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How to Inject hCG: Sites, Syringes and Steps

Where to inject hCG, which syringe to use, how to read units and the hygiene steps that prevent infection.

Medically reviewed by Juan Pablo Frías, MD · · DisclosureGonadotropinUpdated
This is a general guide to subcutaneous injection, not a substitute for being shown by a nurse, pharmacist or doctor. If you were prescribed a hCG pen, follow the pen's own instructions instead.

Injection sites

Most peptides are injected under the skin (subcutaneously), into the fatty layer rather than the muscle.

  • Belly: at least 2 inches (5 cm) away from the navel.
  • Front and outer thighs.
  • Back of the upper arms, if someone else can reach it.
  • Rotate sites each time and avoid skin that is bruised, scarred or irritated.

Syringe and needle

U-100 insulin syringes are marked in units: 100 units equal 1 mL, so 10 units is 0.1 mL. They come in 0.3, 0.5 and 1 mL sizes; a smaller syringe has finer marks and is easier to read for small doses. Needle length and gauge used for hCG in studies: not reported in study abstracts (PubMed search, 2 Oct 2026).

How to read an insulin syringe

Step by step

  1. 1Wash your handsUse soap and water, and work on a clean surface.
  2. 2Check the vialLabel, lot and date present; solution clear with no particles. Mixing a powder vial first? Use sterile bacteriostatic water.
  3. 3Clean the vial top and the siteWipe both with an alcohol swab and let them dry.
  4. 4Draw the dosePull the plunger to the units mark for your dose, then tap out air bubbles and re-check the mark.
  5. 5InjectPinch a fold of skin, insert the needle at 45 to 90 degrees, push the plunger slowly and wait a few seconds before withdrawing.
  6. 6Dispose safelyPut the used syringe straight into a sharps container. Never reuse or share needles.
How to reconstitute a peptide vial

Common questions

Where do you inject hCG?

Under-the-skin (subcutaneous) injections are usually given in the belly, at least 2 inches from the navel, the front of the thighs or the back of the upper arms. Rotate sites each time.

What syringe is used for hCG?

Vials are usually drawn with a U-100 insulin syringe, where 100 units equal 1 mL. Common sizes hold 0.3, 0.5 or 1 mL. Match the syringe to the dose so the mark is easy to read.

How often is hCG injected?

The interval comes from the study or prescription, not from this guide. See the dosage page for what studies used.

More on hCG

DosageDoses used in published studies, with the source for each.Side effectsWhat labels and studies report, and what is unknown.ResultsStudy outcomes and when they were measured.PricePrice per mg and per week from dated listings. No vendor links.Legal statusFDA, compounding and WADA status with dates.Half-lifeWhat is measured, by route, and what is not.

Sources

  1. 1Metric (SI) Prefixes (NIST Reference on Constants, Units, and Uncertainty)National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) · 2025physics.nist.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  2. 2BASAGLAR (insulin glargine) injection, prescribing information (DailyMed)U.S. Food and Drug Administration / DailyMed (Eli Lilly and Company label) · 2026dailymed.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  3. 3PubMed search: ("human chorionic gonadotropin"[tiab] OR hCG[tiab]) AND (hypogonadism[tiab] OR "male infertility"[tiab] OR hypogonadotropic[tiab] OR testosterone[tiab]) AND (randomized controlled trial[pt] OR meta-analysis[pt]) (97 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  4. 4PubMed search: ("human chorionic gonadotropin"[tiab] OR hCG[tiab]) AND (obesity[tiab] OR "weight loss"[tiab]) AND (randomized controlled trial[pt] OR meta-analysis[pt] OR systematic review[pt]) (11 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  5. 5PubMed search: ("human chorionic gonadotropin"[tiab] OR hCG[tiab]) AND (testosterone replacement[tiab] OR TRT[tiab] OR "anabolic steroid"[tiab] OR bodybuilder*[tiab] OR "lean body mass"[tiab] OR "muscle"[tiab]) AND humans[mh] (260 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  6. 6PubMed search: ("human chorionic gonadotropin"[tiab] OR hCG[tiab]) AND (half-life[tiab] OR pharmacokinetic*[tiab]) AND men[tiab] NOT pregnan*[tiab] (9 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026

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