HCG dose range
The amounts people commonly use, from the low end to the high end, with syringe units, schedule and half-life. The 7 published studies are one click away.
Human trials Reproductive axis Not a peptide Also called Human chorionic gonadotropin, chorionic gonadotropin, Pregnyl, Novarel
Common use ranges
Mostly from the official drug label or its main trials, plus clinic protocols. The Pregnyl label gives 500 to 4,000 units for low testosterone caused by the pituitary. The amounts used next to testosterone therapy (250 to 500 IU) come from clinics, not the label.
- Half-life
- about 32 hours
- How it is taken
- subcutaneous injection
- How long people use it
- Next to testosterone: ongoing. Label courses run 6 weeks, or 6 to 12 months.
- Mixing used for the units
- 10,000 IU vial + 2 mL water. 1 unit on a U-100 insulin syringe = 50 IU.
Pick your vial size and how much water you add. The units below change to match.
10,000 IU vial + 2 mL water: 1 unit = 50 IU
| Tier | Each dose | Syringe units10,000 IU vial + 2 mL water | How often | Schedule | Vial lastsat this tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| With testosterone, starting [1] | 250 IU | 5 units 0.05 mL | 3x a week | 250 IU three times a week, alongside testosterone | 6+ weeks |
| With testosterone, typical [2] | 500 IU | 10 units 0.10 mL | 3x a week | 500 IU three times a week, alongside testosterone | 6+ weeks |
| Label, first course [3] | 1,000 IU | 20 units 0.20 mL | 3x a week | 500 to 1,000 units three times a week for 3 weeks, then twice a week for 3 weeks | about 3 weeks |
| Label, longer course [4] | 4,000 IU | 80 units 0.80 mL | 3x a week | 4,000 units three times a week for 6 to 9 months, then 2,000 units three times a week for 3 months | 5 days |
Good to know
- hCG is a prescription drug in the US. 1 USP unit equals 1 IU.
Sources for these amounts
- With testosterone, starting: Balance My Hormones, guide to hCG
- With testosterone, typical: Balance My Hormones, guide to hCG
- Label, first course: RxList, Pregnyl (chorionic gonadotropin) label
- Label, longer course: RxList, Pregnyl (chorionic gonadotropin) label
How long people use it: RxList, Pregnyl (chorionic gonadotropin) label ยท Balance My Hormones, guide to hCG
Half-life: Mannaerts et al 1998, Hum Reprod, crossover bioavailability study of Pregnyl
Take the HCG chart with you
Get a one-page printable chart for HCG, with the syringe units for each vial and water mix. We can also email you when a new HCG study is published.
This page shows what labels, clinics and users report, and what studies gave. It is not medical advice and not a recommendation for anyone. Many of these compounds are not approved for human use. Check your own medicines and lab work with a licensed clinician before using anything.
See the science: 7 published studies
Amounts given to people in studies
How it was given: into a muscle or under the skin
Amounts are in IU, not milligrams, and they swing more than a thousandfold by purpose.
Read this first. The right amount depends completely on the purpose, from 15 IU every other day up to 10 000 IU at once. Two placebo-controlled trials found no weight-loss benefit at all.
Every study used for this page
Proof grade: Human trials. Tested in randomized human trials. Amounts are quoted as each study reported them. Where the abstract does not state an amount, the row says so.
| Study | Who was studied | Amount given, as reported | Route | How often | How long | What the authors reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PMID 9688371Mannaerts et al, Hum Reprod 1998 | Human, 18 healthy women with the pituitary switched off | 5000 IU and 10 000 IU | Into a muscle, and 10 000 IU under the skin | One time per arm, crossover | Single doses | Peak at 20 hours, clearing half of it took 32 to 33 hours either route |
| PMID 20484472Roth et al, J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2010 | Human, men with gonadotropins switched off on purpose | 0, 15, 60 or 125 IU | Under the skin | Every other day | 10 days | Testosterone inside the testicle rose step by step with the amount |
| PMID 15713727Coviello et al, J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2005 | Human, men on 200 mg testosterone a week | 125, 250 or 500 IU | Not in abstract | Every other day | 3 weeks | Testicular testosterone fell 7% at 250 IU and rose 26% at 500 IU |
| PMID 29772111Habous et al, BJU Int 2018 | Human, 94 men with low testosterone (of 282 randomized) | 5000 IU | Injection, route not in abstract | Twice a week | 3 months | Testosterone rose about the same as with clomiphene |
| PMID 39025301Singhania et al, Endocr Pract 2024 | Human, 30 men with congenital low-gonadotropin hypogonadism | 500 units low-dose arm versus 2000 units standard arm, both with FSH 150 units | Not in abstract | Three times a week | Median 12 months to sperm | 23 of 30 made sperm, no difference between the two amounts |
| PMID 2405506Bosch et al, S Afr Med J 1990 | Human, 40 obese women | Not stated in the abstract | Into a muscle | 6 days a week | 6 weeks | No better than saline shots on weight, hunger or anything measured |
| PMID 786001Stein et al, Am J Clin Nutr 1976 | Human, 51 women | Not stated in the abstract | Injection, route not in abstract | 28 injections | 32 days | No difference from placebo in weight loss or hunger |
How to read the study numbers
- One study, one group. Each figure is what one team chose for its own participants or animals.
- Route matters. An amount given into a vein (IV) is not the same as the same amount under the skin, in the nose or by mouth.
- Animals are not small people. An animal amount is shown as the study gave it. It is not a human amount.
- Short studies. Many studies ran days or weeks. They do not show what happens over longer use.
Common questions
What amounts of HCG were used in human studies?
In the studies listed here, people were given from 15 IU under the skin, every other day up to 10 000 IU, one time. The amount used most often was 5000 IU, one time or twice a week. These are what study teams chose for their participants under supervision.
Where do these HCG numbers come from?
From 7 published studies, each linked to its PubMed or ClinicalTrials.gov record. Every figure was checked against the study abstract or its open full text. Proof grade: Human trials.
How long does HCG stay in the body?
Its half-life is about 32 hours in people. Half-life is how long it takes for half of a dose to leave the blood. The effect can last longer than that.
Is this a recommendation for how much HCG to use?
No. This page shows the amounts reported by drug labels, clinics and users, next to what researchers gave in studies. It is not medical advice and not a recommendation for anyone. Talk to a licensed clinician before using any of it.