An HCG 5000 IU vial dissolved in 1 ml gives 5000 IU per millilitre, which is 50 IU per unit of an insulin syringe. The same vial in 2 ml gives 2500 IU per millilitre and 25 IU per unit, and in 5 ml 1000 IU and 10 IU respectively. The more liquid you add, the thinner the solution and the more precisely you can measure a small amount. Below you will find a ready conversion table, the storage rules from the label of a registered medicine and an explanation of how the two HCG kits in the shop differ.
What is in an HCG 5000 IU vial?
The vial contains a lyophilisate, a dry powder of chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone that acts on the same receptors as luteinising hormone. The powder has no concentration of its own. The concentration only appears when you add a solvent to the vial, and it depends solely on how much liquid you use.
The content is given in international units, written as IU, not in milligrams. The strength of the hormone is determined by its biological activity, not by its mass alone. Why some products are labelled in units and others in milligrams is explained in the guide IU vs milligrams. What the hormone itself is, is covered in the guide HCG (chorionic gonadotropin).
How many IU are in a millilitre after reconstitution?
The calculation is simple: you divide 5000 IU by the number of millilitres of liquid. A U-100 insulin syringe has 100 units per 1 ml, so one of its units is 0.01 ml. To get the number of IU per syringe unit, you divide the concentration per millilitre by 100.
| Liquid in the vial | IU in 1 ml | IU per U-100 unit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 ml | 5000 IU | 50 IU |
| 2 ml | 2500 IU | 25 IU |
| 2.5 ml | 2000 IU | 20 IU |
| 5 ml | 1000 IU | 10 IU |
| 10 ml | 500 IU | 5 IU |
Every row contains the same amount of hormone, 5000 IU in the whole vial. Only the volume it is spread in changes. Detailed conversion for other peptides is covered in the guide converting a peptide dose to syringe units.
Why dissolve HCG in more liquid?
With 1 ml, one syringe unit holds as much as 50 IU. A reading error of half a mark then means a difference of 25 IU. With 5 ml one syringe unit is 10 IU, so the same reading error gives only 5 IU.
A thinner solution also has a downside. Each portion takes up a larger volume, and the vial has to hold all the liquid. A powder vial has a limited capacity, so larger amounts of liquid require checking whether they will fit.
What is HCG dissolved in?
A chorionic gonadotropin medicine registered in the USA, in the 2025 label from Fresenius Kabi, is a vial with 10,000 units and an accompanying 10 ml vial of bacteriostatic water for injection. Dissolved in the full 10 ml, the solution contains 1000 units per millilitre. Bacteriostatic water contains benzyl alcohol, which inhibits bacterial growth, so many portions can be drawn from one vial.
The HCG kits in the shop come with 1 ml ampoules of solvent. For repeated drawing from one vial, bacteriostatic water is used. The differences between it and plain water for injection are covered in the guide bacteriostatic water vs water for injection.
How to reconstitute an HCG vial step by step?
- Disinfect the rubber stoppers of the powder vial and of the solvent ampoule or vial.
- Draw the chosen amount of solvent into a syringe, for example 1 or 2 ml.
- Add the liquid slowly down the side of the vial, not straight onto the powder.
- Roll the vial gently between your fingers until the powder has dissolved completely.
- Do not shake the vial, because foam exposes the hormone molecules to damage.
- Write the date of reconstitution and the concentration on the vial, for example 2500 IU/ml.
The finished solution should be clear. A full description of reconstitution with the timing of each step is in the guide how to reconstitute a peptide with bacteriostatic water.
How to store HCG before and after reconstitution?
The label of the chorionic gonadotropin medicine gives two different rules, depending on whether the powder has already been dissolved:
| State | Conditions from the label |
|---|---|
| powder before reconstitution | room temperature, 20-25 degrees |
| solution after reconstitution | refrigerator, 2-8 degrees |
| use-by time for the solution | up to 60 days from reconstitution |
These 60 days apply to a solution in bacteriostatic water with benzyl alcohol, because it protects the solution during repeated drawing. The powder does not need a refrigerator, which is why the kit tolerates shipping well. How a lyophilisate behaves in transport is explained in the guide why peptides ship without refrigeration, and storage at home in the guide how to store peptides.
Is HCG injected into a muscle or under the skin?
The American label of the registered medicine provides for intramuscular use only. A 1991 study compared both routes in 24 healthy men aged about 23, who received a single dose of 5000 IU.
After injection under the skin the hormone reached its highest blood level later, and its half-life was longer. The rise in testosterone and the changes in LH and FSH were, however, the same in both groups. The authors concluded that subcutaneous injection stimulates the production of sex hormones as effectively as intramuscular injection. HCG studies in men are collected in the guide HCG in men: testosterone and fertility.
How do the HCG kits in the shop differ?
Both kits contain a 5000 IU vial and cost the same. They differ in the number of solvent ampoules.
| Kit | Solvent | Price | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| HCG 5000 IU Bio-Peptide | 2 ampoules of 1 ml | 25 EUR | on backorder |
| HCG 5000 IU Genheal | 1 ampoule of 1 ml | 25 EUR | on backorder |
The Bio-Peptide kit lets you dissolve the powder in 2 ml straight away and measure 25 IU per syringe unit. The Genheal kit is the simpler option, prepared for reconstitution in 1 ml. Both variants are gathered on the HCG page. Chorionic gonadotropin is the active substance of prescription medicines, and the products in the shop are material for laboratory research, not a medicine.
Frequently asked questions
How many IU are in 1 ml after reconstituting HCG 5000 IU?
It depends on the amount of liquid. In 1 ml of solvent there are 5000 IU per millilitre, in 2 ml 2500 IU, in 5 ml 1000 IU and in 10 ml 500 IU per millilitre.
How many IU of HCG are in one unit of an insulin syringe?
On a U-100 syringe one unit is 0.01 ml. After dissolving 5000 IU in 1 ml this gives 50 IU, in 2 ml 25 IU and in 5 ml 10 IU per unit.
How long can reconstituted HCG be stored?
The label of a registered chorionic gonadotropin medicine gives up to 60 days in a refrigerator at 2-8 degrees, for a solution in bacteriostatic water with benzyl alcohol.
Does HCG have to be refrigerated before reconstitution?
No. The label gives room temperature, 20-25 degrees, for the powder. A refrigerator is only needed after reconstitution.
How much does HCG 5000 IU cost in the shop?
Both kits cost 25 EUR each: Bio-Peptide with two solvent ampoules and Genheal with one.
Sources
- Chorionic Gonadotropin for Injection, USP, prescribing information, Fresenius Kabi USA, 2025 (DailyMed, set ID f93b2baa-03ac-4650-b35a-20b818d712d6). https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=f93b2baa-03ac-4650-b35a-20b818d712d6
- Saal W, Glowania HJ, Hengst W, Happ J. Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics after subcutaneous and intramuscular injection of human chorionic gonadotropin. Fertility and Sterility, 1991, 56(2): 225-229. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1712735/