HCG Restores Bodybuilders Testosterone Levels
Blog Entry #37
By Admin – Steroidal.com
Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is a peptide hormone than mimic’s luteinizing hormone (LH) in the body. LH stimulates the testes to secrete testosterone and is secreted by the pituitary so mimicking this hormone we can maintain or increase testosterone production. HCG is a part of most anabolic steroids users drug collection as no other compound can do what HCG does at present. As discussed in another blog post, HCG can be used at different times as a prevention tool against testicular dysfunction, or can be used to help restart the testes after laying dormant for weeks, months or years.
If an anabolic steroid user is attempting to restore their natural testosterone production, HCG use is imperative. Whether its used in combination with their steroid cycle, or used afterwards to kick start the testes its use cannot be substituted by over the counter products, selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) or aromatase inhibitors (AIs). Unfortunately, there aren’t many studies on anabolic steroids users coming off steroids, or Anabolic Steroid Induced Hypogonadism (ASIH), but there is one on a bodybuilder given HCG post cycle published in 1998.
The study was published in the Postgraduate Medical Journal conducted in England by Dr. Geoff Gill. They examined a 17 yea old bodybuilder who has been using anabolic steroids for the last six months and had become concerned with a varicose vein in his scrotum, as well as experiencing a erectile dysfunction, low sex drive, lethargy, scant body hair and sore nipples. The anabolic steroids quoted in the paper as being used are, Nandrolone (Deca-Durabolin), Sustanon and Stanozolol (Winstrol). Tests were performed and the bodybuilder’s endogenous testosterone level was 0.8 nmol/l, which is considered hypogondal. They also discovered his LH and FSH was pretty much zero, meaning his pituitary gland had not been functioning correctly.
The bodybuilder did not want to give up taking anabolic steroids, so the British doctors told him to take 250mg every two weeks of Sustanon 250. This eliminated his low testosterone symptoms, such as loss of libido, erectile dysfunction and lethargy.
After 15 months of using anabolic steroids, he bodybuilder decided to stop all androgens, including his Sustanon injections. This led to him experiencing low testosterone symptoms again. Without a synthetic form of replacement testosterone, which could include Androgel, oral testosterone, creams, gels or injections and a dysfunctioning hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis (HPTA), the inevitable happened. His testosterone level plummeted from 14.0 to 8.5 nanomol/l.
“To stimulate testicular function he was given injections of HCG over the next three months (10.000 units I.M. weekly for one month, 5.000 units weekly for one month, and 2500 units for one month)”, wrote Dr.Gill. “Within a week of starting treatment, libido had greatly improved, and spontaneous nocturnal ejaculations occurred. Serum testosterone levels and potency returned to normal over the three months of treatment.”
Although these HCG injections appear to have worked, their action was only temporary. Soon after discontinuing HCG injections, the bodybuilders endogenous testosterone level fell to below it was prior to treatment. This can perhaps be explained by his hypothalamus and pituitary not recovering or in fact stimulated. HCG addresses the testes directly and not the hormone control centre, or hypothalamus. This is why SERMs are implemented post steroid use. A solid PCT protocol will contain both SERMs and HCG to address both the hormonal response of the body and the testicles.
Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2360778/pdf/postmedj00085-0047.pdf
