hCG Side Effects: What Studies and Users Report

What FDA labels and clinical studies report for hCG, how strong that evidence is, and what is still unknown.

Medically reviewed by Juan Pablo Frías, MD · 3 Oct 2026 · DisclosureGonadotropinUpdated 3 Oct 2026

Side effects reported in studies

Adverse reactions from the FDA label come first, then side effects reported in individual studies. Frequencies are quoted as the source gives them; animal results are labelled.

Side effects of hCG in labels and published studies
Side effect	How common	Study type	Source
Reported reactions“Headache, irritability, restlessness, depression, fatigue, edema, precocious puberty, gynecomastia, pain at the site of injection.”	Frequency not stated	FDA label	FDA label (Novarel)
Testicular tumours (sporadic reports)“There have been sporadic reports of testicular tumors in otherwise healthy young men receiving HCG for secondary infertility.”	Frequency not stated	FDA label	FDA label (Novarel)
Gynecomastia in males“HCG treatment may sporadically cause gynecomastia.”	Frequency not stated	FDA label	FDA label (Pregnyl)
Water and sodium retention in males“Water and sodium retention is occasionally seen after administration of high dosages; this is regarded as a result of excessive androgen production.”	Frequency not stated	FDA label	FDA label (Pregnyl)
Nipple tenderness	3 men	Human RCTn = 40	The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism 2002, PMID 12107212

What is not known

How common each effect is at the doses people use outside of studies.
Effects that take longer to appear than the length of the published studies.
How hCG interacts with other medicines and supplements.
Whether research-grade products, which are not checked by the FDA, behave like the material used in studies.

When to get medical help

Get urgent care for: trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, a widespread rash, severe or lasting stomach pain, fainting, or an injection site that becomes hot, red and spreading.

This is not a complete list. A doctor or pharmacist can help you judge whether a symptom is related.

Common questions

What are the side effects of hCG?

The FDA label lists reported reactions, testicular tumours (sporadic reports), gynecomastia in males among others. The table on this page gives how often each happened and links each source.

Is hCG safe?

hCG has an FDA-approved label that lists its known risks. That label covers the approved product used as prescribed, not compounded or research-chemical versions.

Is hCG banned in sport?

Yes. Prohibited by WADA (S2.2.1). Tested athletes should not use it.

More on hCG

DosageDoses used in published studies, with the source for each.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.How to injectSites, syringe types and hygiene, step by step.Half-lifeWhat is measured, by route, and what is not.

Sources

1NOVAREL ® (chorionic gonadotropin) for injection, for intramuscular use Initial U.S. Approval: 1974FDA label (Novarel), DailyMed · current labeldailymed.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
2Pregnyl ® (chorionic gonadotropin) for injectionFDA label (Pregnyl), DailyMed · current labeldailymed.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
3A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial of recombinant human chorionic gonadotropin on muscle strength and physical function and activity in older men with partial age-related androgen deficiency.The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · 2002PMID 12107212Accessed 2 Oct 2026

Found an error? Report a correction.