It’s known as the pregnancy hormone, but did you know that hCG can also be used as a treatment for low T?
Key Takeaways
- What it is: hCG hormone injection
- How it’s used: Injected into muscle or under the skin
- Who it’s for: Men with confirmed low T (secondary hypogonadism)
- Pros: Maintains fertility while boosting T
- Cons: Side effects include breast tissue growth
- Availability: Private prescription
What is hCG and how does it impact men?
hCG stands for human chorionic gonadotropin. It’s a hormone that’s best known for its role in maintaining early pregnancy.
But for men who have low T due to secondary hypogonadism—when there’s an issue with how the brain signals to the testes—hCG can boost testosterone production.
Usually, the brain makes luteinising hormone (LH) to stimulate the testicles to produce T. With secondary hypogonadism (also called hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, or HH), the brain doesn’t make enough LH, so testosterone drops significantly. hCG acts like LH: it stimulates the testicles and re-starts T production.
You take hCG as an injection, usually 2-3 times per week.
What is hCG monotherapy?
This means that you’re only taking one medicine, hCG, to treat your low T. Sometimes, hCG is taken alongside testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), which is called combination therapy.
Here’s the difference between the two medicines:
- TRT replaces testosterone that your body isn’t producing
- hCG stimulates your body to produce testosterone
hCG may be recommended on its own if:
- You’re planning to have kids. TRT can suppress sperm production
- TRT side effects didn’t agree with you
Benefits of hCG for men
So, what are the benefits of hCG injections? Aside from boosting testosterone, they can preserve your fertility. Here’s what the research says:
- When used on its own, hCG can increase T production while maintaining fertility.
- Sperm production was restored in 84% of men taking hCG who had reduced fertility due to HH acquired after puberty.
- hCG has been shown to preserve sperm production in men who were also using TRT—and to restore sperm production sooner in men coming off TRT.
- In one study of 29 men, those taking hCG and TRT were able to maintain T levels inside the testes (called intratesticular testosterone). This is crucial for sperm production.
- The amount of men with a normal total motile sperm count (the amount of sperm that can swim properly) went up from 5-58% when hCG was used alongside testosterone therapy. This is a key indicator of fertility.
- Even at a low dose, hCG can maintain sperm production in men also on TRT.
How long does hCG take to work in males?
When you first take hCG, there will be an initial rise in T that will peak after about two hours. You’ll then have another peak at the 48-hour mark, which will be larger and more sustained. At high doses of hCG, T levels can stay elevated for six days.
But it usually takes at least 6 to 12 weeks for your hormone levels to stabilise—and for you to notice improvements in your symptoms.
How quickly does hCG increase sperm count?
It takes 90 days for sperm to fully mature. So, we would typically expect your fertility to improve after around three months on hCG.
hCG injection: What you need to know
hCG can be injected under the skin (subcutaneous injection) or directly into muscle (intramuscular). Your provider will advise on which is best: they each have their own pros and cons.
For example, subcutaneous injections generally hurt less because they use a smaller needle. But intramuscular injections have more volume, so you usually don’t need to do them as often.
Make sure you follow your provider’s advice exactly when taking hCG. They’ll tell you how to use the medicine and how often you should take it.
Good to know: your hCG injections need to be kept in the fridge.
hCG dosage for men
Your provider will advise on this one. There’s not one fixed recommended hCG dosage for men.
They will consider your current hormone levels, whether you’re planning to have children anytime soon, and your medical history when deciding which starting dose is best.
hCG side effects in males
These are similar to TRT side effects. And as with TRT, hCG can increase your oestrogen levels (as T goes up, some of it is converted into oestrogen). This can cause side effects like breast tissue growth.
hCG side effects may include:
- Breast tissue growth (gynaecomastia)
- Injection site pain
- Nausea
- Headache
Generally, hCG is considered a safe and effective low T treatment.
hCG in men vs pregnancy tests
We mentioned earlier that hCG is best known as a pregnancy hormone—its levels rise rapidly when someone is pregnant.
That’s why pregnancy tests measure hCG. So, does that mean that men can use those same tests to gauge their hCG levels?
In a word: no. The rise in hCG with pregnancy is much, much higher than what men would see when using hCG injections. Men’s levels would be far too low for a pregnancy test to pick up.
Wondering what low T treatment is right for you? We can help. We’ll create a personalised plan to get your T within a healthy range—which can help get your strength, energy, and libido back.
Take our quiz or arrange a testosterone blood test to get started.
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