Hormonal signaling & sexual health
hCG.
Written by the Elevate Clinical Team
Medically reviewed by Dr. Eric W. Anderson, MD · Last reviewed
Citations independently verified against PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, and FDA sources on .
Also known as Human chorionic gonadotropin
A prescription hormone that mimics LH, used to maintain testicular function and fertility signaling during testosterone therapy.
Prescription only
Available by prescription following a clinical consultation, dispensed pursuant to a patient-specific prescription and filled by a licensed 503A compounding pharmacy. A compounded preparation is not an FDA-approved product.
Prescription therapies are dispensed by a licensed 503A compounding pharmacy, which fills patient-specific prescriptions only and is not permitted to dispense medications for office use.
This compounded product has not been reviewed, approved, or evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration for safety and effectiveness.
What it is
hCG is a hormone naturally produced in pregnancy. As a medication it acts like luteinizing hormone (LH), stimulating the testes to produce testosterone and maintain sperm production. FDA-approved products exist for specific indications; use alongside testosterone therapy to preserve testicular function is a common off-label application.
What it's studied for
- Maintaining intratesticular testosterone during TRT
- Fertility preservation in men on exogenous testosterone
- Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism
How it's used in practice
- Used as part of a physician-managed hormone protocol, not on its own
- Fertility intent should be declared at the start of therapy, not after
What you should know before asking about it
- Prescription medication; FDA-approved products exist for specific indications
- Compounded hCG preparations are not FDA-approved products
- Requires monitoring — it raises estrogen as well as testosterone in some patients
Frequently asked questions.
- What is hCG?
- hCG is a hormone naturally produced in pregnancy. As a medication it acts like luteinizing hormone (LH), stimulating the testes to produce testosterone and maintain sperm production. FDA-approved products exist for specific indications; use alongside testosterone therapy to preserve testicular function is a common off-label application.
- What is hCG studied for?
- Published and ongoing research looks at maintaining intratesticular testosterone during TRT; fertility preservation in men on exogenous testosterone; hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. These are areas of study, not promised outcomes.
- Is hCG FDA-approved?
- hCG is an FDA-approved prescription medication in the United States. It is prescribed only after a clinician review of your labs and history, and it is dispensed by a licensed pharmacy.
- How is hCG typically used?
- Used as part of a physician-managed hormone protocol, not on its own. Fertility intent should be declared at the start of therapy, not after. Any specific dose, frequency or duration comes from a prescription written for you after labs — never from this page.
- What are the risks and unknowns with hCG?
- Prescription medication; FDA-approved products exist for specific indications. Compounded hCG preparations are not FDA-approved products. Requires monitoring — it raises estrogen as well as testosterone in some patients.
Sources
- 1.Published literature on hCG Human chorionic gonadotropin— PubMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine
- 2.FDA-approved prescribing information for hCG— DailyMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine
- 3.Test directory and patient service center locator— Quest Diagnostics
About this page
Written by the Elevate Clinical Team
Medically reviewed by Dr. Eric W. Anderson, MD · Last reviewed . Citations independently verified against PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, and FDA sources on . Educational content only — not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell any prescription product.
This page is educational reference material. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell any product. Prescription therapies are dispensed only through licensed, FDA-registered compounding pharmacies after a physician evaluation. Availability, formulations and regulatory status change over time.
$249/mo
Monthly program pricing. Dispensed following a clinical consultation and pursuant to a patient-specific prescription; a compounded preparation is not an FDA-approved product.
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