posted Wed, 06/03/2026 - 08:18
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HCG on 1st Test Cycle - Advice
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Hey everyone,
I recently start my enhanced journey by starting on 250mg of test cyp weekly which has been going smoothly. I recently ordered some HCG to add in with my testosterone to maintain my sperm production and prevent as much atrophy as possible.
With this being said I’m seeing a lot of conflicting information online about dosages/when to implement an HCG protocol. What’s everyone’s advice on this?
What I’ve came up with is 250iu-500iu split into two doses through this week, continued until I’m 1 week into a PCT some point down the line?
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Nope. Not needed. What's your top dose and hopefully stopped at 12 weeks?
https://www.eroids.com/forums/steroids-qa/pct-anti-estrogens/simple-pct-...
I’m just entering the 2nd week since I started things. I had originally started with a 250mg dose of test C, split to M.W.F.
I got a little worried that I may run into side effects so I bumped it down to 150mg to see what my test levels would be after 4-6 weeks. My Wednesday dose was my first one bumped down to hit 150mg in a week, so I could easily change my dosage tomorrow to get back on the 250mg per week train.
Im now thinking that sticking with the original 250 was the move, or just go to around 200 and run it indefinitely?
I appreciate the link, that feed is very helpful.
Labs
Your protocol is actually pretty solid for a first pass. 250-500iu twice a week is the standard range most people land on and it covers both goals - keeping the boys functional and maintaining some natural production in the background.
One thing worth thinking about - at 150mg test cyp you are in TRT territory more than a traditional cycle, so the PCT question becomes interesting. A lot of guys on long term TRT just run HCG continuously at the lower end (250iu 2x week) rather than blasting it pre-PCT, because if you are planning to stay on there is no PCT to speak of.
If this is a defined cycle with a clear end date then your approach makes sense. Run HCG throughout, drop it about a week before PCT starts so your LH receptors are not desensitized when you need them to respond.
What is the plan longer term - cycle or cruise?
I was planning on doing a 12-16 week cycle to see how my body fully responds to this dosage of testosterone. Then PCT off for a bit, get my natural function going again, then reassess for my next cycle and see where I can push things as I review my blood work.
I’m trying to be as smart as possible with this. I am not in a rush to get massive, I just want to improve my life & get the most out of myself with the most minimal amounts of side effects possible.
Thank you for your input sir!
Yeah, but your literally just replacing what your making naturally. So your hindering natural production for no reason.
Is this assuming id have better natural production rather than what the 150mg of test a week would give?
My test isn’t awful naturally, still within range. I’m sitting around 450ng/dl. I’m just trying to push those numbers up to the upper ends of the optimal range before pushing it any further
100 to 200 mg is typically replacement dose. So your not really on a cycle. Your just replacing what your body would already be producing. So your basically just stopping your body from producing its own, just to then give it back about what you'd be making anyway. In my opinion there are better ways to optimize your test naturally. If your going to shut yourself down to run test for a cycle and then do pct, it shouldn't be just to get your levels to an upper natural range.
My real advice to you would be to come off, run your pct and focus on optimizing naturally while doing more research on this.
This is also under the assumption that my body is naturally producing what it should, no?
I totally see what you’re saying. Are the results of someone going from 400 natural test to around 1000 enhanced, (eventual goal don’t know what dosage this will be achieved with yet), consistently not going to give vastly better results than just trying to optimize my natural production?
I don't think you are seeing what I'm saying. 1000-1200 is the highest levels of whats considered natural. So even just getting your levels there, just to come off later and reassess your levels afterwards is a waste of time, money and potentially health. Since your suppressing your natural production just to stay in a natural range, just to pct afterwards. If your wanting to optimize your levels with exogenous test or other drugs, then that's called trt/hrt, running between 100 and 200mg a week and usually don't ever come off.
400ng sure isn't great, but its also not really awful. And it also depends on what your body is doing with it. Shbg levels and all that other stuff. You can boost your natural levels pretty decently with supplements, sleep, lifting, eating right.
So in the case of something running say 200mg per week indefinitely as trt/hrt, there’s not really ever a reason to come off or PCT.
I’m not really wanting to come off and reassess natural levels per se, I just want to make sure I can produce sperm & not make myself infertile over the next few years lol.
Thanks for the input brother I greatly appreciate it, excuse my ignorance.
Nothing to excuse buddy. Yeah trt/hrt is typically something people go on for life. You can keep sperm production while your on it by running the hcg while on it or enclomiphene and/or hmg, or only bringing those on board when your trying to conceive as they will jump start your balls back into producing sperm.
Is it generally safe to just add the HCG when I’m trying to conceive?
I’m not worried about the sperm production now, I just wanted to future proof myself and keep the testes pumping. As long as the sperm production will come back with HCG added later I may just do that.
I read somewhere it was good practice to implement the HCG early if you wanted kids later, so it would be easier for the testes to start producing naturally again because they hadn’t spent so much time dormant not producing. I’m not sure how factual this is.
My main thing really is just not wanting to hurt my sperm production long term.
If it were me, I'd add the hcg early. It takes your balls 2-3 months to produce sperm, I like the philosophy of better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
But I would really push you to do alot more research before making any more decisions. I'm just a dude on the internet, you know what I mean.
And its all really individual anyway, I got my wife pregnant on the tail end of a 25week test/deca cycle after essentially trt'ing for a year. Wifes pregnant now while I was at the tail end of a test/tren cycle after trt'ing and cycling for 3 years. I've read people on here that have 0 sperm after 2-3 cycles in which they pct'd after all of them.
So figure out exactly what you want, research extensively, and decide on what you think is the best for you.
I hear yah brother. The “better to have it and not need it” approach is how I’ve been wanting to approach this.
Thanks for the advise
Yeah... I mean... labs are the only way to tell for sure, but ive always felt ive had better results running hcg POST cycle.
I’ve seen different takes on this, some say to take it on cycle to keep atrophy from ever really occurring in the first place, others say to just give them a jump start when you’re ready to PCT.
I guess it just varies person to person?
I didnt need HCG for a few years. Although... I really wasnt running heavy cycles until my later 20s. If youre young, you may not need it. Im not sure what works better, using it on cycle or pct. Ive tried both. I like both. I like HCG all around... I think it does something to my confidence when my nuts are plumped up. I try not to run it too much. As needed or... sparingly.
On your dose, you wont need it.
If you want to take it so you can still have kids... thats something I cant give advice. I probably wont be having kids. Dont think I can. I have heard that HCG in addition to HMG is the best you can get for increasing the chance of impregnating your girl.
Thank you for the input brother