HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin)_
Also known as human chorionic gonadotropin, Pregnyl, Novarel, Ovidrel
A hormone shot that keeps the testicles making testosterone and sperm.
Common vial size is what vendors typically sell, not a recommendation. Enter your own vial in the calculator.
What is HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin)?
Plain language first. The technical label stays, but it never stands alone.Overview
HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is a hormone that mimics LH, the signal that tells the testicles to make testosterone and sperm. In plain terms: it keeps the testicles switched on, commonly used alongside testosterone therapy or for fertility.
What it's used for
A hormone shot that keeps the testicles producing testosterone and sperm, commonly used alongside testosterone therapy or for fertility.
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.
- 01It acts on the LH receptorTelling the testes to make testosterone, or triggering ovulation.
- 02It works below the pituitaryWhich is why it keeps the testes active during testosterone therapy, when the brain has stopped sending its own signal.
- 03It lasts far longer than LHRoughly a day and a half versus under an hour, which is what makes it practical to inject.
- 04Prolonged use can desensitise the receptorContinuous stimulation reduces the response over time, which is why it is usually given intermittently.
Where this compound is thought to act.
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
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 useFDA 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.
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.
Choose your mix
Measuring the water1 mL = one full 100-unit syringe.
Your draw
0 / 100 unitsHow 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.
What are the side effects and cautions?
Known cautions and warnings for this compound.Who should avoid it
- Hormone-sensitive cancers, including some prostate and breast cancers
- Early (precocious) puberty
- Pregnancy
- Not approved or supported for weight loss
Stop and get help
- 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
- 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.
Is HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) approved?
And where the numbers on this page come from.Yes. Approved for clinical use.
A regulator has cleared it for specific uses in a clinical setting.
- DoseFrom product labeling and clinical guidelines.
- Vial sizeFrom what vendors typically list; not a recommendation.
- Sources
- Reviewed22 July 2026
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 PT-141 (Bremelanotide), Kisspeptin, and Gonadorelin (GnRH) in the same class.
A hormone shot that keeps the testicles making testosterone and sperm.
- Dose
- 250 up to 500 IU per dose (alongside testosterone therapy)
- How often
- 2-3x per week
An approved shot that boosts sexual desire through the brain.
- Dose
- 1.75 mg per dose
- How often
- As needed, before activity
A peptide that switches on natural sex-hormone signaling for libido and fertility.
- Dose
- Varies (research)
- How often
- As studied
A shot that keeps your own testosterone and fertility hormones going.
- Dose
- 0.1 up to 0.2 mg per dose (start low, increase slowly)
- How often
- 2-3x per week or more
10What these words mean
Show glossary +
What these words mean
- Titrate
- Starting at a low dose and increasing it slowly over time so your body adjusts and side effects stay mild.
- Subcutaneous
- An injection just under the skin, into the fat layer, usually with a short, thin insulin needle.
- Intramuscular (IM)
- An injection into a muscle, using a longer needle.
- Reconstitution
- Mixing a powdered peptide with liquid (bacteriostatic water) so it can be drawn into a syringe.
- Bacteriostatic water
- Sterile water with a tiny amount of preservative, used to mix powdered peptides.
- Concentration
- How strong the mixed peptide is, in milligrams per milliliter (mg/mL). More water makes it weaker; less water makes it stronger.
- Units (on the syringe)
- The marks on an insulin syringe. 100 units equals 1 mL. They measure how much liquid you draw, not the dose in milligrams.
- mcg and mg
- Units of dose. 1 milligram (mg) equals 1,000 micrograms (mcg).
- GLP-1
- A natural gut hormone that lowers appetite and blood sugar. Drugs that copy it, like semaglutide, are used for weight loss.
- Growth hormone secretagogue
- A compound that nudges your body to release more of its own growth hormone, rather than injecting the hormone itself.
- Half-life
- How long a compound stays active in your body. A longer half-life means you inject less often.
- Peptide vs small molecule
- A peptide is a short chain of amino acids. A few items here (like MK-677 or methylene blue) are small molecules, not true peptides, but people use them the same way.
- Research only
- No approved dose or use in people. Sold for research and not reviewed by the FDA for safety or quality.
- Investigational
- Still being tested in clinical trials and not yet approved or legally sold for general use.
- Banned in drug-tested sport
- Prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA); using it can disqualify a competing athlete.
Sources
- FDA prescribing information, Pregnyl(2011)FDA label, including the statement that it is not effective for weight loss.
- Drugs.com, HCG injectable(2026)Current prescribing summary.
Last reviewed 22 July 2026