Compounds / hCG
hCG
Also known as: Human chorionic gonadotropin; hCG; chorionic gonadotropin; choriogonadotropin alfa (recombinant, Ovidrel)
Primary research focus: Fertility and reproductive endocrinology (ovulation induction, ART trigger, male hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, prepubertal cryptorchidism)
Last updated July 2026 · Reviewed against FDA labeling and published research.
What is hCG?
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a glycoprotein hormone normally produced by the placenta in pregnancy. As a medicine it acts like luteinizing hormone (LH), stimulating the gonads. It is FDA-approved and marketed as Pregnyl and Novarel (urinary-derived) and Ovidrel (recombinant choriogonadotropin alfa) for specific fertility and endocrine indications. It is explicitly not approved for weight loss.
hCG binds the LH/hCG receptor and reproduces LH activity (with slight FSH-like activity). In men it stimulates testicular Leydig cells to produce testosterone, supporting secondary sex characteristics and, with FSH, spermatogenesis; it can also promote testicular descent in cryptorchidism. In women it substitutes for the mid-cycle LH surge to trigger final follicular maturation and ovulation, and it supports the corpus luteum's progesterone production. Its long half-life gives a sustained LH-like stimulus from a single injection.
How it’s supplied
Brand / trade names: Pregnyl, Novarel, Ovidrel
Supplied as FDA-approved prescription products: Pregnyl and Novarel (urinary-derived chorionic gonadotropin) as lyophilized powder with diluent for intramuscular injection after reconstitution (commonly 5,000 and 10,000 USP unit vials), and Ovidrel (recombinant choriogonadotropin alfa) as a prefilled subcutaneous syringe. Compounded hCG is no longer legally permitted in the US (see regulatory status).
Dosage Chart
Units shown are for a U-100 insulin syringe (100 units = 1 mL), calculated from the vial size and BAC water you select. Always confirm against your prescription and your syringe markings.
| Phase | Dose | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-12 | 500IU | 3x Weekly | — |
- Rotate injection sites to reduce irritation and lipohypertrophy
- Not for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Do not exceed the recommended dose to try to speed results
Potential Benefits and Side Effects
Effects reported in published research. Not a promise of results, and not medical advice.
- Established, FDA-approved therapeutic effects.
- Triggers ovulation and final follicular maturation in fertility treatment and assisted reproduction.
- Stimulates testosterone production and supports spermatogenesis in male hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.
- Can induce testicular descent in prepubertal cryptorchidism not due to anatomic obstruction.
- Preserves intratesticular testosterone and testicular size when used with testosterone therapy (off-label).
- Injection-site pain or reaction.
- Headache, fatigue, mood changes, and fluid retention.
- In women: ovarian enlargement and OHSS (potentially serious), and increased chance of multiple pregnancy.
- In boys treated for cryptorchidism: signs of precocious puberty.
- Rare thromboembolic events and, with urinary-derived products, allergic reactions including anaphylaxis.
Warnings and contraindications
Important safety information. This is not exhaustive — read the full prescribing information and consult your prescriber or pharmacist.
- Based on the FDA-approved labeling.
- hCG is not effective for weight loss; the labeling states there is no substantial evidence it increases weight loss beyond caloric restriction or affects fat distribution, appetite, or hunger.
- Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) can occur and may be life-threatening, with fluid accumulation, severe pelvic pain, nausea, vomiting, and rapid weight gain; monitor closely during ovulation induction.
- Ovarian torsion, multiple births, and thromboembolic events have been reported with gonadotropin therapy.
- In boys treated for cryptorchidism, hCG may induce precocious puberty; discontinue if signs appear.
- Anaphylaxis has been reported with urinary-derived products; hCG causes false-positive pregnancy tests.
- The diluent for some products contains benzyl alcohol, which is not for use in newborns.
- Per the approved labeling: known hypersensitivity to hCG or components; precocious puberty; and androgen-dependent neoplasia (for example, prostate cancer). hCG is not indicated in pregnancy.
Reconstitution Steps
How to prepare the lyophilized vial. Confirm specifics with your pharmacist or prescriber.
- Use the specific diluent supplied with the product; the steps below describe reconstituting the lyophilized powder for injection.
- Confirm the vial strength (for example, 5,000 or 10,000 USP units) and the supplied diluent volume before starting.
- Wash your hands and gather supplies: the hCG powder vial, the supplied diluent, an alcohol swab, and a sterile syringe and needle.
- Let the vial and diluent reach room temperature if refrigerated.
- Wipe the stopper of both the powder vial and the diluent vial with a fresh alcohol swab and let them dry.
- Draw up the supplied diluent and slowly inject it down the inside wall of the powder vial.
- Do not shake. Gently swirl or roll the vial until the powder is fully dissolved.
- Inspect the solution: it should be clear and colorless with no particles. Do not use if cloudy or discolored.
- Administer by the labeled route (intramuscular for Pregnyl and Novarel), and note the resulting concentration for reference.
- Label the vial with the reconstitution date, refrigerate, and use within the product-specific in-use window.
US regulatory status
Classifications are public record but can change. For reference only, not legal advice.
Development: hCG has long-standing FDA approval for prepubertal cryptorchidism (not due to anatomic obstruction), selected cases of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in males, and induction of ovulation in appropriately selected anovulatory infertile women pretreated with menotropins; the recombinant product Ovidrel is approved to trigger final follicular maturation in assisted reproduction. A major regulatory shift occurred on March 23, 2020, when hCG was recognized as a biological product under the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (BPCIA); biologics are not eligible for pharmacy compounding under sections 503A or 503B, so compounded hCG became legally impermissible, leaving the FDA-approved brand products as the only lawful forms. The FDA and the approved labeling explicitly reject hCG for weight loss.
Notes: hCG is FDA-approved and marketed as Pregnyl, Novarel, and Ovidrel. Since the March 2020 BPCIA transition it is regulated as a biologic and cannot be compounded under 503A or 503B, so compounded hCG is not legally available in the US; only the approved brand products may be prescribed and dispensed. hCG is not approved for weight loss, and OTC or homeopathic hCG weight-loss products are prohibited. It is not a controlled substance federally, though some states classify injectable hCG as a Schedule III substance. Off-label use for male fertility and testosterone support is common under physician supervision using the approved products.
International status
Pharmacokinetics
Storage and handling
Important Notes
Practical considerations for consistency and safety.
- hCG is a genuinely FDA-approved drug (Pregnyl, Novarel, Ovidrel), unlike most research peptides.
- It is NOT approved for weight loss; the labeling explicitly rejects that use, and OTC/homeopathic hCG weight-loss products are prohibited.
- Since March 2020 hCG is a biologic and cannot be legally compounded; only the approved brand products are lawful.
- OHSS is a serious risk during ovulation induction and requires monitoring.
- hCG causes false-positive pregnancy tests.
Lifestyle Factors
- Administered under medical supervision, with monitoring (for example, estradiol and ultrasound during ovulation induction).
- Not a lifestyle or weight-loss product.
References
Related compounds
Important disclaimer
This page is an educational reference, not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment recommendation, and not a substitute for your prescriber or pharmacist. Approval and regulatory status varies by compound and can change. Always confirm against current prescribing information and consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any decision about a medication.