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HCG Treatment of Testosterone Use

After a typical steroid cycle involving testosterone, bodybuilders often use human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), a hormone that is found in pregnant women, to re-stimulate the testes into producing testosterone.

  1. How it Works

    • HCG is a hormone that simulates the presence of leutenizing hormone (LH), which tells the male body that it should start releasing testosterone into the blood stream. By re-sensitizing the testes to LH and stimulating natural testosterone production, the atrophying effects of testosterone supplementation on the testes can be prevented or reversed.

    Use During a Steroid Cycle

    • Bodybuilders may use HCG during a steroid cycle to prevent their testicles from shrinking and atrophying, and keep them receptive to typical hormones that stimulate the release of natural testosterone. It may also increase testosterone levels in the body, resulting in higher muscle-building gains.

    Use in Post-Cycle Therapy

    • When incorporated into post-cycle therapy, the process bodybuilders go through after a steroid cycle, HCG re-stimulates the testes to produce natural testosterone and makes them more sensitive to the presence of LH, reducing atrophy and restoring the natural testosterone production of the testes.

    Administration

    • When used during a steroid cycle, HCG is generally injected daily, at a dose of 250iu to 500iu for two to three weeks as needed. If incorporated into a steroid cycle, a single 500iu injection every other week is generally sufficient, and could shorten its need for inclusion into post-cycle therapy.

    Side Effects

    • Because HCG increases testosterone production, it can also increase estrogen production through a process called aromatization. This could lead to symptoms of gynecomastia (breast tissue growth in men) as well as water and salt retention.

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