hCG Reference

Plain English

What it is

hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is a hormone the body naturally makes during pregnancy. As a medicine it is an FDA-approved prescription drug, sold under brand names like Pregnyl, Novarel, and Ovidrel.

What people use it for

Doctors prescribe it for certain fertility issues, including triggering the ovaries to release an egg, and for some men whose pituitary gland does not signal enough testosterone. It is also approved for undescended testicles in young boys when there is no physical blockage. In men's-health circles, some people also use it off-label alongside testosterone to keep the testicles active, though that is outside the approved label.

What the science shows

For its approved fertility and hormone uses, hCG is well established and has long been used in people. But the drug's own FDA label states there is no real evidence it helps with weight loss or treats obesity.

The catch

The FDA has warned about and acted against over-the-counter 'hCG diet' drops, sprays, and weight-loss products. Those are not approved and are illegal to sell in the US. hCG is also banned in sport for men at all times under WADA anti-doping rules because it can raise testosterone.

Reference summary

hCG is label-verified for fertility / hypogonadism uses. The Pregnyl and Novarel prescribing information anchors the approved indications, dosing ranges, and contraindications. Off-label use in men receiving testosterone therapy to maintain endogenous testicular function (Coviello 2005 J Clin Endocrinol Metab; subsequent Hsieh and Ramasamy work) is reflected in the urology literature but is outside the FDA label and requires prescriber oversight. pepSmart surfaces label-reference content only and explicitly does not endorse weight-loss hCG.

Regulatory and posture

Categories

Reproductive, Hormonal

Aliases

Human chorionic gonadotropin, Pregnyl, Novarel, Choriogonadotropin alfa, Ovidrel

Evidence posture

human - FDA-approved fertility / hypogonadism drug. FDA has issued public enforcement actions against hCG products marketed for weight loss; weight-loss use is outside the FDA label and is illegal to market in the US.

Regulatory status

FDA-approved prescription medication (Pregnyl, Novarel, and recombinant choriogonadotropin alfa as Ovidrel). Indicated for select fertility uses (induction of ovulation in anovulatory infertility as part of an assisted-reproduction protocol, treatment of selected hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in males, and prepubertal cryptorchidism not due to anatomic obstruction). FDA has issued explicit consumer warnings against hCG products marketed for weight loss; weight-loss use is not an FDA-approved indication and is illegal to market in the US. WADA prohibits hCG and LH and their releasing factors in males at all times under category S2.

Content review status

label verified

Related tools

• Peptide reconstitution calculator - Convert vial mass and BAC water volume into mcg/ml.
• BAC water calculator - Solve BAC water volume for a target concentration.
• Multi-dose vial calculator - Estimate doses per vial and a projected vial-empty date.
• Reconstituted-vial storage window calculator - Estimate a generic usable-window date and days remaining.
• Peptide half-life calculator - Estimate single-dose decay from cited half-life constants.
• Injection-site rotation overview - Public overview of the Pro site-rotation planner.