HCG In Men: Normal State And Deviations

Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is a natural hormone produced in both males and females that is vital for reproduction and development. However, when there are atypical levels of HCG in men, it can be an indicator of underlying health issues or associated with physical and pathological abnormalities.

What is HCG in men?

HCG is a naturally occurring hormone in both males and females. During pregnancy, a woman’s HCG levels rise and supply the baby with sustenance and developmental hormones. Males utilize the HCG hormone in several processes with other hormones for healthy growth and functioning of the male reproductive organs.

What does HCG do for men?

In men, HCG works with the Luteinizing hormone (LH) to control sexual maturation and functionality. It is essential for the maintenance of testicular and prostate functions and male fertility. The HCG hormone is critical to fetal organ growth and sexual differentiation and it is required from pregnancy through to infancy and childhood. With the onset of puberty, HCG works to develop the testes and maintain the production of testosterone.

Males have higher levels of testosterone than females and thus play a very important role in men’s health. When male reproductive organs are first developing in a fetus, testosterone is crucial. It also contributes to the emergence of masculine traits like facial hair growth, voice deepening, and the puberty-related growth spurt. Throughout a man’s life, testosterone is needed to preserve these auxiliary male features.

Because HCG affects other hormones and has several functions, its decrease can bring about significant physical and emotional changes. Similarly, if HCG levels are elevated, it could suggest physiological changes as well.

What conditions do low HCG levels in men lead to?

Low levels of HCG can play a part in hindering the normal development of the body’s natural steroids, hormones, sperm, and the formation of the male reproductive organs. While a progressive decline in function and fertility may come with age, abnormally low HCG levels in men could be cause for concern.

Low HCG may be a symptom of an underlying condition or it may be a precursor to other disorders if untreated:

• Increases sensitivity for cancer or indicates cancer of the pancreas, liver, or testicles.
• Reduces sperm count and increases the risk of infertility.
• Muscle loss and abnormal breast growth.
• Growth defects with male reproductive organs.
• Erectile dysfunction.
• Lack of sex drive.

What conditions does excess HCG lead to?

For men who have an elevated HCG level, it indicates there is an imbalance in the body that will trigger specific symptoms or suggest the presence of disease such as:

• HCG-secreting tumors like germ cell tumors of the testes are cancerous cells that transform and gain the ability to secrete HCG thus increasing the levels even more.
• Disorders associated with the functioning of the pituitary gland.
• High HCG can be a result of doping, an HCG diet, or genetics.
• Very high serum testosterone levels can lead to risky behaviors, excessive body hair, headaches, high blood pressure, and other life-impacting conditions.

In which cases HCG injections are used?

In men or adolescent boys, HCG treatment can be used to help the production of testosterone and sperm and in younger male children it can treat specific conditions.

Cryptorchidism

One or both testicles may not descend to the scrotum at birth, causing them to remain inside the male’s abdomen or groin. The use of HCG injections as a form of treatment may fully or partially encourage the fall of the testes into the scrotum.

Hypogonadism

Hypogonadism occurs when sex glands produce little if any, sex hormones. HCG can help address the symptoms of hypogonadism, such as low testosterone and infertility. It can increase the production of testosterone and sperm and reduce infertility.

Fertility

HCG for men’s fertility stimulates the testes to produce more testosterone increasing sperm production and may result in treating infertility.

Testosterone deficiency

HCG treatment for men can help with testosterone deficiency, which is defined through a blood test and associated symptoms that affect men emotionally, physically, and mentally. HCG can help increase testosterone levels, fertility, and sex drive.

Minimize testicle shrinkage

Not only will HCG restore fertility and sperm production, but it can also reduce testicle shrinkage. Using HCG with other hormone therapies can restore testicles to their normal, healthy size and function.

Reverse steroid side effects

Bodybuilders who take anabolic steroids such as testosterone also use HCG to help prevent or reverse some of the side effects steroids cause, such as testicle shrinkage and infertility. Users of anabolic steroids can use HCG to restore the volume of the testicles.

Weight loss

HCG is sometimes used for weight loss. Injections or over-the-counter (OTC) homeopathic HCG products are used as part of an HCG low-calorie diet to help reduce weight.

Muscle gain

HCG can also be used to help gain more muscle mass as it increases hormone levels, such as testosterone. Testosterone increases muscle mass, and lean body mass can control energy and weight control. 

What is HCG in men and why is it essential to monitor levels for men’s health?

There are multiple reasons for measuring reproductive hormone and HCG levels. If you are experiencing troubling symptoms, monitoring conditions such as hypogonadism, fertility, erectile dysfunction, or testing for testicular cancer, an HCG test can reveal anomalies that are affecting your health and well-being.

Hormones, which circulate throughout the body to coordinate our mood, digestion, blood sugar levels, reproductive functions, energy levels, and other bodily functions, are chemical messengers that instruct our cells what to do. When our hormones are in perfect harmony, our body’s processes all function in sync.

So, why do men take HCG? HCG is an FDA-approved medication for treating specific conditions in men. It can play an important role in boosting testosterone levels, maintaining fertility, and sexual function. Men experience problems when their hormones go out of balance and symptoms such as enlarged breast tissue, fatigue, emotional disorders (such as anger), prostate problems, cancer, and heart attacks are conditions that start to emerge but can be treated with HCG therapy.