HomePeptide dosagesGonadorelin
Gonadorelin dosage: chart, reported range and vial math
The amounts reported for gonadorelin are 100 to 200 mcg two or three times a week. The human label dose is very different: a 5 to 20 mcg pulse every 90 minutes from a pump. No approved human gonadorelin product is on sale in the US or Canada.
Gonadorelin dosage chart
Reported range, not a label dosePick your vial size. Each row shows the dose in milligrams or micrograms, the volume to draw and the mark on a U-100 syringe.
| Dose | Volume | Syringe units |
|---|---|---|
| 100 mcg | 0.10 mL | 10 units |
| 200 mcg | 0.20 mL | 20 units |
Source Reported use alongside testosterone therapy, not a label dose. Published human dosing is by pump, one small pulse about every 90 minutes. The stimulation test uses a single 100 mcg dose. Vial math is arithmetic.
Which syringe fits each dose
For the 2 mg vial at 1 mg/mL.
| Dose | Volume | Units | 0.3 mL syringe | 0.5 mL syringe | 1 mL syringe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 mcg | 0.10 mL | 10 units | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 200 mcg | 0.20 mL | 20 units | Yes | Yes | Yes |
How long a vial lasts
Whole doses in one vial. The row for the size picked above is marked.
| Vial | 100 mcg | 200 mcg |
|---|---|---|
| 2 mg vial | 20 doses | 10 doses |
How to mix a Gonadorelin vial
These steps are for the 2 mg vial picked in the chart. Change the size there and the amounts here change with it.
- Wash your hands. Wipe the stopper of the peptide vial and the water vial with an alcohol swab.
- Draw 2 mL of bacteriostatic water into a syringe.
- Push the needle through the stopper of the peptide vial and let the water run slowly down the glass, not straight onto the powder.
- Swirl the vial gently until the powder is gone. Do not shake it.
- Write the date and 1 mg/mL on the vial, then put it in the fridge.
| Vial | Bacteriostatic water | Concentration |
|---|---|---|
| 2 mg vial | 2 mL | 1 mg/mL |
What Gonadorelin is
Gonadorelin is synthetic gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which makes the pituitary release LH and, less strongly, FSH. The one human product whose label could be opened, Lutrepulse, gives it as a small pulse every 90 minutes from a wearable pump to induce ovulation. [1]
Other names: GnRH, gonadotropin-releasing hormone, LHRH, gonadorelin acetate, gonadorelin hydrochloride, Lutrepulse, Factrel.
How it has been given to people: subcutaneous or intravenous pulses from a pump (treatment); single intravenous or subcutaneous injection (pituitary stimulation test).
What to know before reading a dose
- No approved human gonadorelin product is on sale in the US or Canada as of the check date.
- Veterinary gonadorelin is a different product. The Factrel label on DailyMed today reads 'For use in cattle only' and 'Not for human use' [10]. In Canada the Factrel, Fertiline, Fertagyl 2, Gonabreed, Gonavet and Ovarelin listings are all veterinary [3].
- It works when pulsed. The label dose is a pulse every 90 to 120 minutes from a pump, and the monograph says steady exposure can temporarily reduce the pituitary's response [1].
- The human label is for women with primary hypothalamic amenorrhea. In men the doses on record are pump doses for congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.
- No human trial of gonadorelin injections to protect testicular function during testosterone therapy was found. A 2026 review of peptide approaches says direct evidence of restored sperm production or fertility after testosterone-induced suppression remains limited [13].
- Gonadorelin is not the same drug as its agonist analogues such as leuprorelin or triptorelin.
- WADA: GnRH (gonadorelin) is on the 2026 Prohibited List as a testosterone-stimulating peptide in males [12].
Doses on record for Gonadorelin
Every dose below was given in a human study or printed on an approved label, and each links to its source. Doses set by body weight are left that way.
| From | Where it was used | Dose | How often | For how long | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Label | Lutrepulse product monograph (Canada), subcutaneous pulses from the Lutrepulse System pump, recommended starting dose | 5 mcg per pulse | one pulse every 90 minutes (the pump can be set to 120 minutes) | until ovulation, then about two more weeks; treat for 21 days before changing the dose | [1] |
| Label | Lutrepulse product monograph (Canada), subcutaneous pulses from the Lutrepulse System pump, label range | 5 to 20 mcg per pulse | one pulse every 90 minutes (the pump can be set to 120 minutes) | until ovulation, then about two more weeks | [1] |
| Human study | Pivotal studies summarized in the Lutrepulse monograph, intravenous or subcutaneous pulses from a pump; full range of doses used | 0.5 to 40 mcg per pulse | pulse every 10 to 180 minutes, most often every 90 minutes | 1 to 14 treatment intervals | [1] |
| Human study | Retrospective cohort in men, subcutaneous pulses from a portable pump, starting dose (mean dose used was 8.8 mcg per pulse) | 10 mcg per pulse | one pulse every 90 minutes, adjusted to keep LH and FSH in a target range | at least 12 months (mean follow-up 15.6 months) | [5] |
| Human study | Nonrandomized study in men, subcutaneous pulses from a pump into the abdominal wall, starting dose (later adjusted between 3 and 15 mcg per pulse) | 10 mcg per pulse | one pulse every 90 minutes | up to 24 months | [6] |
| Human study | Comparison with hCG/hMG in men, subcutaneous pulses | 143 to 714 ng/kg per pulse | one pulse every 2 hours | 2 years | [7] |
| Human study | GnRH stimulation test (diagnostic, not treatment), single intravenous bolus; 5-year retrospective study | 100 mcg | single dose, with LH and FSH measured at 20 and 60 minutes | one test | [8] |
| Human study | GnRH stimulation test (diagnostic, not treatment), single subcutaneous injection | 100 mcg | single dose, with LH measured 40 minutes later | one test | [9] |
What the evidence shows
Each finding is tagged by the kind of study it comes from. Human trials are listed first.
Small human study
An older 2-year comparison in men found no advantage for pulsed subcutaneous GnRH over hCG/hMG. [7]
Small human study
In 22 patients assessed for precocious puberty, a single subcutaneous 100 mcg test gave LH results that matched the standard intravenous test. [9]
Human observational study
In the monograph's pivotal studies, 94% (45 of 48) of women with primary hypothalamic amenorrhea ovulated on pulsed gonadorelin. [1]
Human observational study
In the same studies, 58% (25 of 43) of the women with primary hypothalamic amenorrhea who wanted a pregnancy became pregnant. [1]
Human observational study
In men with congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, sperm first appeared after a median 6 months on the pulsatile pump against 18 months on hCG/hMG injections (retrospective cohort, 20 against 182 men). [5]
Human observational study
In a nonrandomized study, sperm production started in 90% of men on the gonadorelin pump and 83.3% on cyclical hCG/hMG, at a median of 6 and 14 months. [6]
Human observational study
As a one-off 100 mcg test in 104 patients with pituitary region disease, the response did not help clinical assessment. [8]
Side effects and warnings
Reported in human studies or on a label:
- Side effects were reported in about 10% of treatment courses in the pivotal trials, mostly at the injection or pump site. [1]
- Pump-related: inflammation, infection, mild vein irritation or bruising at the catheter site. [1]
- Multiple pregnancy: 12% of the pregnancies with delivery information were multiple. [1]
- Ovarian hyperstimulation was rare: one moderate case among 268 women, in a cycle that also used clomiphene. [1]
- Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) has been reported with gonadorelin hydrochloride (Factrel). [1]
- Antibodies formed in about 3% of patients given Factrel under the skin, in some cases with reduced effect. [1]
- In men on the pump, a hardened red allergic skin reaction at the infusion site was common in one study. [6]
From the label
- Contraindicated in women with any condition that pregnancy could make worse, such as a pituitary prolactinoma. [1]
- Contraindicated with ovarian cysts. [1]
- Contraindicated in any condition that reproductive hormones could make worse, such as a hormone-dependent tumor. [1]
- Serious warning: ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome is a known risk of ovulation induction, though rare with pulsed GnRH. [1]
- To be run by physicians experienced in pulsatile GnRH delivery, with ultrasound monitoring. [1]
- Steady, non-pulsed exposure can temporarily blunt the pituitary's response. [1]
- Interaction: not to be combined with other ovulation-stimulating medicines. [1]
- Kidney failure, but not liver disease, prolongs the half-life. [1]
Storage
Unopened Lutrepulse vials and diluent: room temperature, 15 to 30 C. [1]
Gonadorelin dosage questions
How many units is 200 mcg of Gonadorelin from a 2 mg vial?
Mixed with 2 mL of bacteriostatic water, a 2 mg vial is 1 mg/mL. 200 mcg is 0.20 mL, which is 20 units on a U-100 syringe.
How much water goes in a 2 mg Gonadorelin vial?
2 mL gives 1 mg/mL. At that strength the doses in the chart sit at 10, 20 units on a U-100 syringe.
How many doses are in a 2 mg vial?
Whole doses in one vial: 20 at 100 mcg, 10 at 200 mcg.
Is Gonadorelin approved in the US?
No FDA-approved human gonadorelin product is marketed in the US. Drugs@FDA lists both approved products, Factrel (NDA 018123, approved 1982-09-30) and Lutrepulse Kit (NDA 019687, approved 1989-10-10), as Discontinued.
Is Gonadorelin authorized in Canada?
No authorized human gonadorelin product is being sold in Canada. The Drug Product Database lists Lutrepulse 3.2 mg/vial (DIN 02046202) as Dormant since 2017-04-21 and every other human gonadorelin product as Cancelled Post Market.
What is the half-life of Gonadorelin?
Very short. After intravenous or subcutaneous injection, blood levels fall with an initial half-life of 2 to 10 minutes and a terminal half-life of 10 to 40 minutes.
What does the Lutrepulse label say about dose?
Start at 5 mcg under the skin every 90 minutes from the Lutrepulse System pump. Label range 5 to 20 mcg per pulse; the interval can be changed to 120 minutes. Treat for 21 days before changing the dose.
Sources
Each one was opened on 10 Oct 2026 and matched to the line it supports.
- Ferring Inc. PRODUCT MONOGRAPH LUTREPULSE Gonadorelin Acetate for Injection 3.2 mg/vial 2016. pdf.hres.ca.
- US Food and Drug Administration Drugs@FDA (openFDA drugsfda endpoint): applications with gonadorelin as active ingredient 2026. api.fda.gov.
- Health Canada Drug Product Database (API): active ingredient lookup for GONADORELIN, with product and status records 2026. health-products.canada.ca.
- Health Canada Drug Product Database API documentation: Product Status definitions 2026. health-products.canada.ca.
- Mao JF et al. Pulsatile gonadotropin-releasing hormone therapy is associated with earlier spermatogenesis compared to combined gonadotropin therapy in patients with congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Asian J Androl 2017. PubMed 28051040.
- Zhang L et al. The Pulsatile Gonadorelin Pump Induces Earlier Spermatogenesis Than Cyclical Gonadotropin Therapy in Congenital Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism Men. Am J Mens Health 2019. PubMed 30569789.
- Liu L et al. Two-year comparison of testicular responses to pulsatile gonadotropin-releasing hormone and exogenous gonadotropins from the inception of therapy in men with isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1988. PubMed 3142911.
- Chammas NK et al. The GnRH test in the assessment of patients with pituitary and parapituitary lesions: results of a 5-year retrospective study. Pituitary 2008. PubMed 18425583.
- Eckert KL et al. A single-sample, subcutaneous gonadotropin-releasing hormone test for central precocious puberty. Pediatrics 1996. PubMed 8632938.
- Zoetis Inc. FACTREL (GONADORELIN HYDROCHLORIDE) INJECTION [ZOETIS INC.] 2026. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov.
- Health Canada Unauthorized injectable peptide drugs seized and sold by Canada Peptide may pose serious health risks 2025. recalls-rappels.canada.ca.
- World Anti-Doping Agency World Anti-Doping Code International Standard Prohibited List 2026 2026. wada-ama.org.
- Cretu AM et al. Emerging peptide and neuroendocrine strategies for TRT-induced reproductive suppression and functional male hypogonadism: a narrative review. Front Reprod Health 2026. PubMed 42666625.
Looked for and not found
- US human labels for Factrel and Lutrepulse: not in openFDA or DailyMed. No Factrel label dose is given here; the 100 mcg test rows come from published studies.
- Why the human products were discontinued: no FDA or Health Canada statement was found.
- No human trial of gonadorelin given as occasional injections (for example twice a week) was found, including for keeping the testes working during testosterone therapy.
- Whether gonadorelin can be compounded under section 503A was not determined. It does not appear on FDA's category list of nominated bulk substances updated May 14, 2026.
- Labels for the cancelled Canadian products (Factrel, Relisorm) were not opened.
- Numbers of men, doses and schedules are missing from several pump-study abstracts; rows above use only what the abstract or open full text states.
Change log
10 Oct 2026Page published. 13 sources checked. Vial math added for the 2 mg vial.
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