We also provide you with a personalized treatment timeline and guide, ensuring full transparency and support throughout your hormone optimization journey.
Who Can Benefit from Hormone optimization?
Biote is ideal for both women and men who are experiencing symptoms of hormonal imbalance—particularly in midlife or beyond. If you’re dealing with fatigue, weight gain, mood swings, brain fog, sexual dysfunction, or a general sense that you’re “not quite yourself,” hormone optimization may offer the relief and renewal you’ve been seeking.
At Hemingway Medical Spa, we work with you to understand your full health profile and develop a hormone therapy plan that complements your lifestyle, goals, and functional wellness needs.
BIOTE HORMONE OPTIMIZATION FAQ
What exactly is bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT)?
BHRT uses hormones that are chemically identical to those your body naturally produces. These hormones are derived from human genes that are expressed in Yam potatoes to produce human estrogen and human testosterone. When we replace these hormones in calculated physiologic doses, we are effectively providing bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. (BHRT)
Is pellet therapy safe?
Yes—pellet therapy is considered one of the safest and most stable methods of hormone delivery available. It avoids the hormone spikes and crashes often associated with pills, creams, or injections offered by traditional BHRT treatment plans. The pellets dissolve slowly over 3–4 months, releasing a steady dose tailored to your body’s needs while bypassing the first pass metabolism of the liver (which is very similar to how our own hormones operate) . The procedure is minimally invasive and performed in a sterile environment by Dr. Olesen, who is a certified Biote provider, and licensed family physician.
How do I know if I have a hormone imbalance?
Common signs of hormone imbalance can include fatigue, mood swings, low libido, brain fog, sleep disturbances, weight gain, or hot flashes. If you’ve noticed changes in your energy, emotional wellbeing, or physical health—particularly in your 40s or beyond—it may be time to explore hormone testing. At Hemingway, we begin with lab work and a thorough consultation to assess whether BHRT is right for you.
What can I expect after my first pellet insertion?
Most patients begin to feel the effects within 1–2 weeks, although full results can take up to 4 weeks. Improvements may include better sleep, mood stability, increased energy, mental clarity, and enhanced libido. We provide a personalized care guide and schedule follow-up labs to monitor your hormone levels and fine-tune your treatment as needed.
Can I combine Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy with other treatments at Hemingway Medical Spa?
Absolutely. While hormone optimization will improve symptoms of hormone deficiency and make a big splash in the improvements in your life, hormone replacement is rarely the sole cure for all ailments.
Testosterone pellets for women, are you serious?
Yes. All humans are both creatures of testosterone and estrogen. If you were to take all of the sex hormones out of a typical woman, and placed the testosterone and estrogen on opposite sides of a scale, the testosterone would outweigh the estrogen by a factor of 10 times. Both men and women experience testosterone decline over the lifespan.
Halle Berry, Oprah Winfrey, and Dr. Olesen’s Mom all have glowing experiences with Biote bioidentical hormone pellet replacement therapy.
Is any of this covered by Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) or private drug benefit plans?
Hormone pellet therapy is considered an elective treatment and falls outside the scope of what is typically covered by both public health care (such as Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan, AHCIP) and most private insurance providers in Canada. This is largely because pellet therapy is classified as a preventive, wellness-based, or non-essential service—not a medically necessary intervention as defined by provincial health plans or insurance policies.
While the benefits of hormone optimization can be profound—ranging from symptom relief to improved quality of life—this form of therapy is part of a growing field of personalized, integrative, and functional medicine. These types of services are privately delivered and privately paid, much like other wellness treatments or aesthetic medical procedures.
At Hemingway Modern Medical, we believe in offering evidence-informed options to support your long-term health and well-being, and we are happy to provide transparent pricing, payment plans, and ongoing support for those choosing to invest in this form of care.
Are you ready to take your life back?