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FDA-approved

hCG: uses, dosing, side effects and where to get it

An injectable hormone that signals the testes to make testosterone and sperm. Some men use it with TRT to protect fertility, which is off-label.

Small amber medication vial on warm limestone

By the RxLineup editorial team · Fact-checked against provider sites and FDA labels · Updated

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Active ingredient
Human chorionic gonadotropin
Made by
Ferring (Novarel), Organon (Pregnyl), Fresenius Kabi (generic)
Form
Injection into muscle
Price online
None of the providers we track publishes a price for an FDA-approved hCG product, as of October 2026.

Safety

No boxed warning. The label states that hCG has not been demonstrated to be effective for obesity. In men it can cause fluid retention, so it is used with caution with heart or kidney disease, epilepsy, migraine or asthma. Sporadic testicular tumors have been reported in young men treated for infertility, without a proven link, and anaphylaxis has been reported with urine-derived hCG.

Talk to a licensed clinician about your health history and every medication you take before you start.

Prescription only; FDA-approved. hCG became a biologic on March 23, 2020, and since then compounded hCG has had no lawful 503A or 503B pathway. We list only FDA-approved hCG (Novarel, Pregnyl or generic chorionic gonadotropin). None of the providers we track names an approved product, so no provider offers appear for it.

What hCG is

HCG contains human chorionic gonadotropin, made by Ferring (Novarel), Organon (Pregnyl), Fresenius Kabi (generic). Approved hCG products are biologics. Taking hCG alongside testosterone to maintain fertility or testicle size is off-label.

FDA-approved for

  • Selected cases of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (low testosterone from a pituitary deficiency) in males
  • Prepubertal cryptorchidism not due to an anatomic obstruction
  • Ovulation induction in women, with menotropins

Dosing

Injection into muscle, two or three times a week on the label regimens for men. For hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in males, the Novarel label lists 500 to 1,000 USP units three times a week for 3 weeks, then twice a week for 3 weeks; or 4,000 units three times a week for 6 to 9 months, then 2,000 units three times a week for 3 more months. Your clinician sets the dose for you.

How well it works

The label lists regimens “advocated by various authorities” rather than trial results for men. It also states that hCG has not been shown to help with weight loss. Individual results vary.

hCG cost

None of the providers we track publishes a price for an FDA-approved hCG product, as of October 2026. For a full breakdown, read How much does TRT cost online?. For the steps, read How to get TRT online.

Questions, answered

How much does hCG cost online?
None of the providers we track publishes a price for an FDA-approved hCG product, as of October 2026.

Is hCG FDA-approved?
Yes. HCG is FDA-approved for selected cases of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (low testosterone from a pituitary deficiency) in males; prepubertal cryptorchidism not due to an anatomic obstruction; ovulation induction in women, with menotropins.

How do you take hCG?
Injection into muscle, two or three times a week on the label regimens for men. For hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in males, the Novarel label lists 500 to 1,000 USP units three times a week for 3 weeks, then twice a week for 3 weeks; or 4,000 units three times a week for 6 to 9 months, then 2,000 units three times a week for 3 more months.

What are the risks of hCG?
HCG has no boxed warning. The label states that hCG has not been demonstrated to be effective for obesity. In men it can cause fluid retention, so it is used with caution with heart or kidney disease, epilepsy, migraine or asthma. Sporadic testicular tumors have been reported in young men treated for infertility, without a proven link, and anaphylaxis has been reported with urine-derived hCG.

Can I get hCG online?
A licensed clinician can prescribe hCG after an online or in-person visit.

Sources

  1. Novarel (chorionic gonadotropin) label, Ferring (DailyMed, Sep 2025)
  2. Pregnyl (chorionic gonadotropin) listing, Organon (DailyMed, Dec 2025)
  3. Chorionic gonadotropin for injection label, Fresenius Kabi (DailyMed, 2025)
  4. FDA: Notice to compounders about the March 23, 2020 transition of biological products