HCG Peptide for Men: Label Doses, TRT Studies, Syringe Units and FDA Status
The short answer
hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is a placental hormone sold by research vendors as a peptide, though at 92 and 145 amino acids per chain FDA counts it as a protein. In the US it is a prescription biologic, injected into the muscle. The label dose for men with pituitary-caused low testosterone is 500 to 1,000 units three times a week, or 4,000 units three times a week. The 500 IU every other day used with TRT comes from small studies, not the label.
"HCG peptide" is how research vendors list it, but hCG is a hormone made by the placenta, and by FDA's own definition it is a protein rather than a peptide. In the US it is a prescription biologic, injected into the muscle on every label, and used in men for low testosterone caused by the pituitary. Below: what the labels say, the doses studies used alongside testosterone therapy, the units arithmetic and what the FDA says about hCG for weight loss.
What hCG is, and why it is not really a peptide
Human chorionic gonadotropin is made of two chains. The alpha chain is 92 amino acids long and is shared with LH, FSH and TSH; the beta chain is 145 amino acids and is what makes it hCG (UniProt P01215, UniProt P0DN86). The labels describe it as a water-soluble glycoprotein obtained from the urine of pregnant women that acts much like the pituitary hormone LH: in men it tells the Leydig cells in the testes to make testosterone (Novarel label).
FDA counts any amino acid chain "greater than 40 amino acids in size" as a protein (21 CFR 600.3), so both hCG chains are proteins. On 23 March 2020 the approved hCG products, Novarel, Pregnyl, A.P.L. and the generics from Fresenius Kabi and Bel-Mar, moved from drug applications to biologics licences (FDA list of NDAs deemed BLAs). For our list of compounds that really are peptides, see the list of peptides and what they do.
The FDA-approved hCG products
All three US labels we read list the same three uses: undescended testes in boys (prepubertal cryptorchidism), selected cases of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in men, and ovulation induction in women. All three say intramuscular use only.
| Product | Vial | Diluent in the kit | After mixing, per label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novarel (Ferring) | 5,000 or 10,000 USP units | Bacteriostatic water, 0.9% benzyl alcohol, 10 mL | Refrigerate, use within 30 days |
| Pregnyl (Organon) | 10,000 USP units | Water with 0.56% sodium chloride and 0.9% benzyl alcohol, 10 mL | Refrigerate, discard after 60 days |
| Chorionic Gonadotropin (Fresenius Kabi) | 10,000 USP units | Bacteriostatic water, 10 mL | Use within 60 days |
The use-by window after mixing differs by product, 30 days for Novarel and 60 days for Pregnyl and the Fresenius Kabi kit, so no single number applies to every vial.
hCG dosage for men: what the label says
For hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in men (low testosterone because the pituitary does not send the signal) the Novarel, Pregnyl and Fresenius Kabi labels give the same two regimens, both as injections into the muscle:
- 500 to 1,000 USP units three times a week for three weeks, "followed by the same dose twice a week for three weeks."
- 4,000 USP units three times a week for six to nine months, after which the dose "may be reduced to 2,000 USP Units three times weekly for an additional three months."
No label we read mentions 250 IU, 500 IU every other day alongside testosterone, post-cycle use or injecting under the skin. Those uses are off-label, and the evidence for them is the studies below.
hCG with testosterone therapy: what the studies used
| Study | Who | hCG dose | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coviello 2005 | 29 healthy men on 200 mg testosterone enanthate a week, 3 weeks | 0 (placebo), 125, 250 or 500 IU every other day | Testosterone inside the testes fell 94% on placebo; versus baseline it was 25% lower on 125 IU, 7% lower on 250 IU and 26% higher on 500 IU |
| Hsieh 2013 | 26 men with low testosterone on TRT, mean 6.2 months, no control group | 500 IU into the muscle every other day | Semen measures did not change; no man became azoospermic; 9 of 26 contributed to a pregnancy |
| Madhusoodanan 2019 | 20 men with symptoms and testosterone above 300 ng/dL, hCG alone, median 8 months | Not given in the abstract | Testosterone rose 49.9%, 362 to 520 ng/dL; half reported better symptoms |
Each is small. Coviello lasted three weeks in men who were not hypogonadal and measured hormones, not sperm. Hsieh and Madhusoodanan are retrospective case series without a control group. Together they explain where the community's "500 IU every other day" comes from; they do not make it an approved dose.
hCG injection: muscle on the label, under the skin in one study
Every label we read says intramuscular. In a randomised study of 24 healthy men given 5,000 IU, injecting under the skin delayed the peak and lengthened the half-life compared with the muscle, while the testosterone, LH and FSH response was the same (Saal 1991). The abstract gives no half-life figure. The labels state none either; the only number we found, about 37 to 39 hours, comes from a study in women and does not transfer to men.
hCG units on a U-100 syringe
hCG is dosed in international or USP units (IU), and an insulin syringe is marked in its own units: on a U-100 syringe 100 marks are 1 mL. The two have nothing to do with each other, which is the commonest mix-up. The strength depends only on the vial size and how much liquid goes in; the Novarel label itself gives 1 mL for 10,000 or 5,000 units per mL and 10 mL for 1,000 or 500 units per mL. The tables are arithmetic, not dosing advice.
5,000 IU vial
| Liquid added | Strength | 250 IU | 500 IU | 1,000 IU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mL | 5,000 IU per mL | 0.1 mL = 5 units | 0.1 mL = 10 units | 0.2 mL = 20 units |
| 2 mL | 2,500 IU per mL | 0.1 mL = 10 units | 0.2 mL = 20 units | 0.4 mL = 40 units |
| 5 mL | 1,000 IU per mL | 0.3 mL = 25 units | 0.5 mL = 50 units | 1 mL = 100 units |
| 10 mL | 500 IU per mL | 0.5 mL = 50 units | 1 mL = 100 units | 2 mL = 200* units |
10,000 IU vial
| Liquid added | Strength | 250 IU | 500 IU | 1,000 IU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 mL | 10,000 IU per mL | 0 mL = 2.5 units | 0.1 mL = 5 units | 0.1 mL = 10 units |
| 2 mL | 5,000 IU per mL | 0.1 mL = 5 units | 0.1 mL = 10 units | 0.2 mL = 20 units |
| 5 mL | 2,000 IU per mL | 0.1 mL = 12.5 units | 0.3 mL = 25 units | 0.5 mL = 50 units |
| 10 mL | 1,000 IU per mL | 0.3 mL = 25 units | 0.5 mL = 50 units | 1 mL = 100 units |
* More than one 1 mL syringe holds. A 10,000 IU vial mixed with 1 mL puts 250 IU at 2.5 marks, below the smallest marking on many syringes, which is how dosing errors happen. Read the vial label, not a forum chart. For the liquid itself, see bacteriostatic water.
hCG for weight loss: what the label and the FDA say
Every hCG label carries the same line: "HCG HAS NOT BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO BE EFFECTIVE ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF OBESITY." The FDA's consumer page goes further: "HCG is not approved for use without a prescription for any purpose", and any weight lost on an hCG diet "is from severe calorie restriction", which "can be dangerous, even potentially fatal" (FDA, Avoid Dangerous HCG Diet Products). Drops, pellets and sprays sold for the hCG diet are not approved products.
Side effects and sport
- Label side effects. The Novarel label's adverse reactions include precocious puberty, gynecomastia and pain at the injection site, and warns that hCG can bring on early puberty in boys treated for undescended testes.
- Benzyl alcohol. The diluent in the kits contains it, and Pregnyl's label says it is "NOT FOR USE IN NEWBORNS."
- Sport. The WADA 2026 Prohibited List names chorionic gonadotrophin under S2.2.1, "testosterone-stimulating peptides in males" (text of the 2026 list, WADA).
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Build your stack, 2 minutesFrequently asked questions
Is hCG a peptide?
Not by FDA's definition. hCG has a 92 amino acid alpha chain and a 145 amino acid beta chain, and FDA counts any chain over 40 amino acids as a protein. Since 23 March 2020 the approved hCG products are regulated as biologics. Research vendors still list it as a peptide.
What is the hCG dosage for men?
The US labels give two regimens for hypogonadotropic hypogonadism: 500 to 1,000 USP units three times a week for three weeks, then twice a week for three weeks; or 4,000 USP units three times a week for six to nine months, then 2,000 units three times a week for three more months. Both are injected into the muscle.
How much hCG is used with TRT?
Studies used 500 IU every other day. In Coviello 2005 that dose kept testosterone inside the testes 26% above baseline in men on testosterone, and in Hsieh 2013 no man on TRT plus 500 IU became azoospermic. Both are small, and neither use is on the label.
How many units is 500 IU of hCG on an insulin syringe?
It depends on the mix. A 5,000 IU vial with 1 mL of liquid is 5,000 IU per mL, so 500 IU is 0.1 mL, 10 marks on a U-100 syringe. A 10,000 IU vial with 10 mL is 1,000 IU per mL, so 500 IU is 0.5 mL, 50 marks.
Does hCG help with weight loss?
No. Every hCG label says it has not been shown to help treat obesity, and the FDA advises consumers to avoid hCG weight-loss products: any loss on an hCG diet comes from severe calorie restriction, which can be dangerous.
Is hCG banned in sport?
Yes, for men. The WADA 2026 Prohibited List names chorionic gonadotrophin under S2.2.1, testosterone-stimulating peptides in males.
Sources (checked 8 November 2026)
- Novarel (chorionic gonadotropin for injection) prescribing information, Ferring, DailyMed, Rev. 05/2023. Checked 8 November 2026.
- Pregnyl (chorionic gonadotropin for injection) prescribing information, Organon, DailyMed, revised 03/2025. Checked 8 November 2026.
- Chorionic Gonadotropin for Injection prescribing information, Fresenius Kabi, DailyMed, revised February 2025. Checked 8 November 2026.
- 21 CFR 600.3(h)(6), definition of a protein, eCFR. Checked 8 November 2026.
- FDA, List of approved NDAs for biological products that were deemed to be BLAs on March 23, 2020. Checked 8 November 2026.
- FDA consumer update, Avoid Dangerous HCG Diet Products (content current as of 13 July 2020). Checked 8 November 2026.
- Coviello AD et al. Low-dose human chorionic gonadotropin maintains intratesticular testosterone in normal men with testosterone-induced gonadotropin suppression. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2005;90(5):2595-2602. Checked 8 November 2026.
- Hsieh TC et al. Concomitant intramuscular human chorionic gonadotropin preserves spermatogenesis in men undergoing testosterone replacement therapy. J Urol 2013;189(2):647-650. Checked 8 November 2026.
- Madhusoodanan V et al. Human chorionic gonadotropin monotherapy for the treatment of hypogonadal symptoms in men with total testosterone above 300 ng/dL. Int Braz J Urol 2019;45(5):1008-1012. Checked 8 November 2026.
- Saal W et al. Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics after subcutaneous and intramuscular injection of human chorionic gonadotropin. Fertil Steril 1991;56(2):225-229. Checked 8 November 2026.
- WADA 2026 Prohibited List, section S2.2.1, as published with the Council of Europe Anti-Doping Convention amendment (Tractatenblad 2026, 25). Checked 8 November 2026.
- UniProt P01215, glycoprotein hormones alpha chain. Checked 8 November 2026.
- UniProt P0DN86, choriogonadotropin subunit beta 3. Checked 8 November 2026.
hCG is a prescription biologic in the US; doses are quoted from the FDA labels and the studies listed, unit tables are arithmetic. Labels and trial records change; the leaflet in your box and your prescriber come first. Educational content, not medical advice.