Steel Health and Hormones Centre is a medical weight loss and HRT clinic located in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. At Steel Health and Hormones Centre we often get questions about non-TRT ways to support testosterone production. One protocol that comes up frequently is the combination of Enclomiphene and Human Chorionic Gonadotropin(HCG).
Before we get into this though its important to understand that even though I am the owner of Steel Health and Hormones Centre, I am not a doctor. All of this information should be used purely for education and entertainment purposes only. If you’re interested in working with a doctor and you’re in Pittsburgh, PA, fill out a contact form down below and we’ll be in touch within 24 hours.
References with real lab work can be found in the accompanying video. Now let’s get into this…
People usually ask the same things:
- Do these two medications work together or cancel each other out?
- What happens to LH and FSH on this protocol?
- Does HCG suppress the brain the way TRT does?
Let’s walk through the physiology and then look at real bloodwork from someone using this combination.
How Enclomiphene Works
Enclomiphene is a SERM (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator).
It works by blocking estrogen signaling at the hypothalamus. When the hypothalamus perceives estrogen as low, it increases signaling through the HPG axis.
That cascade looks like this:
- Hypothalamus increases GnRH which travels to the pituitary.
- Pituitary releases more LH and FSH which travels to the testes.
- Testicles receive the signal and produce more testosterone.
So enclomiphene essentially stimulates the body to produce its own testosterone because testosterone is converted into estrogen. In short, the body doesn’t “produce” estrogens in the same way it produces testosterone. It has to convert estrogens from androgens (convert estradiol from testosterone). In other words, if the body wants more estrogen, it needs more testosterone. So enclomiphene “tricks” the body to produce more testosterone.
How HCG Works
HCG works through a different mechanism.
HCG is an LH analogue, meaning it acts like luteinizing hormone. Instead of stimulating the brain, it directly stimulates the Leydig cells in the testicles to produce testosterone.
In other words:
- Enclomiphene → stimulates the brain
- HCG → stimulates the testicles directly
Because they work at different levels of the HPG axis, the combination can theoretically support both central and testicular signaling.
What Happened in This Case?
We looked at bloodwork from someone using a combined HCG + enclomiphene protocol (labs in the video above).
Here’s what we saw:
Testosterone
- Increased by roughly 270 ng/dL
LH
- Increased
FSH
- Increased
This is important because it shows that pituitary signaling remained active.
Why This Matters
One concern people often raise is that HCG might overpower enclomiphene and suppress LH production through negative feedback.
In this case, that did not happen.
Instead, the bloodwork suggests:
- Enclomiphene was successfully stimulating the pituitary
- LH and FSH remained elevated
- Testosterone still increased
This provides evidence that HCG did not shut down the hypothalamic-pituitary signaling in this protocol.
Important Caveat
It’s important not to overstate the power of enclomiphene.
While it successfully increased LH and FSH in this individual, that doesn’t mean it will always override stronger suppressive signals.
For example, in my experience I have seen cases where:
- TRT + enclomiphene
- Anabolic steroids + enclomiphene
…result in continued suppression of LH and FSH.
Exogenous androgens can be much more suppressive than HCG alone.
The Takeaway
Based on this bloodwork:
- The HCG + enclomiphene combination increased testosterone
- LH and FSH remained elevated
- HCG did not overpower enclomiphene in this case
However, responses can vary depending on the individual and the overall hormonal environment.
If you’re interested in learning how Steel Health and Hormones Centre can help you and you’re in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania fill out a contact form down below and we’ll be in touch within 24 hours.
