human chorionic gonadotropin · Pregnyl · Ovitrelle
A pregnancy hormone and prescription fertility medicine. The US label says plainly that it has not been shown to work for obesity. Approval covers only these medicines.
This site is for information and education only. It does not promote or encourage the use or purchase of the substances described and is not medical advice. Many are not authorised as medicines and their safety has not been established. We sell nothing and have no ties to sellers. For health decisions, consult a doctor.
Doping. Banned for men because it raises testosterone.
Safety. Long medical use and a US drug label. The label says hCG has not been shown to work for obesity and warns of overstimulated ovaries. Sources: US drug label.
Risk of fakes. The Polish medicines control lab tested seized products used after steroid courses, hCG among them: 34.9% lacked the declared substance. In Copenhagen, 9 of 36 seized samples held no peptide or protein. Sources: study 1, study 2.
| Where | Status | Checked | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PL | Prescription only | Approved in Poland as Chorapur and Zivafert, and across the EU as Ovitrelle (European medicines database, EMA, 9 October 2026). Source | Not yet |
| EU | Prescription only | Approved across the EU as Ovitrelle. This covers that medicine only, not products sold outside pharmacies. Source | Not yet |
| US | Prescription only | Prescription medicine (Pregnyl). Source | Not yet |
Scientific papers per year 2015–2025
These are search results. A count shows how much exists, not how good the studies are. 1 Nov 2026.
No effect in studies. In blinded studies from 1976 to 1990, people lost no more weight on hCG than on placebo injections with the same diet. A 1995 pooled analysis found no scientific proof that it works for obesity.
What doctors, patients and companies reported to the US medicines agency (FDA), and single cases described in medical journals. A report says what happened to someone after taking the substance. It does not prove the substance caused it, and it does not say how often it happens. Reports do not change any grade.
| Most often reported | Reports |
|---|---|
| Overstimulated ovaries | 825 |
| Bloated belly | 167 |
| Nausea | 148 |
| Headache | 140 |
| Fluid in the belly | 133 |
| Miscarriage | 123 |
| Stomach pain | 121 |
| Shortness of breath | 107 |
Serious means the person went to hospital, their life was in danger, they were left with lasting harm, or they died. One report can list several side effects. Most of these reports come from medical treatment, often of people who are ill, not from use outside medicine.
FDA reports come from openFDA, cases from a PubMed search. The editors have not read these cases yet. Titles stay in the original language. As of 3 Nov 2026.
A doctor covers hCG in men: how bodybuilders and men on testosterone treatment use it, new research on fertility, and side effects he says should be taken seriously. The video is from 2019.
| Studies | Kind of study | Who was studied | People | Duration | Dose as studied | Who paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The effect of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in the treatment of obesity by means of the Simeons therapy: a criteria-based meta-analysis. | Pooled analysis | Eight controlled and 16 uncontrolled trials | – | – | – | Unknown |
| Human chorionic gonadotrophin and weight loss. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. | Random groups | Obese women on a 5,000 kJ diet | 40 | 6 wk | – | Unknown |
| Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in the treatment of obesity: a critical assessment of the Simeons method. | Random groups | Obese patients on the Simeons method | – | – | – | Unknown |
| Ineffectiveness of human chorionic gonadotropin in weight reduction: a double-blind study. | Random groups | Obese women on a 500 kcal diet | 51 | 5 wk | – | Unknown |
| Chorionic gonadotropin in weight control. A double-blind crossover study. | Random groups | Patients in a weight reduction programme, crossover | 202 | – | – | Unknown |
We found these papers automatically in PubMed. The editors have not read them yet, and they do not affect any grade. Titles stay in the original language.
