HCG: what it is, what the studies show and where it stands
Human chorionic gonadotropin is a hormone made by the human placenta; the approved products are purified from the urine of pregnant women. Its action is nearly the same as that of luteinizing hormone (LH) from the pituitary.
At a glance
US Approved, prescription
Canada Authorized, prescription
Group Hormonal and sexual health
Sources 11
Checked 10 Oct 2026What is HCG?
Human chorionic gonadotropin is a hormone made by the human placenta; the approved products are purified from the urine of pregnant women. Its action is nearly the same as that of luteinizing hormone (LH) from the pituitary. [1]
Other names: human chorionic gonadotropin, chorionic gonadotropin, human chorionic gonadotrophin, hCG, Novarel, Pregnyl.
How it has been given to people: injection into a muscle on the US labels; injection under the skin in published studies.
Looking for doses? HCG dosage chart and vial math
Is HCG approved in the US and Canada?
United States: FDA approved. Drugs@FDA lists chorionic gonadotropin at prescription status from Ferring (Novarel), Organon (Pregnyl) and Fresenius Kabi. [9]
Canada: Authorized by Health Canada. Pregnyl (Organon Canada) and Chorionic Gonadotropin for Injection, USP (Fresenius Kabi Canada) are listed as marketed, both as 10,000 unit vials. [10]
Both were checked on 10 Oct 2026 against the regulators' own product databases.
Which approved products contain HCG?
| Product | Country | Approved for | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novarel (5,000 and 10,000 USP unit vials) | US | Prepubertal cryptorchidism not due to anatomic obstruction; selected cases of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in males; induction of ovulation and pregnancy in the anovulatory, infertile woman pretreated with menotropins. | Label |
| Pregnyl (10,000 USP unit vial) | US | The same three uses as Novarel: prepubertal cryptorchidism, selected cases of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in males, and induction of ovulation in women pretreated with gonadotropins. | Label |
What human studies of HCG exist?
The 6 findings listed here: 3 from randomized human trials and 3 from smaller or observational human studies.
In men whose own gonadotropins were shut down by testosterone, 250 IU of hCG every other day kept testosterone inside the testis near baseline and 500 IU took it above baseline. [3]
Without hCG, the same testosterone dose cut testosterone inside the testis by 94%. [3]
A meta-analysis of 8 controlled and 16 uncontrolled trials found no evidence that HCG works for obesity. [5]
In men with complete hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, 80% of those on hCG plus hMG produced sperm after 2 years, though sperm counts stayed low. [8]
A 5,000 IU injection under the skin raised testosterone as much as the same dose into a muscle. [7]
In a record review of 26 men on testosterone replacement plus 500 IU of hCG every other day, none lost all sperm. There was no comparison group. [4]
What are the side effects of HCG?
Reported in human studies or on a label:
- Novarel label: headache, irritability, restlessness, depression, fatigue, swelling, early puberty, breast enlargement in males and pain where it is injected. [1]
- Allergic-type reactions, local and whole-body, have been reported: redness, hives, rash, swelling under the skin and shortness of breath. [1]
- Anaphylaxis has been reported with HCG products made from urine. [1]
- In the bioavailability study in 18 women the injection under the skin was described as well tolerated. [6]
Warnings on the label
- The label states in capitals that HCG has not been shown to work as an add-on treatment for obesity. [1]
- The label also states that it has no known effect on fat, appetite or hunger. [1]
- Not for anyone with early puberty, prostate cancer or another androgen-dependent tumor, or a past allergic reaction to HCG. [1]
- It may harm a fetus if given during pregnancy. [1]
- Used with menotropins for fertility, the main serious reactions are ovarian hyperstimulation, enlargement or rupture of ovarian cysts, multiple births and blood clots in arteries. [1]
- Because androgens can cause fluid retention, the label asks for caution in heart or kidney disease, epilepsy, migraine and asthma. [1]
- In boys treated for undescended testes it can bring on early puberty; the label says to stop if signs appear. [1]
- The diluent contains benzyl alcohol, which has been linked to a fatal syndrome in premature infants. [1]
- HCG can cross-react in lab tests for gonadotropins, mainly LH. [1]
What is the half-life of HCG?
About 32 to 33 hours after a single injection of 5,000 or 10,000 IU in 18 healthy women, the same by muscle or under the skin. [6]
How does HCG compare with others in its group?
These are the peptides filed under hormonal and sexual health. The last column says whether a randomized human trial is on record for each.
| Peptide | US | Canada | Half-life | Randomized human trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PT-141 (bremelanotide) | Approved for one use | Not authorized | About 2.7 hours after a single subcutaneous dose (the label gives a range of 1.9 to 4.0 hours). Blood levels peak at about 1 hour. | Yes |
| Kisspeptin-10 | Not approved | Not authorized | Not found | Yes |
| Gonadorelin | No longer sold | No longer sold | 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. | No |
| Testagen | Not approved | Not authorized | Not found | No |
| HCG | Approved, prescription | Authorized, prescription | About 32 to 33 hours after a single injection of 5,000 or 10,000 IU in 18 healthy women, the same by muscle or under the skin. | Yes |
| HMG | Approved, prescription | Authorized, prescription | FSH from Menopur had an elimination half-life of 11 to 13 hours after repeated doses, by injection under the skin or into a muscle. The label gives no half-life for the LH part. | Yes |
What could not be found
These were searched for and did not turn up. They are listed so a missing number is not mistaken for a hidden one.
- A label dose for use alongside testosterone or after an anabolic steroid cycle. No approved label covers either use. The 125 to 500 IU every other day figures come from two published studies [3], [4].
- A randomized trial of hCG for keeping sperm production during testosterone therapy with fertility as the endpoint. [3] measured testosterone inside the testis over 3 weeks; [4] is a record review of 26 men with no comparison group.
- A half-life figure on the US Novarel or Pregnyl labels. The 32 to 33 hour figure is from a study in women [6].
- Canadian product monographs were not opened. Label doses, warnings, side effects and storage in this file come from the US labels.
- A 5,000 unit human product marketed in Canada. The Drug Product Database lists only 10,000 unit vials from human drug companies as marketed [10].
- A current FDA or Health Canada statement on HCG sold for weight loss beyond the label wording. The regulators' consumer pages were not opened.
HCG questions
Is HCG approved in the US?
FDA approved. Drugs@FDA lists chorionic gonadotropin at prescription status from Ferring (Novarel), Organon (Pregnyl) and Fresenius Kabi.
Is HCG authorized in Canada?
Authorized by Health Canada. Pregnyl (Organon Canada) and Chorionic Gonadotropin for Injection, USP (Fresenius Kabi Canada) are listed as marketed, both as 10,000 unit vials.
What is the half-life of HCG?
About 32 to 33 hours after a single injection of 5,000 or 10,000 IU in 18 healthy women, the same by muscle or under the skin.
Has HCG been tested in a randomized human trial?
Yes. At least one randomized human trial is listed on this page.
Sources
Each one was opened on 10 Oct 2026 and matched to the line it supports.
- Novarel (chorionic gonadotropin) for injection, US prescribing information, Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc., label version 41 2025-08-27. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov.
- Pregnyl (chorionic gonadotropin) for injection, US prescribing information, Organon LLC, label version 11 2025-12-02. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov.
- 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. PubMed 15713727.
- Hsieh TC et al. Concomitant intramuscular human chorionic gonadotropin preserves spermatogenesis in men undergoing testosterone replacement therapy. J Urol 2013. PubMed 23260550.
- Lijesen GK et al. The effect of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in the treatment of obesity by means of the Simeons therapy: a criteria-based meta-analysis. Br J Clin Pharmacol 1995. PubMed 8527285.
- Mannaerts BM et al. 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. Hum Reprod 1998. PubMed 9688371.
- Saal W et al. Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics after subcutaneous and intramuscular injection of human chorionic gonadotropin. Fertil Steril 1991. PubMed 1712735.
- 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.
- Drugs@FDA via openFDA: applications with active ingredient gonadotropin, chorionic US Food and Drug Administration. api.fda.gov.
- Health Canada Drug Product Database: products with active ingredient chorionic gonadotropin, with status lookups Health Canada. health-products.canada.ca.
- The Prohibited List (2026 list as shown on the WADA website) World Anti-Doping Agency. wada-ama.org.
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HCG dosageHormonal and sexual healthStatus in Canada
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