Building a TRT protocol around hCG

[FunkOdyssey]

Cortex released a video on this concept of using hCG and DHEA as the foundation of a protocol and then tailoring testosterone dose around that:

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I have kept going back and forth with hCG myself. I've noticed, now that I have some Janoshik-verified potent hCG (eutrig), if I take 250 iu EOD, after a few doses my libido goes from the usual dead state to pretty damn high. It is actually the most dramatic libido result I've experienced, besides an occasional blip after increasing testosterone dose. I'm realizing that finding a way to make hCG work is probably the only way I'm going to have a good libido on TRT. Bear in mind my libido pre-TRT was also nil, but among the many benefits I've derived from TRT, sustainably improved libido was not one of them.

It makes me think of Nelson, and how he basically turns on and off his libido like a light switch by adding or removing the 1000 iu hCG weekly from his baseline 100 mg weekly TRT protocol. He's been on TRT a VERY long time, and I wonder if that is the state that many men will reach eventually, where testosterone alone isn't able to support normal sexual desire anymore after many years of HPTA shutdown. I see themes like this on Reddit too.

I am inspired to try dropping my test cyp dose to ~100 mg weekly to give myself the E2 headroom for a longer-term trial of hCG. Dropping the TRT dose is painful because of how impactful that is on lifting and physique, but I think it's time to rip off that bandaid.

Anyone ever approached a protocol with this mindset before? Making a substantial dose of hCG the central non-negotiable pillar, and then letting testosterone have the remaining scraps of your capacity to handle e2?

 

[Cataceous]

... He's been on TRT a VERY long time, and I wonder if that is the state that many men will reach eventually, where testosterone alone isn't able to support normal sexual desire anymore after many years of HPTA shutdown. I see themes like this on Reddit too.

I am inspired to try dropping my test cyp dose to ~100 mg weekly to give myself the E2 headroom for a longer-term trial of hCG. Dropping the TRT dose is painful because of how impactful that is on lifting and physique, but I think it's time to rip off that bandaid.
...

This is very much in line with my thinking, particularly the part about a longer HTPA shutdown being more problematic. In my case the addition of hCG was an improvement, but it never led to consistent libido and/or sexual function, and things still went downhill over the years. Dropping the hCG in favor of the enclomiphene/gonadorelin stimulation was a further improvement, but still ended up a bit short of where a guy would want to be. Interestingly, the switch to apparently ultra-low dose testosterone suspension has brought a consistency in libido and sexual function I hadn't seen in years. This is odd considering that serum testosterone appears to be barely above what it was when I developed hypogonadism—which was a miserable experience. It does align with the threshold effect mentioned in research. I think every guy who still has issues on TRT needs to "rip off that bandaid".

 

[Guided_by_Voices]

Cortex released a video on this concept of using hCG and DHEA as the foundation of a protocol and then tailoring testosterone dose around that:

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For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

I have kept going back and forth with hCG myself. I've noticed, now that I have some Janoshik-verified potent hCG (eutrig), if I take 250 iu EOD, after a few doses my libido goes from the usual dead state to pretty damn high. It is actually the most dramatic libido result I've experienced, besides an occasional blip after increasing testosterone dose. I'm realizing that finding a way to make hCG work is probably the only way I'm going to have a good libido on TRT. Bear in mind my libido pre-TRT was also nil, but among the many benefits I've derived from TRT, sustainably improved libido was not one of them.

It makes me think of Nelson, and how he basically turns on and off his libido like a light switch by adding or removing the 1000 iu hCG weekly from his baseline 100 mg weekly TRT protocol. He's been on TRT a VERY long time, and I wonder if that is the state that many men will reach eventually, where testosterone alone isn't able to support normal sexual desire anymore after many years of HPTA shutdown. I see themes like this on Reddit too.

I am inspired to try dropping my test cyp dose to ~100 mg weekly to give myself the E2 headroom for a longer-term trial of hCG. Dropping the TRT dose is painful because of how impactful that is on lifting and physique, but I think it's time to rip off that bandaid.

Anyone ever approached a protocol with this mindset before? Making a substantial dose of hCG the central non-negotiable pillar, and then letting testosterone have the remaining scraps of your capacity to handle e2?

I'm increasingly thinking, both from my own experience and observing others, that what you are describing makes the most sense, but with the addition of other targeted compounds to address specific issues. In your case, a moderate dose of Oxandrolone to replace the "lost" T seems logical (or perhaps short-acting Nandrolone). By modest I mean 10mg or so pre-workout no more than 4 times per week. If estrogen from the HCG is an an issue, then perhaps a low dose of Boldenone would be a better choice if you happen to be someone for whom Boldenone blocks the effects of estrogen

 

[Seagal]

That "Janoshik-verified potent hCG" and the costs of hcg might be limiting for some men.
Cortex also often mentioned estrogen control as a key factor. Yet another protocol on which he feels great...

Good news if that hcg solves your libido problem!

 

[SS1LE]

Cortex released a video on this concept of using hCG and DHEA as the foundation of a protocol and then tailoring testosterone dose around that:

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For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

I have kept going back and forth with hCG myself. I've noticed, now that I have some Janoshik-verified potent hCG (eutrig), if I take 250 iu EOD, after a few doses my libido goes from the usual dead state to pretty damn high. It is actually the most dramatic libido result I've experienced, besides an occasional blip after increasing testosterone dose. I'm realizing that finding a way to make hCG work is probably the only way I'm going to have a good libido on TRT. Bear in mind my libido pre-TRT was also nil, but among the many benefits I've derived from TRT, sustainably improved libido was not one of them.

It makes me think of Nelson, and how he basically turns on and off his libido like a light switch by adding or removing the 1000 iu hCG weekly from his baseline 100 mg weekly TRT protocol. He's been on TRT a VERY long time, and I wonder if that is the state that many men will reach eventually, where testosterone alone isn't able to support normal sexual desire anymore after many years of HPTA shutdown. I see themes like this on Reddit too.

I am inspired to try dropping my test cyp dose to ~100 mg weekly to give myself the E2 headroom for a longer-term trial of hCG. Dropping the TRT dose is painful because of how impactful that is on lifting and physique, but I think it's time to rip off that bandaid.

Anyone ever approached a protocol with this mindset before? Making a substantial dose of hCG the central non-negotiable pillar, and then letting testosterone have the remaining scraps of your capacity to handle e2?

From the report, Eutrig is double dosed, so did you take that into account when mixing.

 

[Vince]

I've been on TRT for over 10 years. HCG has been the backbone of every one of my protocols. I started with 500 IU every 3 and 1/2 days and now 500 IU every 3rd day.

If you're one of them members that has anxiety issues. HCG may not work for you. But most do good with HCG.

 

[FunkOdyssey]

In my case the addition of hCG was an improvement, but it never led to consistent libido and/or sexual function, and things still went downhill over the years. Dropping the hCG in favor of the enclomiphene/gonadorelin stimulation was a further improvement, but still ended up a bit short of where a guy would want to be. Interestingly, the switch to apparently ultra-low dose testosterone suspension has brought a consistency in libido and sexual function I hadn't seen in years. This is odd considering that serum testosterone appears to be barely above what it was when I developed hypogonadism—which was a miserable experience.

Very interesting result with the test suspension results. I think there are a percentage of men that do maintain long-term libido on testosterone alone, another group that maintains it long-term with hCG, and I would imagine the fraction that cannot maintain libido despite the combination is the smallest. ChatGPT estimated 50-60% of men maintain long-term function with T alone. That seems like it's probably accurate based on what I see on Reddit, comparing the number of people saying "yes, long-term libido loss is a thing" to those saying "I've been on 15 years of T monotherapy and have sex daily" and associated upvotes.

I know I'm not in the lucky 50-60% who will get away with T alone, but hopefully I'm in that large subgroup where TRT + hCG does the trick (like Nelson and Vince).

I'm increasingly thinking, both from my own experience and observing others, that what you are describing makes the most sense, but with the addition of other targeted compounds to address specific issues. In your case, a moderate dose of Oxandrolone to replace the "lost" T seems logical (or perhaps short-acting Nandrolone). By modest I mean 10mg or so pre-workout no more than 4 times per week. If estrogen from the HCG is an an issue, then perhaps a low dose of Boldenone would be a better choice if you happen to be someone for whom Boldenone blocks the effects of estrogen

Oxandrolone seems like the more attractive of these options to me. I've only tried nandrolone very briefly a couple times, but it seems to immediately tank my mood, and I'm pretty scared of its effects on the brain. Boldenone does not seem to inhibit aromatase but instead competes with testosterone for access to aromatase, and is aromatized into huge quantities of estrone (E1). I might consider experimenting with it if I could find a shorter ester version than the standard undecylenate.

I agree though, that adjusting testosterone to produce optimal E2 and then filling in any anabolic deficit with a non-aromatizing androgen makes sense and should provide a great combination of anabolism and well-being, if perhaps not being as optimal for long-term health as leaving out the additional androgen.

That "Janoshik-verified potent hCG" and the costs of hcg might be limiting for some men.
Cortex also often mentioned estrogen control as a key factor. Yet another protocol on which he feels great...

Access to inexpensive, high potency hCG has never been better than it is today. 5,000 iu (apparently really 10,000 iu) vials of Eutrig are only $10 each: https://pricelist.cosmicpct.com/pricelist-february-2025.pdf

On estrogen control, we aren't doing that here, because inhibiting aromatase in the brain often kills libido and is totally counterproductive, in addition to the other health risks associated with aromatase inhibition.

You have a bucket that represents your capacity to handle E2 without adverse effects or loss of symptomatic benefit. Instead of filling that bucket with testosterone, and then pouring hCG on top until the bucket overflows, we're going to start with the hCG, and then see how much testosterone we can fit in the bucket afterwards. It isn't estrogen control - it's experimentally determining how much E2 you can handle, while giving top priority to the hCG.

From the report, Eutrig is double dosed, so did you take that into account when mixing.

I'm aware of it, but the doses I reported above were the labelled doses, so where I said 250 iu, it was probably more like 500 iu.