hCG Dosage: The FDA Label Schedules for Each Approved Use
hCG dosage exactly as the FDA-approved label states it: cryptorchidism, male hypogonadism and ovulation induction schedules, plus who should not use it.
The short version
The FDA-approved chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) label gives separate dosing schedules for three uses: prepubertal cryptorchidism, male hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, and ovulation induction. Each is a prescriber-managed intramuscular injection schedule. There is no approved dose for weight loss, because hCG has no approved weight-loss use at all.
- Cryptorchidism has four label-listed schedules, all short courses of up to six weeks.
- Male hypogonadotropic hypogonadism dosing runs weeks to months, tapering after an initial higher-dose phase.
- Ovulation induction is typically a single 5,000-10,000 USP Unit dose, one day after the last menotropin dose.
- There is no FDA-reviewed dose for weight loss at any amount, frequency or duration.
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin dosage chart
The FDA-approved Human Chorionic Gonadotropin product is dosed as its label directs and a prescriber sets the dose. For vials that need mixing, this is each label dose in units on a U-100 insulin syringe, by vial size.
2,000 IU vialwith 1 mL water
| Dose | Units | Volume | Doses per vial |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 IU | 25 units | 0.25 mL | 4 |
| 1,000 IU | 50 units | 0.5 mL | 2 |
| 2,000 IU | 100 units | 1 mL | 1 |
Full 2,000 IU vial page: other water volumes, mixing, storage →
5,000 IU vialwith 1 mL water
| Dose | Units | Volume | Doses per vial |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 IU | 10 units | 0.1 mL | 10 |
| 1,000 IU | 20 units | 0.2 mL | 5 |
| 2,000 IU | 40 units | 0.4 mL | 2 |
| 4,000 IU | 80 units | 0.8 mL | 1 |
| 5,000 IU | 100 units | 1 mL | 1 |
Full 5,000 IU vial page: other water volumes, mixing, storage →
10,000 IU vialwith 1 mL water
| Dose | Units | Volume | Doses per vial |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 IU | 5 units | 0.05 mL | 20 |
| 1,000 IU | 10 units | 0.1 mL | 10 |
| 2,000 IU | 20 units | 0.2 mL | 5 |
| 4,000 IU | 40 units | 0.4 mL | 2 |
| 5,000 IU | 50 units | 0.5 mL | 2 |
| 10,000 IU | 100 units | 1 mL | 1 |
Full 10,000 IU vial page: other water volumes, mixing, storage →
U-100 insulin syringe (100 units = 1 mL), to the nearest half unit. Arithmetic only. Other numbers: peptide calculator.
hCG dosage is not one number. The FDA-approved label gives separate intramuscular injection schedules for three indications, and this page states each exactly as the label gives it. For what hCG is approved for and its full warnings, see the hCG guide.
US legal status - FDA-approved · prescription only
Chorionic gonadotropin injection is FDA-approved by prescription. A prescriber manages every schedule below for an individual patient. None of it is a self-directed protocol.
Prepubertal cryptorchidism
The label lists four alternative regimens. A pediatric prescriber selects one for an individual child:
| Regimen | Schedule |
|---|---|
| A | 4,000 USP Units three times weekly for three weeks |
| B | 5,000 USP Units every second day, for a total of four injections |
| C | 500-1,000 USP Units, 15 injections over six weeks |
| D | 500 USP Units three times weekly for four to six weeks |
Male hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (selected cases)
| Regimen | Schedule |
|---|---|
| A | 500-1,000 USP Units three times weekly for three weeks, then 500-1,000 USP Units twice weekly for three more weeks |
| B | 4,000 USP Units three times weekly for six to nine months, then reduced to 2,000 USP Units three times weekly for an additional three months |
Ovulation induction
| Step | Dose |
|---|---|
| Single dose, one day after the last menotropin dose | 5,000-10,000 USP Units (10,000 more commonly recommended) |
This dose is given only after a course of menotropins managed by a prescriber experienced with infertility treatment. The label states hCG should be used alongside menotropins only under that kind of supervision.
How it’s administered
The approved product ships as a powder that is reconstituted with the supplied diluent (bacteriostatic water for injection) and given by intramuscular injection.
There is no approved oral, drop, pellet or spray form of hCG. Any product sold in those forms is not the FDA-approved drug, regardless of what its label claims.
Who should not use it
The label lists these contraindications:
- precocious puberty
- prostatic carcinoma or another androgen-dependent neoplasm
- a prior allergic reaction to hCG
- pregnancy, because hCG may cause fetal harm
The full warnings are covered on the hCG guide: ovarian hyperstimulation, ovarian cyst rupture, multiple births, arterial thromboembolism and anaphylaxis.
When to stop and get medical care
Seek emergency care (call 911 in the US) for either of these:
- signs of a serious allergic reaction: swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, difficulty breathing, or a fast heartbeat
- sudden, severe abdominal pain or bloating, which can signal ovarian hyperstimulation in anyone using hCG for ovulation induction
For an accidental extra dose, a suspected overdose, or any exposure that is not a clear emergency, call the US National Poison Control Center on 1-800-222-1222. It is free and confidential, 24 hours a day.
Related
Where to get Human Chorionic Gonadotropin legally
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin is an FDA-approved prescription medicine, so the legal route is a licensed prescriber, in person or by telehealth, and a licensed pharmacy.
With a prescription, a 10,000-unit vial of generic hCG costs $306 at HealthWarehouse.com (as of 3 October 2026).
Every legal route for hCG, with dated prices →
How telehealth prescribing works, what it costs and what to check: telehealth peptide prescribing.
Research-labelled hCG (not the approved medicine)
These checked vendors sell a research-labelled version. It has not been reviewed by FDA, is labelled not for human use, and is tested only as the seller chooses.
1.Next Level Pharm
2,000 IU vial
- No FDA warning letter found
- Names its testing lab
- Batch COAs published
- Takes card payment
Common questions
What is the standard hCG dose for men?
For hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, the label gives two schedules. One is 500 to 1,000 USP Units three times weekly for three weeks, then twice weekly for three weeks. The other is 4,000 USP Units three times weekly for six to nine months, then reduced to 2,000 USP Units three times weekly for an additional three months. A prescriber decides which schedule applies to an individual patient; neither is a fixed default.
What is the hCG trigger shot dose for ovulation induction?
The label states 5,000 to 10,000 USP Units, given one day after the last dose of menotropins, with 10,000 USP Units the more commonly recommended amount. It is a single, precisely timed dose managed by a fertility specialist alongside monitored menotropin treatment. It is not a number to use without that supervision.
How is hCG dosed for undescended testicle (cryptorchidism)?
The label lists four alternative schedules. One is 4,000 USP Units three times weekly for three weeks. Another is 5,000 USP Units every second day for four injections. A third is 15 injections of 500 to 1,000 USP Units over six weeks. The fourth is 500 USP Units three times weekly for four to six weeks. A pediatric prescriber chooses among these for an individual child.
What is the hCG dose for weight loss?
There is no approved dose, because hCG has no FDA-approved weight-loss indication. The current label states that HCG has not been demonstrated to be effective adjunctive therapy in the treatment of obesity. FDA has separately stated there is no substantial evidence it increases weight loss at all. Nothing on this page describes or endorses a weight-loss protocol.
How is hCG administered?
The approved product is reconstituted from powder with the supplied diluent and given by intramuscular injection. It is not an oral drop, pellet or spray, and products sold in those forms are not the FDA-approved drug.
References (3 sources)
Bibliographic detail is fetched from PubMed, not written by me - so a citation here cannot drift from the paper it names. Study design comes from PubMed's own tags rather than my judgement.
- 1.NOVAREL (chorionic gonadotropin) for injection - full prescribing information, including the dosage and administration section with all four label-listed regimens.- DailyMed, National Library of Medicinelabel
- 2.FDA's Questions and Answers on HCG Products for Weight Loss - confirms hCG's approved uses are prescription injections only, and that there is no substantial evidence of a weight-loss effect.- US Food and Drug Administrationregulatory
- 3.National Poison Control Center - 1-800-222-1222, free and confidential poisoning and overdose guidance.- America's Poison Centersother