Tumor marker Human chorionic gonadotropin can be used as a
tumor marker, as its β subunit is secreted by some
cancers including
seminoma,
choriocarcinoma,
teratoma with elements of
choriocarcinoma, other
germ cell tumors,
hydatidiform mole, and
islet cell tumor. For this reason, a positive result in males can be a test for
testicular cancer. The normal range for men is between 0-5 mIU/mL. Combined with
alpha-fetoprotein, β-HCG is an excellent tumor marker for the monitoring of
germ cell tumors.
Fertility Human chorionic gonadotropin injection is extensively used for
final maturation induction in lieu of
luteinizing hormone. In the presence of one or more mature ovarian follicles, ovulation can be triggered by the administration of HCG. As
ovulation will happen between 38 and 40 hours after a single HCG injection, procedures can be scheduled to take advantage of this time sequence, such as
intrauterine insemination or sexual intercourse. Also, patients that undergo
IVF, in general, receive HCG to trigger the ovulation process, but have an
oocyte retrieval performed at about 34 to 36 hours after injection, a few hours before the eggs actually would be released from the ovary. As hCG supports the
corpus luteum, administration of hCG is used in certain circumstances to enhance the production of
progesterone. Several vaccines against human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) for the prevention of pregnancy are currently in clinical trials.
Use in males In males, hCG injections are used to stimulate the
Leydig cells to synthesize
testosterone. The intratesticular testosterone is necessary for
spermatogenesis from the
sertoli cells. Typical medical uses for hCG in males include treating certain types of
hypogonadism (either as monotherapy, or, more commonly, in combination with
exogenous testosterone), as well as to either treat or prevent infertility, for example, during testosterone replacement therapy hCG is often used to restore or maintain fertility and prevent testicular atrophy.
HCG Pubergen, Pregnyl warnings In the case of female patients who want to be treated with HCG Pubergen, Pregnyl: a) Since infertile female patients who undergo medically assisted reproduction (especially those who need
in vitro fertilization), are known to often be suffering from tubal abnormalities, after a treatment with this drug they might experience many more
ectopic pregnancies. This is why early ultrasound confirmation at the beginning of a pregnancy (to see whether the pregnancy is intrauterine or not) is crucial. Pregnancies that have occurred after a treatment with this drug have a higher risk of
multiple pregnancy. Female patients who have thrombosis, severe obesity, or thrombophilia should not be prescribed this medicine as they have a higher risk of arterial or venous thromboembolic events after or during a treatment with HCG Pubergen, Pregnyl. b)Female patients who have been treated with this medicine are usually more prone to pregnancy losses. In the case of male patients: A prolonged treatment with HCG Pubergen, Pregnyl is known to regularly lead to increased production of androgen. Therefore: Patients who have overt or latent cardiac failure, hypertension, renal dysfunction, migraines, or epilepsy might not be allowed to start using this medicine or may require a lower dose of HCG Pubergen, Pregnyl. This drug should be used with extreme caution in the treatment of
prepubescent teenagers in order to reduce the risk of precocious sexual development or premature epiphyseal closure. This type of patients' skeletal maturation should be closely and regularly monitored. Both male and female patients who have the following medical conditions must not start a treatment with HCG Pubergen, Pregnyl: (1) Hypersensitivity to this drug or to any of its main ingredients. (2) Known or possible androgen-dependent tumors for example male breast carcinoma or prostatic carcinoma.
Anabolic steroid adjunct HCG is included in some sports'
banned substances lists. When exogenous AAS (Anabolic Androgenic Steroids) are put into the male body, natural negative-feedback loops cause the body to shut down its own production of
testosterone via shutdown of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (
HPGA). This causes testicular atrophy, among other things. HCG is commonly used during and after steroid cycles to maintain and restore testicular size as well as normal testosterone production. High levels of AASs, that mimic the body's natural testosterone, trigger the
hypothalamus to shut down its production of
gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) from the hypothalamus. Without GnRH, the
pituitary gland stops releasing
luteinizing hormone (LH). LH normally travels from the pituitary via the blood stream to the testes, where it triggers the production and release of testosterone. Without LH, the testes shut down their production of testosterone. In males, HCG helps restore and maintain testosterone production in the testes by mimicking LH and triggering the production and release of testosterone. Professional athletes who have tested positive for HCG have been temporarily banned from their sport, including a 50-game ban from
MLB for
Manny Ramirez in 2009 and a 4-game ban from the
NFL for
Brian Cushing for a positive urine test for HCG.
Mixed Martial Arts fighter
Dennis Siver was fined $19,800 and suspended 9 months for being tested positive after his bout at
UFC 168. Jurickson Profar tested positive for the substance and was suspended for 80-games on 3/31/2025.
HCG diet British endocrinologist
Albert T. W. Simeons proposed HCG as an adjunct to an ultra-low-calorie weight-loss diet (fewer than 500 calories). Simeons, while studying pregnant women in India on a calorie-deficient diet, and obese boys with pituitary issues (
Frölich's syndrome) treated with low-dose HCG, observed that both lost fat rather than lean (muscle) tissue. There was a resurgence of interest in the "HCG diet" following promotion by
Kevin Trudeau, who was banned from making HCG diet weight-loss claims by the U.S.
Federal Trade Commission in 2008, and eventually jailed over such claims. A 1976 study in the
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that HCG is not more effective as a weight-loss aid than dietary restriction alone. A 1995 meta analysis found that studies supporting HCG for weight loss were of poor methodological quality and concluded that "there is no scientific evidence that HCG is effective in the treatment of obesity; it does not bring about weight-loss or fat-redistribution, nor does it reduce hunger or induce a feeling of well-being". On November 15, 2016, the
American Medical Association (AMA) passed policy that "The use of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) for weight loss is inappropriate." According to the American Society of Bariatric Physicians, no new clinical trials have been published since the definitive 1995 meta-analysis. The scientific consensus is that any weight loss reported by individuals on an "HCG diet" may be attributed entirely to the fact that such diets prescribe calorie intake of between 500 and 1,000 calories per day, substantially below recommended levels for an adult, to the point that this may risk health effects associated with malnutrition.
Homeopathic HCG for weight control Controversy about, and shortages of, injected HCG for weight loss have led to substantial Internet promotion of "
homeopathic HCG" for weight control. The ingredients in these products are often obscure, but if prepared from true HCG via homeopathic dilution, they contain either no HCG at all or only trace amounts. Moreover, it is highly unlikely that oral HCG is bioavailable due to the fact that digestive protease enzymes and hepatic metabolism renders peptide-based molecules (such as insulin and human growth hormone) biologically inert. HCG can likely only enter the bloodstream through injection. The United States
Food and Drug Administration has stated that over-the-counter products containing HCG are fraudulent and ineffective for weight loss. They are also not protected as homeopathic drugs and have been deemed illegal substances. HCG is classified as a prescription drug in the United States and it has not been approved for over-the-counter sales by the FDA as a weight loss product or for any other purposes, and therefore neither HCG in its pure form nor any preparations containing HCG may be sold legally in the country except by prescription. or where
radionics is used to transfer the "energy" to the final product. , the United States
Food and Drug Administration has prohibited the sale of
homeopathic and
over-the-counter hCG
diet products and declared them
fraudelent and banned. ==Tetanus vaccine conspiracy theory==