HMG (Menotropins): Reference Overview and Reconstitution Notes

HMG (menotropins) is a hormone mixture made from urine. It contains two reproductive hormones called FSH and LH. It sits in the reproductive and fertility research category and is FDA-approved as a prescription product for specific uses related to ovulation.

HMG (Menotropins)

What it is

HMG stands for human menopausal gonadotropin. It is also called menotropins. It is a hormone mixture traditionally collected and purified from the urine of women who have gone through menopause (the natural end of the monthly cycle). It contains two reproductive hormones: follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH, which helps egg-containing follicles grow in the ovary) and luteinizing hormone (LH, which signals the release of an egg). Unlike most research peptides, HMG is not a small synthetic molecule. Instead, it is a glycoprotein hormone mixture, meaning a blend of proteins that have sugar molecules attached to them.

Key point: Unlike synthetic peptides measured in milligrams, HMG is a natural glycoprotein mixture measured in International Units (IU). IU is a standard way to express biological activity rather than weight. HMG delivers balanced amounts of both FSH and LH activity.

Research context and categorization

Mechanisms and Research Areas

HMG belongs to the reproductive and fertility research category. It is studied in the context of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, which is the signaling chain running from the brain to the pituitary gland to the reproductive organs. Think of it like a relay race: each runner passes the signal to the next. Researchers focus on HMG for its role in follicular development (the growth of follicles, the small fluid-filled sacs in the ovary that hold eggs) and ovarian stimulation. Its FSH component acts on the same cell receptors as the FSH made by the pituitary gland. Its LH component (often supported by chorionic gonadotropin activity in purified preparations) acts on LH receptors.

Investigational Uses and Potency

Published research looks at HMG for controlled ovarian stimulation in assisted reproductive technology cycles (such as IVF) and for triggering ovulation. It is also studied for how gonadotropin signals work in male reproductive biology.

As a standardized reference material, each vial's strength is expressed in International Units (IU) of FSH and LH activity rather than in milligrams of a single molecule. This sets it apart from most synthetic research peptides.

Status

• Regulatory status: FDA-approved as a prescription product for specific uses, including triggering ovulation in appropriately selected patients and supporting multiple follicle development in assisted reproductive technology programs. It is not available over the counter or as a freely sold research chemical.
• Sport status: Prohibited under the WADA Prohibited List. WADA is the World Anti-Doping Agency. Gonadotropins with LH or chorionic-gonadotropin-type activity fall under section S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances, and mimetics) and are banned at all times in male athletes. The reason is that they can stimulate the body's own testosterone production. Because HMG delivers LH-type activity, it falls into this prohibited class.

Reconstitution notes (general)

For a lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder, concentration equals the amount in the vial divided by the volume of liquid added. For most peptides, this means milligrams divided by milliliters. HMG is different: its strength is stated in International Units (IU) of FSH and LH activity, not milligrams. So its concentration is written as IU per milliliter.

As a worked example, a 75 IU vial reconstituted with 1 mL of diluent gives 75 IU/mL, while the same vial in 3 mL gives 25 IU/mL. To calculate concentration for a given fill and volume, use the calculator at peptide calculator.

Dilution and handling notes (compound-specific)

HMG comes as a white freeze-dried powder in a vial. You add liquid before using it in the lab, just like other freeze-dried reference materials. One important difference is the liquid used: commercial menotropin products are paired with a small volume of sterile sodium chloride (saline) solution (a simple salt-and-water mixture), typically about 1 mL added per vial from a 2 mL diluent supply, rather than bacteriostatic water.

Handling and Reconstitution

• Dissolution: The powder is made to dissolve quickly and clearly. It usually goes into solution almost right away, without turning cloudy, forming a gel, or leaving visible particles. This is different from some highly concentrated peptides, which can be harder to dissolve.
• Gentle mixing: Because HMG is a protein-based hormone, handle it gently. Direct the liquid down the inner wall of the vial, then swirl slowly rather than shaking hard. Vigorous shaking can cause foam and denature (break down and damage) the protein structure, reducing its usefulness as a reference material.
• Vial pooling: A common practice with this product type is to pool several powder vials into a single small volume of liquid. You draw the reconstituted solution from one vial and inject it into the next powder vial, combining several vials into roughly 1 mL total.
• Post-reconstitution check: Properly reconstituted HMG is a clear, colorless solution with no visible particles. Many menotropin presentations are meant to be used soon after mixing rather than stored for long periods. Any hold time should follow the specific product's labeling.

Handling and storage

Storage Protocol

• Temperature: Keep vials refrigerated at roughly 2 to 8 degrees Celsius and out of direct light.
• Sanitation: Wipe the rubber stopper with an alcohol swab before drawing diluent or withdrawing solution. Write the date of mixing on the vial label.
• Shelf life: As a general reference for reconstituted freeze-dried material, about four weeks in the refrigerator is often cited. Protein hormone preparations like HMG are frequently meant for prompt use, so always follow the shortest applicable guidance.
• Inspection: Discard any solution that looks cloudy, off-color, or shows visible particles or floating bits.

Related reading

• Liraglutide
• Melanotan I
• Oxytocin
• How Reconstitution Works
• How Long Does a Reconstituted Vial Last?

Tools and supplies

• peptide calculator
• Bacteriostatic Water 30 ml
• Gansulin Metal Reusable Pen
• 3 ml Glass Cartridges (10-pack)
• Complete Starter Kit

Reminder: research and educational reference only. Preppin Peppers sells hardware and materials, not peptides. Not medical, dosing, or health advice, not evaluated by the FDA, and not intended for human or animal use.

Frequently asked questions

What is HMG (menotropins) and how does it differ from synthetic research peptides?

HMG is a natural glycoprotein hormone mixture of FSH and LH purified from postmenopausal urine. Unlike synthetic peptides measured in milligrams, its potency is expressed in International Units (IU) reflecting biological activity, not mass.

What is the regulatory and sport status of HMG?

HMG is FDA-approved by prescription for specific fertility-related indications and is not available OTC or as a free research chemical. WADA prohibits it under S2 (peptide hormones) at all times in male athletes due to its LH-type activity.

How is lyophilized HMG powder reconstituted in a laboratory setting?

Concentration is calculated by dividing the IU quantity in the vial by the volume of bacteriostatic water added in milliliters. Reconstitution pens and cartridges are standard hardware used to introduce diluent into the lyophilized vial.

What the research community gets wrong about HMG (menotropins)

A few ideas about menotropins get repeated at the bench even though the published record and the product labeling point the other way. Here are the most common mix-ups when handling these vials.

• Assuming the LH activity comes from real LH. Analyses of these urinary mixtures found the LH-subunit present only in traces, while the LH-type activity tracked instead to chorionic gonadotropin (in one study, added placental hCG). So a vial labeled with LH activity is not a clean source of LH.
• Treating it like a milligram peptide. HMG strength is written in International Units (IU) of activity, not in milligrams of one molecule. You cannot convert IU to a weight the way you would for a synthetic peptide, and two vials of equal mass would not carry equal activity.
• Reaching for bacteriostatic water out of habit. Commercial menotropin kits ship the powder with a sterile 0.9% sodium chloride (saline) diluter vial, not bacteriostatic water. Use the diluter that comes with the product rather than the default you use for other vials.
• Thinking urinary HMG is nearly pure gonadotropin. One compositional study reported that at least about 30 percent of the material was other urine proteins (named impurities), not gonadotropin. It is a protein mixture, not a single clean compound.
• Expecting weeks of shelf life after mixing. The saline-reconstituted product is labeled for immediate use, so do not plan on the multi-week refrigerated hold you might use for other reconstituted powders. Follow the shortest guidance on the specific label.

From our bench: If you pool several menotropin powder vials into one small volume of saline, we want your real dissolution notes. After directing the diluter down the vial wall and swirling gently, record how many seconds the powder took to go fully clear, whether any foam formed, and whether the final solution stayed colorless and particle-free. Send the actual numbers and observations you saw, not estimates, and note the vial count and total volume you pooled.

Sources

1. Bacteriostatic Water for Injection, USP , FDA/DailyMed label (0.9% benzyl alcohol)
2. Duerkop et al., Biotechnol J 2018 , Impact of Cavitation, High Shear Stress and Air/Liquid Interfaces on Protein Aggregation
3. Sigma-Aldrich (Merck) , Handling and Storage Guidelines for Peptides and Proteins
4. MENOPUR (menotropins) FDA/DailyMed label , 75 IU FSH + 75 IU LH activity, 0.9% saline diluent, use immediately after reconstitution
5. Bassett et al., Reprod Biomed Online 2003 , Compositional analyses of a urinary menotropin preparation; at least ~30% impurities identified
6. Analytical Investigation of the Profile of hCG in Highly Purified hMG Preparations (PMC11395176) , LH beta in traces, placental hCG supplies LH-like activity