hMG (Menotropin)
Also known as: hMG, HMG, Menotropin, Menopur, Merional, Human menopausal gonadotropin
The FSH that hCG does not provide — the missing half of restarting fertility, and the reason some people recover testosterone but not sperm.
Substance family
Medications for blood pressure, lipids and glucose. They appear here because these are exactly the markers most anabolic compounds push in the wrong direction.
Effects on
Which outcomes this substance acts on — descriptive, not a recommendation.
Strain profile
Where this substance is most likely to hit — a rough orientation, individually dependent on dose, duration and predisposition.
This substance works against
Dosing & protocols by goal
Rough orientation ranges as reported in harm-reduction literature — not an individual treatment plan. Doses are individual and open-ended; frequency depends on the ester or half-life.
Infertility treatment (approved indication)
MedicalDose
75–150 IU
Frequency
3× per week
Cycle length
Months, physician-supervised
In men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism it is combined with hCG. Spermatogenesis takes months to respond — a full sperm production cycle is roughly 74 days, so nothing is assessable before three months.
Restoring spermatogenesis after long suppression
Medical (off-label)Dose
75–150 IU
Frequency
2–3× per week
Cycle length
3–6 months alongside hCG
The situation where it makes sense: testosterone has recovered but sperm count has not. This belongs with a physician and a semen analysis, not improvised — the drug is expensive, the timeline is long, and the endpoint has to be measured.
Side effect & countermeasure
Typical problems and what you can do to reduce harm — at a glance. Does not replace medical monitoring.
Problem
hCG alone does not restore sperm production
Countermeasure
This is the reason the compound matters here. hCG mimics LH, which drives the Leydig cells to make testosterone. Sperm production is driven by FSH acting on the Sertoli cells, and hCG does not supply FSH. That is why people finish a PCTPCTThe protocol after a cycle intended to restart the body's own testosterone production. with a normal testosterone reading and a sperm count near zero, and conclude wrongly that everything recovered. Testosterone and fertility are two separate outcomes of the same axis.
Problem
Judging it too early
Countermeasure
A full cycle of sperm production takes roughly 74 days, plus transit time. Meaningful change cannot appear in weeks. Protocols run three to six months, and a semen analysis before starting and after three months is the only way to know whether it is working.
Problem
Using it without measuring
Countermeasure
This is an expensive prescription drug aimed at an outcome nobody can feel. Without a baseline semen analysis and FSH level there is no way to tell whether it is needed or whether it is doing anything. Guessing here wastes months and money.
Problem
Excess FSH is not better
Countermeasure
More gonadotropin does not accelerate spermatogenesis beyond a point, and excessive stimulation can be counterproductive. This is a dose to titratetitrateAdjusting a dose stepwise against a measured result rather than setting it in advance. against measured FSH and semen results with medical guidance, not to escalate.
Problem
Estradiol rising alongside
Countermeasure
Restarting testicular function raises testosterone and therefore estradiolestradiolThe main estrogen — needed in men too, and damaging in both directions when out of range.. That is part of a functioning recovery and generally should not be suppressedsuppressedThe body shutting down its own testosterone production because an external source is present. with an aromatase inhibitoraromatase inhibitorA drug that blocks the conversion of testosterone to estradiol. unless symptoms and measurements justify it.
Overview
hMG belongs on this site because of a gap that costs people years: hCG is treated as the complete answer to restarting the axis, and it is only half of it.
Human menopausal gonadotropin is purified from urine and contains both FSH and LH activity. In fertility medicine it is a standard tool. In this context it addresses the specific problem hCG cannot.
The Mechanism, and Why hCG Is Not Enough
The testes have two jobs and two separate control signals.
LH acts on the Leydig cells, which produce testosterone. hCG is structurally similar enough to LH to activate the same receptor, which is why it raises testosterone and maintains testicular volume during and after a cycle.
FSH acts on the Sertoli cells, which support sperm production. hCG does essentially nothing here.
During a cycle both LH and FSH are suppressed, so both functions stop. Afterwards, hCG and a SERM can bring testosterone back while spermatogenesis lags far behind or fails to restart. The blood test looks fine. The person feels fine. The sperm count is at or near zero.
This is a recognised clinical pattern in men recovering from androgen use, and it is where FSH supplementation — hMG or recombinant FSH — is what actually addresses the problem.
When It Is Actually Indicated
Not routinely, and not as part of a standard PCT. The specific situation is:
- Testosterone, LH and estradiol have recovered
- Sperm count remains low or absent on a semen analysis
- Several months have passed without improvement
That combination points to a Sertoli cell problem that testosterone recovery does not fix. It requires a physician, a semen analysis as the endpoint, and patience measured in months rather than weeks.
Recombinant FSH (follitropin) is the alternative — more expensive, more precisely dosed, no LH component. Where hMG is used alongside hCG, the LH activity is already covered.
The Preventive Point
The most useful thing on this page is not the protocol. It is this: fertility and testosterone are separate outcomes, and only one of them is visible in a standard blood panel.
Anyone running long or heavily suppressive cycles — and S-23 is the extreme case, but any prolonged suppression counts — who wants children at some point should know that a normal testosterone reading after PCT says nothing about sperm. A semen analysis is inexpensive, and doing one before starting gives a baseline that is impossible to reconstruct afterwards.
Side Effects & Risks
- Injection site reactions
- Rising estradiol as testicular function returns
- Gynecomastia in susceptible individuals
- Headache, fatigue
- Rarely, ovarian hyperstimulation-type effects are relevant only in women
- Expensive, and the effect takes months to assess
Blood Work & Monitoring
- Semen analysis — the actual endpoint; before starting and after three months
- FSH and LH — to establish where the axis stands
- Total and free testosterone
- Estradiol (sensitive assay) — rises as function returns
Legal status by region
Regulation differs considerably between jurisdictions and changes over time. This is a rough orientation, not legal advice — check the rules that apply where you are.
| Region | Regulatory status |
|---|---|
| United States | Prescription-only medicineApproved for infertility treatment. Use for post-cycle recovery is off-label. |
| EU / UK | Prescription-only medicine |
| Most other jurisdictions | Prescription-only; availability varies |
| Competitive sport | Prohibited at all timesGonadotropins are listed by WADA under S2 for male athletes. |