HCG MIXING, STORAGE, AND ADMINISTRATION:
What is HCG?
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) is a peptide hormone that mimics the action of luteinizing hormone (LH). LH is the hormone that stimulates the testes to produce testosterone.
When individuals take supplemental steroids their LH levels decline. The absence of an LH signal from the pituitary causes the testes to stop producing testosterone and can eventually cause testicular atrophy (shrinkage). Every individual will experience this differently but in some cases of prolonged steroid use the atrophy can be quite severe.
Based on research studies with healthy males and steroid use, 100iu HCG administered daily was enough to preserve full testicular function without causing desensitization or saturation associated with higher doses of HCG.
A convenient and more common alternative to the above recommendation would be 500iu twice a week. However, some research suggests it is more desirable to adhere to a lower more frequent dose of HCG to mimic the body’s natural LH release and minimize estrogen conversion.
Another popular HCG protocol is the end of cycle blast method. This can be used if you did not use HCG on cycle. This is often used towards the end of a cycle before PCT begins. Much higher doses are used, anywhere from 1000iu-5000iu. An example would be 2500iu to 5000iu. 2 to 3 times a week for 2 to 4 weeks.
What is HCG concentration?
HCG comes in several concentrations. Some common examples are 1000iu, 2500iu, 5000iu and 10,000iu. The concentration of HCG should not be confused with volume because “iu” is an international measurement for concentration NOT volume. IU concentration should not be confused with mL, mG or cc’s.
No matter which concentration you decide to purchase once you mix the vial with a predetermined volume of sterile diluent the amount of HCG in your possession does not change. For example if you mix 5000iu HCG with 1mL of diluent you have 5000iu of HCG. If you took the same 5000iu HCG and mixed with 5mL of diluent you still only have 5000iu of HCG.
What is HCG volume?
Now that we have a better understanding of HCG iu concentration let’s discuss dosing volume. This is where many people can get lost but trust us it is simple math. With a little effort and some experience it will become clear. While HCG concentration remains constant HCG’s measured volume changes. Measured volume is simply based on the amount of sterile diluent that the HCG was mixed with and the dosage amount that you wish to administer. Below you will see some simple examples of what reconstituted HCG concentrations will look like when combined with a specific amount of bac water.
Examples of HCG volume-
HCG 10000iu combined with 5mL of bac water - 5mL=10000iu, 2.5mL=5000iu, 1mL=2000iu, .5mL=1000iu
HCG 5000iu combined with 5mL of bac water - 5mL=5000iu, 1mL=1000iu, .5mL=500iu
HCG 1000iu combined with 1mL of bac water - 1mL=1000iu, .5mL=500iu, .25mL=250iu
What do you mix HCG with?
For the purpose of this article the only thing that we recommend reconstituting HCG with is bacteriostatic water (bac water). Bacteriostatic water provides the longest HCG shelf life after constitution when stored properly.
How do you mix HCG?
Items needed: Bacteriostatic water, 3-5mL syringe, 25g 1/2” needle, and alcohol swabs.
Some HCG kits come with a sterile solution diluent. We do not recommend using the included diluent unless it is actual bacteriostatic water because the shelf life is only approximately 4-8 days with a simple sterile solution.
Your syringe size is not critical. We simply suggest that you use a syringe that allows you to mix the HCG with the appropriate amount of bac water in the minimal amount of diluent draws. Needle size is also not critical because bac water will draw easily in needles a small as 31g. We prefer 25g for speed of use and they are generally readily available at most drug stores such as Rite-Aid, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, etc.
For the purpose of mixing instructions we will be mixing HCG 5000iu with 5mL of bac water and we will assume your HCG and bac water are in 10mL vials. Here are our 16 steps to proper HCG mixing also called reconstituting;
- Open the top on the bacteriostatic water vial.
- Use an alcohol swab to thoroughly sterilize the top of the vial and allow to air dry - DO NOT blow on it.
- Remove the 5mL syringe from the sterile packaging (if not using a syringe/needle combo install the needle).
- Uncap the needle.
- Pull back the plunger on the syringe to the 5mL mark plus a little more.
- Inject the air into the bac water
- Draw 5mL of bac water from the vial.
- Place the cap back on the needle and set it aside.
- Open the top of the HCG vial.
- Use an alcohol swab to throughly sterilize the top of the HCG vial and allow to air dry - DO NOT blow on it.
- Remove the cap from the bac water syringe.
- Push the needle into the HCG vial.
- Place the HCG vial on its side - Horizontal to the ground.
- Slowly inject the bac water into the the HCG vial allowing it to run down the side of the vial.
- Remove the needle from the vial, recap and properly discard.
- HCG generally will dissolve instantly but to ensure proper reconstitution slowly swirl the vial for 5-10 seconds. DO NOT shake.
Following the above instructions you will now have 5000iu of HCG in 5mL of solution.
How do you store reconstituted HCG?
Reconstituted HCG should only be stored in the refrigerator to ensure proper shelf life and should immediately be placed back in the refrigerator after each use. When stored properly reconstituted HCG will remain effective for at least 25-30 days. Some articles state 6 weeks or longer.
How do you administer HCG?
For ease of use and convenience we recommend administering HCG subcutaneously (sub-q) in the abdomen.
To perform a sub-q injection do a simple google or youtube search. Here is a real quick one that you can reference;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6iAJVOfdrA
What size needle and syringe is recommended?
We recommend a 1mL insulin syringe (slin pin) with a 30g 1/2” needle. You can use a needle length from 1/4” to 5/8” depending on the amount of abdominal fat that you have. 1/2” will work for 95% of the population.
