Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) is fundamentally used within the anabolic steroid community for one primary and valid purpose only: to maintain, increase, or restore proper endogenous testosterone production.
HCG dosage is best utilized during PCT (Post-Cycle Therapy) alongside other testosterone-stimulating drugs, and it is strongly advised not to use HCG by itself for post-anabolic steroid cycle hormonal recovery.
The practice of using HCG as the sole hormonal recovery agent after a cycle is an outdated relic from the pre-1990s era and is no longer considered valid.
Since the 1960s, 70s, and 80s when bodybuilders used anabolic steroids, the understanding of HCG and all other related drugs has vastly improved.
In fact, from the 1960s until the mid-1980s, most anabolic steroid users did not use any drugs for hormonal recovery purposes, and the term PCT did not even exist at that time.
When the use of HCG gradually became popularized (around the 1980s), the drug was used as the sole agent.
Since then, the medical and scientific understanding of it has increased exponentially, and no properly informed and educated individual has any reason to utilize HCG by itself for PCT.
HCG is one of the most misunderstood and misused drugs, not only among the general public but also within the anabolic steroid using community.
The misuse of HCG as a fat-loss agent by the general public has already been covered in detail, but the primary concern here is its misuse within the anabolic steroid using community.
The misuse of HCG can indeed be dangerous, and if used too frequently, for too long, or in too high of a dose, it can work against the recovery of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Testicular Axis (HPTA) and can cause permanent damage to the Leydig cells of the testes. [1][2]
At the same time, if used improperly, HCG can ultimately leave the user back at ‘square one’ with no gains made.
It is extremely important to understand some preliminary details and considerations regarding HCG use.
First, HCG use has been demonstrated to increase aromatase activity in the body by increasing testicular aromatase expression [2].
Aromatase is the enzyme responsible for converting androgens into estrogen, therefore the result of HCG use is an increase in estrogen levels in the body alongside the stimulation of testosterone production.
As a result, many users have reported developing gynecomastia.
The potential rise in estrogen levels caused by HCG will also inevitably suppress the HPTA and endogenous testosterone production, meaning that if HCG doses are misused, as previously mentioned, the user can be put back at ‘square one’.
Therefore, the use of an Aromatase Inhibitor is essential when using HCG.
Although the use of HCG is centered around a single purpose, the manner of use and HCG administration protocols vary greatly, as there are in fact numerous protocols and uses developed over the years.
Only the most effective and notable protocols will be covered here.
Medical HCG Dosage
Within medical institutions, HCG is approved for the treatment and recovery of hypogonadism, and prescription protocols indicate several treatment methods.
- Short-term HCG therapy for 6 weeks
- Long-term therapy lasting up to 1 year
- Patient-customized programs that vary per individual based on discussion between the patient and doctor
The prescribed medical HCG dose recommends administering 500-1,000 IU of HCG three times per week for 3 weeks, after which it is reduced to the same amount only twice per week.
For long-term therapy, a high dose of 4,000 IU three times per week for 6-9 months is recommended.
After this period, the HCG dose should be reduced to 2,000 IU three times per week for the remaining 3 months.
HCG Dosage During Anabolic Steroid Use
HCG, in particular, cannot be categorized into three tiers (beginner, intermediate, advanced) as is commonly described and listed in other drug profiles.
This is because HCG is not a drug used specifically for performance enhancement, but rather an ancillary drug used to maintain, increase, or restore proper endogenous testosterone production.
HCG administration during an anabolic steroid cycle should only be done under very specific conditions and circumstances, and it must be made clear to the reader considering HCG use during a cycle that: (Unless the cycle is very long (12 weeks or more) or the individual tends to have very rapid and severe suppression/shutdown of the HPTA, HCG should not be automatically used during an anabolic steroid cycle.)
Unless post-cycle recovery of endogenous testosterone production is exceptionally difficult, it is not necessary to use HCG during an anabolic steroid cycle to maintain testicular function.
This is especially true if anabolic steroid cycles are kept short (8-10 weeks), as any testicular atrophy that occurs will not be maintained for a long enough period to make recovery of testicular function difficult.
If engaging in very long anabolic steroid cycles (12 weeks or more), a weekly HCG dose during the cycle might be necessary, as the duration for which testicular atrophy remains is longer.
In excessively long cycles, testicular atrophy can pose greater difficulties for hormonal recovery during PCT due to desensitization to gonadotropins.
If necessary to maintain testicular function during an anabolic steroid cycle, a standard dose of 250-500 IU of HCG should be administered once or twice per week (injected at evenly spaced intervals throughout the week).
For this purpose, it should not exceed 500 IU.
HCG Dosage for Increasing Endogenous Testosterone Secretion and PCT (Post-Cycle Therapy)
Earlier in this profile, it was clearly stated that using HCG by itself for the purpose of restoring endogenous testosterone production during PCT is a very bad idea.
HCG is, for all intents and purposes, a synthetic Luteinizing Hormone, and like other hormones in the human body, LH operates on a negative feedback loop, causing the body to suppress or shut down its own endogenous hormone production when an excessive exogenous source is detected by the HPTA.
Therefore, administering HCG by itself for hormonal recovery during a PCT period, as many bodybuilders did pre-1990s, is actually a counterproductive method.
While it might have worked for some, the vast majority who did this ended up with more endocrine and recovery problems than what they were trying to solve.
This is an old, outdated practice of pre-1990s bodybuilders and should not be used.
HCG is ideally used as part of a multi-component PCT protocol, where HCG is used for the first 1-2 weeks of PCT, and it is desirable to use other components for the remaining weeks of the total PCT program (4-6 weeks total).
Research has shown that the combination of HCG and Nolvadex exhibits a remarkable synergy in stimulating endogenous testosterone production, and it has been proven that Nolvadex is actually effective in blocking the desensitization effect on the testicular Leydig cells caused by high-dose HCG, making Nolvadex the most suitable addition to a PCT protocol alongside HCG. [3]
Furthermore, as explained earlier in this profile, HCG increases testicular aromatase expression, which can cause estrogenic side effects from HCG use.
Therefore, the combination of HCG and Nolvadex must be used alongside an Aromatase Inhibitor (AI).
However, when using the other two AIs (Letrozole or Arimidex) with Nolvadex, research indicates that Nolvadex reduces the plasma concentrations of Letrozole and Arimidex, so when using HCG and Nolvadex together, Aromasin (Exemestane) may be the only truly effective choice.
Therefore, the best option for an Aromatase Inhibitor to mitigate the increased aromatase activity caused by HCG administration is Aromasin.
Finally, the HCG dosage for hormonal recovery during PCT is 500 IU daily for the first 1-2 weeks of PCT.
A higher and more frequent HCG administration is only necessary for the first few weeks following the end of an anabolic steroid cycle to provide an initial “jump-start” to testosterone, especially if long-term testicular atrophy may have occurred.
Female HCG Dosage
Excluding medical use for the purpose of inducing ovulation in infertile women, there is no need for females using anabolic steroids to use HCG, and in most cases, it is useless for such purposes.
Proper Administration and Timing of HCG Dosage
In the medical field, HCG is primarily administered via intramuscular (IM) injection, but it can also be administered subcutaneously, and subcutaneous injection is just as frequently used as IM injection.
Studies comparing intramuscular and subcutaneous injections have shown nearly identical results, indicating almost no difference between the two. [4]
The only difference between the two injection methods is the rate of release from the injection site and the time required to reach peak plasma levels (6 hours for IM, 16-20 hours for subcutaneous).
Most anabolic steroid users opt for subcutaneous injection.
HCG should always come in the form of a lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder inside a vial or ampule and must be reconstituted with an appropriate amount of Bacteriostatic Water (or Sterile Water) before administration.
The number of IUs of HCG an individual will draw from a given amount in a syringe depends on the amount of Bacteriostatic Water or Sterile Water used to reconstitute the HCG powder.
The more water added, the more diluted the concentration; less water added has the opposite effect.
HCG must always be refrigerated after reconstitution (approximately 2-8 degrees Celsius or 35.6-46.4 degrees Fahrenheit).
Due to the fragile nature of protein hormones, storing reconstituted HCG at room temperature will denature and destroy the molecules, rendering the HCG ineffective.
Vigorous shaking can destroy the delicate protein molecules, so avoid vigorous shaking when reconstituting or otherwise handling it.
Medical References
[1] Various mechanisms for the suppression of pituitary and testicular function. Sandow J, Engelbart K, von Rechenberg W. Med BioI. 1986;63(56):192-200.
[2] Acute stimulation of aromatization in Leydig cells by human chorionic gonadotropin in vitro. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1979 Sep;76(9):4460-3.
[3] Tamoxifen suppresses gonadotropin-induced 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone accumulation in normal men. Smals AG, Pieters GF, Drayer JI, Boers GH, Benraad TJ, Kloppenborg PW. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1980 Nov;51(5):1026-9.
[4] A randomized three-way cross-over study in healthy pituitary-suppressed women to compare the bioavailability of human chorionic gonadotrophin (Pregnyl) after intramuscular and subcutaneous administration. Mannaerts BM, Geurts TB, Odink J. Hum Reprod. 1998 Jun;13(6):1461-4.
