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HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin)_Dosage, benefits & legal status

Also known as human chorionic gonadotropin, Pregnyl, Novarel, Ovidrel, HCG

Published July 22, 2026 · Updated October 5, 2026

A hormone shot that keeps the testicles making testosterone and sperm.

Fertility / TRT supportGonadotropinClinical use
InSexual and hormonal
Common vial size5000 IU
Dose250 up to 500 IU per dose (alongside testosterone therapy)
Frequency2-3x per week
RouteUnder the skin or into muscle
StatusPrescription
MixYour choice, open the HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) calculator
CycledContinuous alongside testosterone therapy; a defined cycle in fertility use

Common vial size is what vendors typically sell, not a recommendation. Enter your own vial in the calculator.

See how this dose compares across the library →

01

What is HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin)?

Plain language first. The technical label stays, but it never stands alone.

Overview

It keeps the testicles switched on. People use it alongside testosterone therapy, or for fertility.

The technical version

HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is a hormone that mimics LH, the signal that tells the testicles to make testosterone and sperm.

What it's used for

A hormone shot that keeps the testicles producing testosterone and sperm, commonly used alongside testosterone therapy or for fertility.

02

How does HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) work?

What it does in the body, and where.

HCG is a pregnancy hormone that happens to be shaped closely enough to LH to activate the same receptor, and it lasts far longer.

  1. 01
    It acts on the LH receptor
    Telling the testes to make testosterone, or triggering ovulation.
  2. 02
    It works below the pituitary
    Which is why it keeps the testes active during testosterone therapy, when the brain has stopped sending its own signal.
  3. 03
    It lasts far longer than LH
    Roughly a day and a half versus under an hour, which is what makes it practical to inject.
  4. 04
    Prolonged use can desensitise the receptor
    Continuous stimulation reduces the response over time, which is why it is usually given intermittently.
Anatomical illustration highlighting hormones
WHERE THIS COMPOUND IS THOUGHT TO ACT:
TestesOvaries

03

What else is it used for?

Each use below carries its own evidence level. Approved means regulators have cleared it for that purpose. Investigational means it is in trials. Early research means it is being studied and is not established.

  • Treating low testosterone and low sperm production caused by a pituitary problem in menFDA-approved
  • Bringing down undescended testicles in some young boysFDA-approved
  • Triggering the release of an egg during fertility treatmentFDA-approved
  • Keeping the testicles working during testosterone therapy, which is the most common off-label useClinical use
  • Weight loss, which is not approved. The FDA states there is no substantial evidence it helps you lose more weight than dieting aloneResearch only

The published record

Research index

17,829

Papers and trials about HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin)

Searched: human chorionic gonadotropin, Pregnyl, Novarel, Ovidrel.

Left out: HCG (too short to disambiguate without context); HCG (too short to disambiguate without context).

355 papers tagged human · 206 not reviews or lab · 10 clinical trial publications

412 registered trials · 16 with posted results

Furthest stage reached: Approved in the US

Compare this against the whole library →

Prohibited at all times, in and out of competition. S2.2.1 Testosterone-stimulating peptides in males: chorionic gonadotrophin (CG). Non-Specified.Regulators
Browse the records
In animals54
In the lab19
Reviews54
Senior author shareSpread across many groups

Evidence summary

Counted from Europe PMC indexing, not read by a person; a human tag can land on reviews, commentary or lab papers; clinical trial publications is the narrower count. 501 papers and 100 trials indexed in detail.

HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) vial rendering
Compound field notes

At a glance

Four things to know about HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin)

01

Evidence

Clinical use

02

Category

Sexual and hormonal

03

Common vial

5000 IU

04

Half-life

5.6 to 11 hours, then a longer tail

04

How much, and do you cycle it?

The range, and whether you take breaks.

250 up to 500 IU per dose (alongside testosterone therapy), 2-3x per week. Continuous alongside testosterone therapy; a defined cycle in fertility use FDA label

Two quite different patterns depending on why it is used. In fertility it is given at set points in a stimulation cycle. Alongside testosterone therapy it is taken continuously two or three times a week to keep the testicles working, which is off-label and has no controlled schedule behind it.

Compare this against the whole library →

05

How long does it stay in the body?

The half-life, and where the figure comes from.

5.6 to 11 hours, then a longer tailFDA label

HCG clears in two phases. The Pregnyl insert gives an initial phase of 5.6 to 11 hours and a terminal phase of 23 to 37.2 hours. Recombinant hCG runs slightly longer, about 29 hours. Peak levels come about 6 hours after an intramuscular dose and persist around 36 hours, which is why it still shows on a pregnancy test days later.

Source: Pregnyl package insert, Action and Pharmacokinetics. DailyMed setid 1e94155f-19be-4944-b197-be4edbb4faf9

You can compare this against the whole library to see where it sits.

06

How do I dose and price it?

Enter your vial and your dose. Pick a mix. We show the draw and the cost.

The vial holds a fixed amount of drug. Adding more water does not make more drug, it just spreads it thinner, so you draw a bigger number on the syringe for the same dose.

Your vial size (IU)
Printed on the vial.
What you paid per vial
$
Used for cost per dose only.
Your dose (IU)
Commonly referenced range: 250 up to 500 IUClinical use

Choose your mix

your own mL
units · —
Enter your own volume

Measuring the water1 mL = one full 100-unit syringe.

YOUR DRAW10 / 100 units
Full calculator with reorder date →Read a syringe →
What it costs

HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) starts at $27.49 across 38 vendors.

43 listings, last read Oct 24, 2026. Shipping and card fees are not included.

See all 43 listings →
07

How do you store it?

Before mixing, and after.

Dry powder in the freezer or fridge. Once mixed, fridge, and use within about a month.

Unmixed lyophilized HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) keeps for a long time cold. Once you add water the clock starts: most reconstituted vials hold up for roughly 28 to 30 days at fridge temperature. Keep it out of light, and do not freeze it after mixing.

08

What are the side effects and cautions?

Known cautions and warnings for this compound.

Who should avoid it

Check these before anything else.
  • Hormone-sensitive cancers, including some prostate and breast cancers
  • Early (precocious) puberty
  • Pregnancy
  • Not approved or supported for weight loss

Stop and get help

These are emergencies. Seek care.
  • Severe pelvic pain or bloating with rapid weight gain, which can signal ovarian overstimulation in fertility use
  • Chest pain, leg swelling, or trouble breathing
  • Signs of an allergic reaction

Common effects

Expected, and usually mild.
  • Injection-site pain or swelling
  • Headache and mood changes
  • Breast tenderness, and breast tissue growth in men
  • Fluid retention

Where this page says nothing is established, that means nobody has studied it, not that a compound is safe.

09

Is HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) approved?

And where the numbers on this page come from.

Yes, for some uses. HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) is FDA approved on prescription for specific indications. Other uses it is sought for are not covered by that approval.

What has happened recently

We have not yet written a full regulatory note for this compound. The status above is current as of the date shown.

What regulators say

From official documents

You can compare this against the whole library, or read how to check a seller.

10

What else is like HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin)?

Others in Sexual and hormonal, side by side.

If you're weighing HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin), it's worth reading Testagen, Prostamax, and Gonadorelin (GnRH) in the same class.

YOU ARE HERE
HCG92 residues
HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin)

A hormone shot that keeps the testicles making testosterone and sperm.

Clinical use
Dose
250 up to 500 IU per dose (alongside testosterone therapy)
How often
2-3x per week
KEDG
Testagen

A lab-made 4 amino acid peptide aimed at the testes.

Research only
Dose
Research only
How often
Daily, in 10-20 day courses
KEDP
Prostamax

A lab-made 4 amino acid peptide aimed at the prostate.

Research only
Dose
Research only
How often
Daily, in 10-20 day courses
GNRH
Gonadorelin (GnRH)

A shot that keeps your own testosterone and fertility hormones going.

Clinical use
Dose
0.1 up to 0.2 mg per dose (start low, increase slowly)
How often
2-3x per week or more
See other sexual and hormonal peptides

Compared with

Enclomiphene vs HCG vs Gonadorelin vs Kisspeptin

Three sit on one hormone chain and the fourth skips it. The one with the best trial evidence was rejected by the FDA in 2015 and abandoned.

Read comparison →

Guides for this compound

Sources

Beyond these, 601 records are indexed. Browse the records