The Benefits of Using HCG for Patients on Testosterone Replacement Therapy.
HCG should be part of any Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) protocol for many reasons, however a consultation with a physician is needed prior to starting. One large benefit is that it can help to maintain fertility for men on testosterone and can help increase Spermatogenesis (the production of sperm in the haploid cells in the testes) It will also help to maintain testicular and penis size, assist in cognitive functioning, and increase/improve libido for patients that are on testosterone therapy. There are many clinical trials and peer reviewed studies showing the many benefits and relatively few side effects of this medication making it a safe, effective and sensible part of any hormone replacement protocol for men.What IS HCG and what does it do?HCG is short for Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, which is most famously known as the female pregnancy hormone. In a male patient on TRT, taking HCG helps because it mimics LH, (Luteinizing Hormone). When a male's testosterone levels drop below their normal threshold levels, the hypothalamus detects the need for increased hormone production and releases something called Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH) which then stimulates the pituitary gland to release LH which then signals the Leydig cells within the testes to produce more testosterone. LH is the main hormone that stimulates Leydig cells in the testes to produce testosterone, so when this is suppressed, men will experience significant changes. For patients who take testosterone injections, the hypothalamus will detect an increase in the overall Serum testosterone levels and stop releasing GnRH which leads to a decrease in LH and FSH being released which will slow down natural testicular functioning and decrease both sperm and testosterone production. Ultimately the testes will begin to atrophy and shrink. For men who are trying to optimize testosterone production and fertility, this is a very unwanted side effect. So for men on TRT using HCG helps in preserving some testicular function and the production of intra-testicular testosterone making it the best option for patients to maintain testicular function, instead of relying solely on exogenous testosterone injections or creams to balance one's hormones. The good news is that hcg can not only prevent this from happening but also will provide additional benefits for men, making it an important part of therapy for men who suffer from Low-T.HCG shares similarities with the LH on a molecular level, but its structure is not chemically identical, which is a good thing for patients on HRT. Because the half-life of LH is just a few minutes, it makes for a poor medication due to the frequency it would need to taken. LH is released in response to stimulation from GnRH which is secreted by the hypothalamus in pulsations, which means not in a steady stream but in short bursts, this makes taking LH directly problematic. If you wanted to replicate the body's natural release of LH, you'd need to use an LH-analogue that would need to be injected multiple times per daily just to mimic the body's physiological release of LH from the hypothalamus. This is the problem with Gonadorelin, a medication that's being used by some clinics and physicians to replace hCG. Case studies showing the effectiveness of Gonadorelin to replace hCG were done where patients were fitted with pulsatile infusion pumps which would administer a dose every 90 minutes. The alternative is to self inject every hour and a half with an insulin needle but nobody wants to inject themselves several times a day, which makes HCG is a fantastic alternative. HCG's half-life is approximately 36 hours, allowing patients the option to effectively reach stable blood levels with bi-weekly injections.Some misconceptions that we hear is that HCG is just for fertility and that its only used to "kick start" the natural production of testosterone after taking steroid cycles. This is simply not true and there are plenty of resources which prove otherwise. Unfortunately the majority of physicians who are not experienced in TRT will have little knowledge of this medication and may not prescribe it to their patients which is detrimental to the patient. Another problem that many patients have is that FINDING reasonably priced HCG is extremely difficult now due to recent changes in FDA regulations on who can manufacture hcg. Most compounding pharmacies are no longer able to distribute hcg to their patients and clinics and the fact is that no alternative exists that works as well as hcg, which is why it was an important part of every experienced physician practicing testosterone replacement therapy.NOVAGENIX offers all inclusive TRT programs which includes all physician consultations, lab reviews, follow ups, monitoring medications (including testosterone, anastrozole, hcg), supplies such as syringes, needles, bacteriostatic water, insulin needles and shipping direct to your door.