HCG & Leydig Cell Disensitization

[Ozdude]

As per the title I am hoping some knowledgeable gents on the forum can shed some light on the reality of HCG use causing Leydig cell disensitization and if it does what that means long term. I’m currently using 250IU eod and have been reading on other forums, from people purporting to be authorities on the matter, that long term use of HCG is problematic. I have been on TRT for 18 months and although I feel great I don’t like be idea that if I choose to get off it my body won’t be able to return to my pre TRT baseline. Advice from anyone with experience or knowledge in the area will be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance gents.

 

[Cataceous]

Even if desensitization is a real phenomenon, which is debatable, your dose is low and will not cause these problems. Additionally, most guys who stop treatment with testosterone and/or hCG seem to end up no worse off than they would have been with no treatment at all, even after many years.

 

[Vince Carter]

Even if desensitization is a real phenomenon, which is debatable, your dose is low and will not cause these problems. Additionally, most guys who stop treatment with testosterone and/or hCG seem to end up no worse off than they would have been with no treatment at all, even after many years.

I concur. I think if a guy would have any chance of this desentizing theory the dosing usually is way more than you're going to find in the typical TRT side of things.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Can HCG Stop Working After Long Term Use in Men?

 

[Vince]

I don't know who made up that theory. Is definitely not true.

 

[Cataceous]

There's probably added confusion because of different kinds of desensitization. For example, the hCG modeling paper I always reference says:

It is well known that hCG may induce testicular steroidogenic desensitization (Saez and Forest, 1979). Desensitization is apparently due to 1) estradiol-induced inhibition of enzyme activity and 2) receptor down-regulation in the testis (Saal et al., 1991a). However, because estradiol increase is correlated with hCG dose/serum level (Padron et al., 1980), the present study design does not allow differentiation of the effects of the increase in estradiol or in hCG serum levels.