HCG is a hormone typically associated with pregnancy, but it is so much more than that. Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) has specific benefits for a woman and a man depending on age and other hormone levels.
The primary function of HCG for men is to help stimulate testosterone production and influence thyroid function. For a man who is carrying around excess pounds, HCG can improve weight loss.
Whether you are a man or a woman, you can both benefit from using HCG if you are overweight. HCG is an especially valuable tool for rapid weight loss. It is effective when used in conjunction with a very low-calorie diet.
Using HCG can also help reverse low testosterone in a man, especially if he is over thirty. Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is one method used to increase exogenous testosterone levels because it provides a direct boost to the amount of testosterone that a man has in his bloodstream. However, by reversing low testosterone levels with TRT, you run the risk of fertility issues.
Using exogenous HCG can help improve testosterone levels in much the same way as luteinizing hormone (LH) – a chemical secreted by the pituitary gland that stimulates natural testosterone production.
HCG hormone function occurs in much the same way as with LH, essentially locking onto the same receptors as LH in the testes. When you use exogenous testosterone to treat low testosterone, you completely bypass the testes. Although you ultimately improve testosterone levels and functions, you do run the risk of decreasing testicular testosterone functions. That can lead to a reduced sperm count and infertility.
Although both weight loss and fertility can benefit from HCG that a doctor prescribes for a man, it is essential to note that there are specific occasions when this treatment should be considered.
The Weight Loss Benefits of HCG for Men
One reason why many males want to improve low testosterone levels is to help increase weight loss. Weight gain is a sign of Low T. In fact, it is often one of the first indicators that a man might have low testosterone levels.
How can using HCG help improve weight loss?
Long ago, back in the 1950s, Dr. Simeons discovered that one particularly effective hormone function of HCG was its ability to control the appetite. Although the use of TRT can help weight loss, it is not a rapid process. It may take a man up to a few months to notice the weight loss benefits of exogenous testosterone function. For some men, the experience of having to wait an extended time to see TRT results can be frustrating. By turning to HCG that can help improve weight loss quickly, both a man and a woman can experience rapid weight loss. The HCG diet works for both males and females.
How does it help to increase HCG in a woman who is not pregnant as well as a man for weight loss?
The HCG Diet consists of a very low-calorie diet protocol that limits caloric intake to no more than 500 to 700 calories per day. Because caloric intake is so low, it forces the body to turn inward to find additional fuel. Using HCG is especially effective because it is HCG that helps regulate where the body pulls that fuel from. When a man or woman cuts calories so dramatically, he or she will often experience headaches, fatigue, hunger pangs, and overall weakness. What is worse is that the brain senses a phase of starvation. To protect the body during this situation, the brain sends signals to the body to retain stored fat for emergency use. Instead of burning stored fat reserves, the body pulls structural fat from the muscles. That is why many people on low-calorie diets often lose muscle mass rather than fat.
While the HCG diet provides rapid weight loss for both men and women alike, it is especially effective for males.
Why is a low-calorie diet using HCG for men more effective for a man than it is for a woman?
Men have a higher degree of lean muscle than women. Muscle burns calories at a higher rate than fat. That is why using HCG as part of the HCG Diet protocol causes men to lose on average one to one and a half pounds per day, whereas a woman may only lose one half to one pound of fat per day.
Using testosterone replacement therapy at the same time as embarking on the HCG diet can also be beneficial for rapid weight loss. A man who requires TRT to help increase testosterone hormone levels will find that the combination approach to treatment is especially effective.
Exogenous testosterone helps to build lean muscle mass to make the body burn fat even more efficiently than before using testosterone therapy.
Why Doctors Prescribe HCG for Men with Low Testosterone
The primary HCG function for males is to improve low testosterone. Although there are many supplements on store shelves that claim to help boost a man’s low testosterone levels, it is extremely rare to find ones that work. Using testosterone as either an injection, gel, or patch is the primary way to reverse the symptoms of Low T. Over-the-counter supplements just cannot significantly increase testosterone to a normal state, especially in older males.
When a doctor prescribes TRT to a middle-aged man, he or she must be especially careful to monitor other hormone levels. Although exogenous testosterone will ultimately improve testosterone levels, it can just as easily increase estrogen and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) production, as well. We will discuss how increased estrogen and DHT can affect a man in the side effects section below.
Another problem that could occur when using testosterone is a decrease in pituitary hormones that stimulate testosterone and sperm production. HCG that a doctor prescribes along with testosterone therapy can help ensure that a man maintains proper hormonal balance. We will discuss this in further detail in the next section.
A properly calculated HCG dose can help improve natural testosterone production. Why is using HCG rather than exogenous testosterone therapy beneficial?
HCG that is used to treat Low T in a younger man can help to maintain an adequate sperm count, as you will see. TRT used to increase testosterone levels can lead to infertility. That is why doctors typically steer clear of prescribing TRT to younger men. Premature hormonal decline is becoming more common in men in their twenties and thirties.
Because a younger man is still in prime child-conceiving years, a doctor will likely try to find ways to improve testosterone that will promote sperm count rather than reduce it. For that reason, the physician may determine that a carefully calculated HCG dose may be used to help a man experience hormonal balance.
HCG for Men Dealing with Infertility
Low testosterone causes a significant problem for many males looking to conceive a child because one of the hormone functions of testosterone in a man is that of supporting spermatogenesis – the process of sperm maturation. When a man has low testosterone levels, his sperm count often declines. Not only does he gain weight and lose lean muscle mass, but he also has an increased risk of suffering from infertility.
How can using HCG help increase the odds of conception?
When used properly under medical guidance, HCG helps reverse low testosterone in a man by stimulating the Leydig cells in the testes to produce testosterone. By increasing testosterone production at the testicular level, a man will often experience improved fertility due to a higher sperm count.
Why can’t using testosterone in the form of TRT support sperm cell maturation?
Exogenous testosterone does not help sperm maturation in any way. A man who used TRT to reverse low testosterone levels will likely find that his sperm count goes even lower than before. The reason is this – supplemental testosterone bypasses the testes.
Using testosterone therapy often causes alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis, impacting both testosterone levels and sperm production. Exogenous testosterone never enters the testes, so it cannot stimulate spermatogenesis in any way. That is why doctors are often hesitant in prescribing TRT to increase testosterone levels in a man with Low T who is trying to conceive a child. Testosterone therapy can only worsen the situation, not improve it.
By supplementing with HCG that can get to the root of the problem and increase low testosterone levels, a man can reverse the symptoms of Low T while addressing the issue of infertility.
HCG that is used to help improve sperm count is especially effective for a man who has been using testosterone therapy for Low T. The supplemental testosterone dose has one primary function – increasing blood levels of testosterone. By doing so, the hypothalamus does not have the opportunity to sense a decline in testosterone levels. Only when the hypothalamus senses low testosterone does it secrete gonadotropin-releasing hormone to the pituitary gland. In turn, the pituitary gland releases LH and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) to the testes. LH promotes testosterone secretion while FSH supports sperm production. Using testosterone treatment hinders LH and FSH in their abilities to carry out their functions. Both testicular testosterone and sperm count levels decline.
By using HCG, you go straight to the testes where the HCG can help stimulate the Leydig cell’s production of testosterone. In turn, a man will likely experience an increase in sperm cell maturation. Many fertility specialists turn to HGH as a method of improving sperm count and restoring fertility in males.
Using HCG is extremely important for younger men going through testosterone replacement therapy. TRT used without HCG will undoubtedly reverse many of the symptoms of low testosterone, but it can have dire consequences in subsequent years when a man wants to have children with his partner. It is easier to start out using HCG when beginning treatment with testosterone than it is to add it years later when reduced sperm count and infertility have been a long-standing problem.
One important benefit of HCG for a man using testosterone treatment is the prevention of testicular atrophy. Shrinking testicles is often a sign that not enough LH is reaching the testes. HCG can help a man protect his testicles from shrinking, along with minimizing the risk of testicular pain that can accompany a reduction in LH production.
Another important note about HCG use for a man is that you want to avoid long-term receipt of this hormone. HCG can desensitize the Leydig cells to the effects of LH after a while. That is also why doctors limit the amount of time a man uses both HCG and testosterone therapy. A break is often needed between cycles to let natural hormone production occur.
How to Use HCG for Men
Using HCG depends first on the purpose. If you want to use HCG because you have tried everything you can think of to rid your body of excess weight, the doctor will calculate your HCG dose differently than if you are a man trying to increase testosterone levels. Because the purpose, in this case, is weight loss, using HCG will help you stick to a very low-calorie diet without feeling both tired and hungry all the time.
Used correctly as part of the HCG Diet, your daily HCG dose will ensure that you can lose weight quickly and safely.
For a man dealing with Low T, the doctor will also calculate the proper HCG dose used to increase testosterone production safely and effectively. The goal here is to prevent testicular atrophy and maintain a healthy sperm count.
Side Effects of Using HCG for Men
HCG is a relatively safe hormone when used properly. Whether you are a man or a woman, your body should tolerate using HCG well so long as it has been prescribed by a doctor. Do not attempt to determine an HCG dose on your own. You will need a doctor experienced in using HCG to ensure that your testosterone and other critical hormone levels remain in proper balance.
Because HCG can affect testosterone levels, the amount of estrogen in the body can also be impacted. If you are overweight, your excess belly fat produces more of an enzyme called aromatase. This enzyme has one function – to seek out free testosterone in the bloodstream and convert it to estradiol – the body’s most abundant form of estrogen. If too much testosterone undergoes conversion to estradiol, you will likely end up with a condition called estrogen dominance. When this occurs, a man (as well as a female) can expect to gain weight.
Other potential problems of estrogen dominance that a man might notice include:
- Erectile dysfunction including loss of morning erections, premature ejaculation, inability to achieve a firm erection, and shortened duration
- Low libido
- Gynecomastia – enlarged breasts
- Fatigue or lethargy
- Depression or other changes in mood
- Insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes
- Reduced muscle mass
- Enlarged prostate along with lower urinary tract symptoms
- Increased risk of prostate cancer
When HCG is used to treat low testosterone, it is essential to monitor both testosterone and estrogen levels throughout the course of treatment. As beneficial as HCG is for a man with Low T, it is imperative to focus on the proper balancing of these critical levels.
Other side effects that could occur when HCG is used to treat low testosterone include:
- Oily skin or increased signs of acne
- Headaches
- Bloating
- Swelling (edema) in the extremities due to fluid retention
- Changes in mood or energy levels
If you do experience any adverse reactions from using HCG, it is imperative that you contact the doctor. Your physician may decide to lower your HCG dose or reduce your frequency of injections. Do not attempt to alter your HCG therapy yourself because you could do more harm than good to your body.
We also want to touch on the subject of elevated DHT levels that can occur when using HCG to boost testosterone production. Although an increase in DHT is not directly linked to HCG, symptoms of too much dihydrotestosterone conversion by the enzyme 5-alpha reductase could result in balding, prostate growth, and changes in libido.
If you are using HCG to boost testosterone, your doctor may prescribe anastrozole to block estrogen conversion or a DHT blocker if your dihydrotestosterone levels become too high.
How to Begin HCG for Men
Whether you are looking to get HCG for weight loss, or to increase testosterone levels, it is essential that you work with an experienced hormone doctor. Using HCG without proper medical guidance can result in further hormonal imbalance and unwanted side effects.
Used properly, both HCG and TRT offer many benefits to men.
Our doctors can help you determine if HCG is right for you. HCG that is prescribed based solely on your body’s needs can improve your health, appearance, and well-being. Although HCG is used for various purposes, it is not right for everyone. That is why you want to speak with a hormone specialist before using this treatment.
Please contact our clinic for a free consultation to discuss your situation. Your privacy is as important to us as it is to you, so call today and speak with one of our experienced medical advisors.