Is HCG working?

[Andreflex7]

I am currently taking on TRT, 80mg 2x a week(IM) and HCG 500iu, 3x a week(subQ). I've added the HCG about 5 months, but about a week gap in there due to not being to get my prescription refilled. I had bloodwork yesterday on my trough day:
TT = 579
E2(sensitive) = 16
LH = 0
FSH = 0.3
DHEA-S = pending
Pregnenolon = pending

Do you think the HCG isn't working since the LH/FSH are so low?

 

[Smont]

Ask this in the anabolics section, you will get more ppl to see it. I'm not a expert on the subject and I don't use hcg anymore, haven'tin like 3-4 years. But, hcg will also raise dhea and pregnolone so if those come back low too then it might not be working. Hcg is pretty fragile and easily damaged. Also after it's reconstituted it starts to degrade after a couple weeks. How long have you been using that vial and are you storing it in the fridge?

Now that I think about it, hcg doesn't raise lh it mimicks it, so wouldn't it lower lh on bloodwork?

 

[Smont]

@Hyde am I correct on that, I can't remember if it raises or lowers the hormones

 

[Smont]

I know it should raise dhea and pregnolone

 

[Andreflex7]

Ask this in the anabolics section, you will get more ppl to see it. I'm not a expert on the subject and I don't use hcg anymore, haven'tin like 3-4 years. But, hcg will also raise dhea and pregnolone so if those come back low too then it might not be working. Hcg is pretty fragile and easily damaged. Also after it's reconstituted it starts to degrade after a couple weeks. How long have you been using that vial and are you storing it in the fridge?

Now that I think about it, hcg doesn't raise lh it mimicks it, so wouldn't it lower lh on bloodwork?

When you say pretty fragile, what do you mean? As in, you can shake it up too hard when reconstituting it?

 

[Smont]

When you say pretty fragile, what do you mean? As in, you can shake it up too hard when reconstituting it?

Yep, even in the delivery process when it's getting shipped and not reconstituted it can get damaged.

 

[Andreflex7]

Yep, even in the delivery process when it's getting shipped and not reconstituted it can get damaged.

So, how does one get undamaged HCG?

(After re-reading my original post, it makes sense that LH/FSH would be at zero. HCG doesn't target the pituatory like, say, Clomid would.

 

[Hyde]

@Hyde am I correct on that️, I can't remember if it raises or lowers the hormones

Correct.

Ultimately through the extra estrogen it causes, it will be suppressive to the HPTA (body sees sufficient estrogen circulating and assumes sufficient testosterone is present, ultimately halting LH signaling to testes).

I know it should raise dhea and pregnolone

FWIW even if his values are lower, I wouldn’t inherently assume it’s not working at all, especially if he can “feel” the HCG when he uses it (like increased libido on HCG days, a bit more water retention after those days, etc).