Sexual & reproductive Glycoprotein gonadotropin
Human chorionic gonadotropin
Regulatory status
Status at a glance
503A compounding status
Not nominated
We found no pending nomination for the 503A bulks list. Unless the substance has another legal pathway (for example, a USP monograph or use in an FDA-approved drug), 503A pharmacies generally may not compound with it.
- FDA approval
- An FDA-approved product contains this peptide
- 503B outsourcing
- Not determined
- Anti-doping (WADA)
- Not on the WADA Prohibited List
- DEA schedule
- Not a controlled substance
About peptide status
Most peptides discussed here are not FDA-approved for any use, and products labeled “research use only” are not for human use. Removal from Category 2 does not authorize compounding. PCAC votes are non-binding recommendations; FDA and HHS make the final decisions.
This is not medical or legal advice, and we do not publish dosing, sourcing or reconstitution information. Talk with a licensed clinician before using any peptide.
If you think you are having a medical emergency, call 911.
Key takeaway
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG; FDA-approved injectable brands include Pregnyl and Novarel) is a placental hormone that acts like luteinizing hormone, triggering ovulation in women and testosterone production in men. It is used in fertility treatment, in male hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, and for undescended testicles in boys, and it is not approved for weight loss. In a Cochrane review of seven trials with 1,136 women, recombinant and urinary hCG gave similar ongoing pregnancy or live-birth rates (odds ratio 1.15, 95% confidence interval 0.89 to 1.49).
At a glance
- What it is
- A gonadotropin hormone that mimics luteinizing hormone at its receptor
- Approved for
- Ovulation induction in infertility, male hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, and prepubertal undescended testicles
- Key fact
- In assisted reproduction, urinary and recombinant hCG trigger final egg maturation with similar pregnancy outcomes
- Route
- Intramuscular (some products subcutaneous) injection
- Evidence strength
- FDA approved
Summary
hCG is an FDA-approved hormone that mimics luteinizing hormone. Learn its approved uses, how it works, its risks, and why it is not approved for weight loss.
What is human chorionic gonadotropin?
Human chorionic gonadotropin, abbreviated hCG, is a glycoprotein hormone normally produced by the placenta in pregnancy. The FDA-approved injectable products, such as Pregnyl and Novarel, are purified from the urine of pregnant women; a separate recombinant version, choriogonadotropin alfa (Ovidrel), is made in the laboratory. hCG shares its structure and action closely with luteinizing hormone, one of the pituitary hormones that controls the ovaries and testes.
How does human chorionic gonadotropin work?
hCG binds the same receptor as luteinizing hormone (the LH/CG receptor) and mimics the natural mid-cycle luteinizing hormone surge. In women undergoing fertility treatment, a dose of hCG triggers the final maturation and release of the egg after the follicles have been grown with other hormones. In men, hCG stimulates the Leydig cells of the testes to produce testosterone and supports sperm production, which is why it is used in hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. In boys with non-anatomical undescended testicles, the testosterone it stimulates can promote testicular descent.
In a Cochrane review, urinary-derived and recombinant hCG gave similar ongoing pregnancy or live-birth rates for triggering final egg maturation (odds ratio 1.15, 95% CI 0.89 to 1.49; seven trials, 1,136 women). The FDA has specifically stated that hCG has not been shown to be effective for weight loss and is not approved for that use, despite its promotion in some commercial diet programs.
Is it FDA-approved?
Editor’s note
Status: Yes, for its hormonal indications. The injectable hCG products have been FDA-approved for decades for ovulation induction, male hypogonadism, and cryptorchidism. The agency has separately warned that over-the-counter "homeopathic" hCG weight-loss products are not approved and that prescription hCG is not approved for weight loss.
Category: FDA-approved · Primary body area: Sexual & reproductive
Yes, for its hormonal indications. The injectable hCG products have been FDA-approved for decades for ovulation induction, male hypogonadism, and cryptorchidism. The agency has separately warned that over-the-counter "homeopathic" hCG weight-loss products are not approved and that prescription hCG is not approved for weight loss.
What is human chorionic gonadotropin prescribed for?
In women, hCG is prescribed to induce ovulation and pregnancy in carefully selected cases of infertility, after the follicles have been developed with follicle-stimulating hormone or menotropins. In men, it is used for hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, and in prepubertal boys for undescended testicles not caused by an anatomical blockage.
Evidence in men comes from small or short studies, summarized below:
| Study | Participants | Finding |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 systematic review pooling 5 hCG trials | 196 men | Mean total testosterone rose from 284.5 to 565.6 ng/dL |
| 2018 randomized trial of clomiphene, hCG, or both | 282 men with hypogonadism who wanted to preserve fertility | Testosterone rose in all 3 arms |
What are the side effects?
According to the prescribing information, common side effects include:
- Injection-site pain
- Headache
- Fluid retention or edema
- Breast tenderness or gynecomastia (in males)
- Irritability, restlessness, and depression
More serious considerations include:
- Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and multiple pregnancy in fertility use
- Signs of early puberty in boys treated for cryptorchidism
- Rare arterial thromboembolism
Sources: FDA prescribing information for Pregnyl and Novarel and FDA statements on hCG weight-loss products; a Cochrane review of recombinant versus urinary hCG for triggering egg maturation (Youssef et al., 2016, DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003719.pub4), indexed on PubMed. This document is educational and does not constitute medical advice.
Registered human trials
2 registered human trials on ClinicalTrials.gov that we reviewed
Sources
- [1]
- [2]
- [3]
FDA-approved (PDF)
- [4]
- [5]
Compare every peptide’s status in the peptide regulatory status database
More for Sexual & reproductive
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Compounded-Gonadorelin
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Gonadorelin is a synthetic form of the natural reproductive hormone GnRH, used in wellness and men's-health settings as an add-on to testosterone therapy to help preserve fertility and testicular size. The strongest human data come from a different setting. In a 2021 meta-analysis of 420 men with congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism across seven studies, pulsatile GnRH began sperm production 5.3 months earlier than gonadotropin therapy (p = 0.004), with no significant difference in sperm concentration (p = 0.37) or pregnancy rate (p = 0.11). Direct evidence for the testosterone add-on use is limited, and there is no FDA-approved gonadorelin product for it.
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Degarelix
Degarelix (sold as Firmagon) is a synthetic decapeptide that blocks the gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor, dropping testosterone to castrate levels within a few days and without the initial surge seen with older hormone drugs. It is used to treat advanced prostate cancer and lowers testosterone to castrate levels faster than the agonist leuprolide. It has been FDA-approved in the U.S. since 2008 and is given as a monthly subcutaneous injection.
- FDA-approved Sexual & reproductive
Ganirelix
Ganirelix (originally approved as Antagon) is a synthetic decapeptide that blocks the gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor, used during fertility treatment to stop an egg from being released too early. Given once daily during ovarian stimulation, it prevents the premature luteinizing hormone surge that could otherwise disrupt an IVF cycle. It has been FDA-approved in the U.S. since 1999 and is given as a small daily subcutaneous injection.
- FDA-approved Sexual & reproductive
Goserelin
Goserelin (goserelin acetate, sold as Zoladex) is a synthetic decapeptide agonist of gonadotropin-releasing hormone delivered as a small implant that suppresses the body's production of testosterone and estrogen. It is used across prostate cancer, breast cancer, and endometriosis, and in one long-term breast-cancer trial it matched standard chemotherapy for survival in certain premenopausal women. It has been FDA-approved in the U.S. since 1989 and is given as a monthly or three-month depot implant.
- FDA-approved Sexual & reproductive
Histrelin
Histrelin (histrelin acetate, sold as Supprelin LA and formerly as Vantas) is a synthetic nonapeptide agonist of gonadotropin-releasing hormone delivered as a small implant that releases drug for about a year. It suppresses the pituitary and the sex hormones it controls, and is used for central precocious puberty in children; a second implant for advanced prostate cancer in adults was discontinued in 2021. The implant products have been FDA-approved in the U.S. since the mid-2000s, and one implant lasts roughly 12 months.