ArticleF&S reports2025
Efficacy of human chorionic gonadotropin hormone in restoring spermatogenesis in men using non-prescribed androgens: a retrospective analysis of real-world data.
Article in F&S reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed.
- Management of non-medical androgen use: a position statement by the Society for Endocrinology.Endocrine connections · 2026Article
- Preserving spermatogenesis in testosterone deficiency: innovations in replacement and stimulatory therapies.Translational andrology and urology · 2025Review
- Reply of the authors: Positioning human chorionic gonadotropin therapy for androgen users within a harm reduction framework.F&S reports · 2025Article
- Advancing fertility restoration strategies in androgen users: a call for reassessing the role of human chorionic gonadotropin therapy.F&S reports · 2025Article
- Is combined androgen and gonadotropin therapy a viable harm reduction strategy for men using high-dose exogenous androgens who are interested in family building?F&S reports · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Objective: To study the efficacy of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in restoring spermatogenesis in men using non-prescribed androgens who are unwilling to discontinue their use. Design: Retrospective analysis. Patients: Nineteen men attending a harm reduction clinic in the Netherlands from April 2023 to July 2024, who had been using androgens for at least three months and were treated with hCG without ceasing androgen use. Exposure: Continuous use of non-prescribed androgens and hCG therapy administered as part of a harm reduction strategy. Main Outcome Measures: Change in total sperm count (TSC) and total motile sperm counts (TMSC) from baseline to after three to six months of hCG treatment. Results: The mean TSC increased significantly from 18.0 million to 146.9 million after hCG treatment and TMSC increased from 1.1 million at baseline to 66.9 million post-treatment. The number of men with a normal TMSC increased from 5% to 58%. No statistically significant predictors of TSC change were identified through regression analysis. Conclusion: Human chorionic gonadotropin appears to be effective in improving spermatogenesis in the majority of men who continue non-prescribed androgen use, whereas some men remain oligospermic or azoospermic. These findings support the cautious inclusion of hCG in harm reduction strategies, while emphasizing the need for further research and individualized counseling.
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Registered trials
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