HCG info

[MUSCLEROIDS]

HCG info

Using HCG

It is our opinion that HCG is probably one of the most misunderstood and misused compounds in bodybuilding. Hopefully this information will go some way towards rectifying that for the members of MuscleTalk. HCG stands for Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin and is not a steroid, but a natural peptide hormone which develops in the placenta of pregnant women during pregnancy to controls the mother's hormones. (Incidentally, this is the reason you may hear of people testing for growth hormone (HGH) with a pregnancy testing kit - If their HGH shows 'pregnant', they've been ripped-off with cheaper HCG - but we digress slightly).

Its action in the male body is like that of LH, stimulating the Leydig cells in the testes to produce testosterone even in the absence of endogenous LH. HCG is therefore used during longer or heavier steroid cycles to maintain testicular size and condition, or to bring atrophied (shrunken) testicles back up to their original condition in preparation for post-cycle Clomid therapy. This process is necessary because atrophied testicles produce reduced levels of natural testosterone, this situation should be rectified prior to post-cycle Clomid therapy.

HCG administration post-cycle is common practice among bodybuilders in the belief that it will aid the natural testosterone recovery, but this theory is unfounded and also counterproductive. The rapid rise in both testosterone, and thus oestrogen due to aromatisation, from the administration of HCG causes further inhibition of the HPTA (Hypothalamic/Pituitary/Testicular Axis - feedback loop discussed above); this actually worsens the recovery situation. HCG does not restore the natural testosterone production.

The typically observed dosing of 2000 to 5000IU every 4 to 5 days causes such an increase in oestrogen levels via aromatisation of the natural testosterone that this has been responsible for many cases of gynecomastia.

From the above discussion it is clear that HCG is best used during a cycle, either to:

1) Avoid testicular atrophy, or

2) Rectify the problem of an existing testicular atrophy.

Doses of HCG

Smaller doses, more frequently during a cycle will give best overall results with least unwanted side effects. Somewhere between 500iu and 1000iu per day would be best over about a two-week period. These doses are sufficient to avoid/rectify testicular atrophy without increasing oestrogen levels too dramatically and risking gynecomastia. This dosing schedule also avoids the risk of permanently down-regulating the LH receptors in the testes.

Presentation and Administration of HCG

Synthetic HCG is often known as Pregnyl (generic name) and is available in 2500iu and 5000iu (not ideal for the above doses!). Administration of the compound is either by intra-muscular or subcutaneous injection. It comes as a powder which needs to be mixed with the sterile water. The powder is temperature-sensitive prior to mixing and should not be exposed to direct heat. After mixing, it should be kept refrigerated and used within a few weeks - though there are sterility issues which need to be considered after mixing.

Summary and Price of Clomid and HCG

Clomid is more effective than HCG post cycle, but some long-term users like to use HCG during a cycle, or to prepare the testes for Clomid therapy.

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Doses of HCG

Smaller doses, more frequently during a cycle will give best overall results with least unwanted side effects. Somewhere between 500iu and 1000iu per day would be best over about a two-week period. These doses are sufficient to avoid/rectify testicular atrophy without increasing oestrogen levels too dramatically and risking gynecomastia. This dosing schedule also avoids the risk of permanently down-regulating the LH receptors in the testes.

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directions

Add the water to powder with the water given bro. After combining you need to refrigerate and it is good for about a month.

A 10,000iu kit comes with 1cc (or ml.) of sterile water. Once you reconstitute, 10ius on an insulin point equals 1000ius and done 10iu points (slin pin).

If no vial to put in pre-load slin pins and refrigerate.

Reconstitute is when you combine water and powder in one.

The powder will just dissolve when the water is mixed via syringe instantly..it should be the active powder.

10ius on an insulin point equals 1000ius in typical HCG kit.....

The IU units are on the pin and its translates in terms of slin iu points as follows for typical 10,000iu kit:

a 10,000 iu kit if taken 5iu a day for 20 days=10,000..

Thats how I dose a 10,000 iu kit 20 days, you will find it works very well spread out ED for 20 days.

I personally get 29ga slin pins 1/3 cc per pin and fill 4 slin pins to 25 iu points,assuming you have 1 ml of water like most kits, and must be kept cold after mixing in fridge or freezer maybe in a box to conceal

10ius on an insulin point equals 1000ius.....(on slin pin).

5ius on slin pin=500iu of 10,000iu kit.

Thats assuming you used the 1 ml of bac water it came with.

confusing hugh

I thought this was interesting

Written by Realgains @ Elite:

HCG, what why and how....

WHAT

HCG or Human Chorionic Gonadotropin is a hormone produced by the Placenta.

In males it is very similar to LH which is produced by the pituitary to stimulate testosterone production.

WHY

Steroid users should always take HCG, unless very short two or three week cycles are done. The reason for this is simple, please read on.

When you take AAS the hypothalamus senses an excess in androgen and stops producing GnRH and then the pituitary stops producing LH as a result. When this happens the testes get no LH signal from the pituitary and they stop producing testosterone. It doesn't take much AAS to shut the testes down.

Now when the testes are no longer working to produce testosterone they start to atrophy. Shrinkage starts quite soon and by 4 weeks there has already has been some shrinkage, even though you may not notice any. By week 8 the testes have definitely shrunk and if you measured their size before the cycle you will certainly notice a difference.

Lets say you stop a cycle of test cyp after 8 weeks. You then wait for a couple weeks and start clomid. The testes are still small at this time and are having a hard time producing optimum levels of testosterone and you end up loosing a fair amount of the hard earned muscle from the cycle.

SO...if you PREVENT testicular shrinkage, or at least bring the boys back to size BEFORE the cycle ends, then they will be able to respond to LH well and produce decent amounts of testosterone post cycle with clomid therapy.

LET IT BE WELL KNOW THAT LH RECOVERS PRETTY RAPIDLY POST CYCLE IN MOST MEN, unless you have been "on" a very long time, BUT THE TESTES DO NOT, unless you have used HCG.

So if you want to keep more gain then be sure to use HCG.

HOW

HCG could be used every other day at 500iu's throughout a cycle to prevent testicular shrinkage.

HCG can be used at 500iu's per day during the two middle weeks of a cycle and then again during the last two weeks of a cycle or during the time one is waiting for the high hormone levels to clear, BEFORE clomid.

If you are cheap or poor and can't afford to use HCG as above then at least use it for two weeks at cycles end or during the last two weeks of the cycle itself.

HCG can be taken either IM in the muscle or sub Q in the fat. I like to take it sub q with a TB or slin syringe and a tiny pin.

Some people use HCH in larger doses spread out over a few weeks and with clomid. The problem with this is HCG will raise testosterone production A LOT and estrogen also climbs as a result of aromatization so the high test and high estrogen can be inhibitory in itself and prolong recovery. It would be akin to lengthening the cycle with low dose test but with large testes.

I found this article over on elite and thought it was pretty informative to new users. This should help answer the question "How do I keep my gains when I end my cycle".

The proponents of this style of HCG usage do not use HCG during a cycle because they are afraid that the HCG will desensitize the testes to natural testosterone. This indeed can happen with HCG use but ONLY IF large doses are taken over many weeks and 500iu's per day IS NOT a large dose and does not result in desensitization. The proponents of this style are also in the minority by far.

NOTE: Always have Nolvadex or clomid on hand when taking HCG as both act as estrogen blockers at the breast and will prevent gyno form highish levels estrogen.

So use HCG...it's cheap and very effective. Clomid alone will do VERY LITTLE to help save hard earned muscle mass if your testes have shrunk to dime size after a long cycle

[its_dave]

So I'm the uk now and heading to nz in a few...what can I expect to pay for pregnyl and how easily can I get it?

I'm spoilt in the uk as everything is readily available here and cheap as chips.