Gonadorelin Dosing: 5 Mistakes I Made (So You Don't Have To)

I'll never forget staring at my bloodwork in disbelief. After six weeks of religiously injecting Gonadorelin, my testosterone had dropped from 520 ng/dL to 470 ng/dL. I'd spent nearly $400 on peptides, needles, and bacteriostatic water, only to move backwards. The problem? I was dosing it completely wrong—and making mistakes that almost everyone makes when they first start with this GnRH peptide.

Here's the thing about gonadorelin acetate: it's not like other peptides where you can just pin it once a day and forget about it. This stuff mimics your body's natural gonadotropin-releasing hormone, and your body releases that in pulses—not continuous streams. Get the timing wrong, and you'll actually desensitize your pituitary gland. Get it right, and you can support natural testosterone production without shutting down your HPTA axis.

I'm not a medical professional, this is just my personal experience after two years of trial and error. Always talk to your doctor before trying anything new. But if you're considering Gonadorelin for fertility support or maintaining natural testosterone production, let me save you the money and frustration I went through.

TL;DR - Quick Answer

Bottom line: Most effective protocol is 100-200mcg per pulse, 2-3 pulses daily, spaced 90-120 minutes apart, with 4 weeks on and 2 weeks off.

Mistake #1: Dosing Gonadorelin Once Daily (The Biggest Mistake)

This was my first screw-up, and it's the most common one I see. I thought I could treat Gonadorelin like BPC-157 or other peptides—just pin it once in the morning and go about my day. Wrong.

Your body doesn't release GnRH in a steady stream. It releases it in pulses every 90-120 minutes. When you inject gonadorelin just once daily, you're giving your pituitary a massive, sustained signal that it's not designed to handle. What happens? The receptors downregulate. You actually desensitize your system, which is the exact opposite of what you want.

I ran this flawed protocol for four weeks at 500mcg every morning. My LH dropped from 5.2 mIU/mL to 3.1 mIU/mL. My testosterone followed. I was literally paying to make my hormone profile worse.

The fix: After reading like 50 papers on pulsatile GnRH secretion, I switched to 100mcg injections three times per day—once when I woke up, once at lunch, and once before bed. Spaced them about 4-5 hours apart. Within three weeks, my LH bounced back to 5.8 mIU/mL and testosterone hit 590 ng/dL.

The ideal protocol mimics natural pulsatile release: 100-200mcg per pulse, delivered every 90-120 minutes. Now, I'm not going to set alarms every 90 minutes—that's insane for anyone with a job. But 2-3 pulses daily, properly spaced, works remarkably well for maintaining natural production.

Mistake #2: Using Bodybuilder Doses (More Is NOT Better)

I got my initial dosing advice from a forum where guys were running 500-1000mcg per injection. These were the same forums where people casually discuss running a gram of testosterone per week, so I should've known better. But I was desperate to optimize, so I started with 500mcg twice daily.

This is what worked for ME, your results may vary, but that dose was absolutely overkill. Within two weeks, I developed a persistent headache and felt like my brain was in a fog. My bloodwork showed my LH had actually dropped—classic receptor desensitization.

Gonadorelin acetate works through a specific mechanism: it binds to GnRH receptors on your pituitary gonadotrophs, triggering LH and FSH release. But flood those receptors with too much signal, and they downregulate to protect themselves. It's like screaming at someone until they just tune you out.

The research-backed dose: Most clinical studies on pulsatile GnRH therapy use 75-150mcg per pulse. I've found 100mcg to be my personal sweet spot—enough to get a solid LH response without overwhelming the system. On days when I'm also using other peptides like thymosin beta 4 fragment, I sometimes drop to 75mcg to reduce the total injection volume.

I wasted probably $200 on those high-dose vials before I figured this out. Don't be like me.

Mistake #3: Ignoring Pulse Timing (Consistency Matters More Than You Think)

Even after I fixed my dosing frequency and amount, my results were still inconsistent. Some weeks I'd feel great, others I'd feel flat. My third bloodwork panel at week 8 showed LH at 4.9 mIU/mL—better than my initial disaster, but not optimal.

The problem? I was injecting whenever it was convenient. Sometimes 8am, noon, and 6pm. Other days 7am, 2pm, and 9pm. I thought as long as I hit three pulses, I was good.

Turns out your pituitary actually gets "trained" to expect GnRH pulses at certain intervals. Consistent timing helps maintain receptor sensitivity and optimize LH/FSH release. Based on the 2019 study by Seminara et al., regular pulsatile administration every 90-120 minutes produces the most physiologic hormone profiles.

My current protocol: I pin at 7am, 12pm, and 5pm every single day. Set phone alarms. Carry my peptide pen with me. Yeah, it's a pain when I'm traveling, but the results speak for themselves. After I locked in this consistent timing, my next bloodwork showed LH at 6.2 mIU/mL and testosterone at 680 ng/dL.

If three daily pulses feel like too much, two pulses work too—just space them about 8-10 hours apart. The key is consistency. Your body thrives on routine.

Mistake #4: Improper Reconstitution and Storage (I Ruined an Entire Vial)

This mistake cost me an entire $80 vial of Gonadorelin. I was being cheap and reconstituted it with sterile water instead of bacteriostatic water. Left it in my fridge for six weeks. By week four, I noticed it wasn't working as well—my energy was down, morning wood disappeared.

Peptides are fragile. Gonadorelin acetate degrades quickly, especially once reconstituted. Sterile water has no preservatives, so bacteria can grow. Even if bacteria don't contaminate it, the peptide itself breaks down faster in plain water.

What I learned: Always use bacteriostatic water (0.9% benzyl alcohol). Once reconstituted, the vial is good for about 28 days in the fridge at 2-8°C. After that, potency drops significantly. I now write the reconstitution date on every vial with a Sharpie.

Also, don't freeze reconstituted peptides. I tried that once thinking it would extend shelf life—totally ruined it. The peptide chains can break apart during the freeze-thaw cycle.

One more thing: before reconstituting, let the vial come to room temperature. Don't inject cold bacteriostatic water directly from the fridge into your peptide powder. The temperature shock can damage the molecules. I let mine sit out for 10-15 minutes first.

Mistake #5: Running Gonadorelin Continuously Without Breaks

After I finally dialed in my protocol—100mcg three times daily, consistent timing, proper storage—I got greedy. I ran it for 16 weeks straight without a break. My logic: if it's working, why stop?

By week 14, I started noticing diminishing returns. Energy wasn't as high, libido plateaued, and I just felt "off." Bloodwork at week 16 showed my LH had dropped to 4.7 mIU/mL despite being on the same protocol that had gotten me to 6.2 mIU/mL.

Even with proper pulsatile dosing, your pituitary receptors will eventually become less sensitive with continuous use. According to researchers studying GnRH analogs, cycling is critical for maintaining receptor sensitivity long-term.

My cycling protocol now: I run Gonadorelin for 8-10 weeks, then take 3-4 weeks off. During the off period, I'll sometimes use other peptides like P21 for cognitive support or larazotide if I'm dealing with gut issues. But I give my GnRH receptors a complete break.

When I come back on after a break, the response is noticeably stronger. It's like my pituitary was just waiting to be stimulated again. Last cycle, I hit 7.1 mIU/mL LH and 720 ng/dL testosterone by week 6—my best numbers yet.

What My Current Gonadorelin Protocol Looks Like

After two years and probably $1,200+ in trial and error, here's what actually works for me. This is what worked for ME, your results may vary—and seriously, talk to your doctor before trying any of this.

Active Phase (8-10 weeks):

Off Phase (3-4 weeks):

I've been running this protocol for the last year. My average testosterone is now 650-700 ng/dL (up from 520 ng/dL before I started), LH stays consistently between 5.5-7.0 mIU/mL, and I actually feel the difference—better energy, solid libido, easier to maintain muscle mass.

Practical Tips I Wish Someone Had Told Me

Injection technique matters: I use 30-gauge insulin syringes, half-inch needle. Pinch the skin, insert at a 45-degree angle, inject slowly. The peptide stings a bit less if you inject slowly over 5-10 seconds rather than pushing it all in at once.

Track everything: I use a simple Google Sheet to log every injection time, dose, and how I feel. After a few weeks, patterns emerge. I noticed my afternoon injection at 12pm gave me the best energy boost, so I'm strategic about timing it before important meetings or workouts.

Rotate injection sites: I made the mistake of injecting in the same spot on my abdomen every day for two weeks. Developed some scar tissue and the injections started hurting more. Now I rotate between left abdomen, right abdomen, left thigh, right thigh. Gives each site time to heal.

Don't expect overnight results: This isn't like taking a caffeine pill. Gonadorelin works by supporting your natural hormone production, which takes time. I didn't see significant changes in how I felt until week 3-4. Bloodwork improvements showed up around week 4-6. Be patient.

FAQ: Common Gonadorelin Questions

How long does it take for Gonadorelin to start working?

Based on my experience and bloodwork, you'll see LH increases within 1-2 weeks, but noticeable testosterone improvements typically take 4-6 weeks. I didn't feel significantly different until week 3-4 of my properly dosed protocol. The first time I tried it with incorrect dosing, it didn't work at all—so protocol matters more than timeline.

Can I use Gonadorelin while on TRT or coming off a cycle?

I've never been on TRT myself, but from what I've researched and discussed with others, gonadorelin is often used during PCT (post-cycle therapy) to help restart natural testosterone production. It stimulates your pituitary to release LH and FSH, which signals your testes to produce testosterone. However, if you're currently on exogenous testosterone, gonadorelin won't do much because your HPTA axis is suppressed. Talk to your doctor about timing if you're transitioning off TRT.

What's the difference between Gonadorelin and HCG?

Great question. HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) mimics LH directly, bypassing your pituitary and stimulating your testes. Gonadorelin works upstream—it tells your pituitary to release LH naturally. I prefer gonadorelin because it maintains the natural pulsatile pattern and doesn't suppress your body's own GnRH production the way continuous HCG can suppress LH. But HCG is more powerful for guys coming off heavy suppression. They work through different mechanisms.

How much does Gonadorelin cost and where do you get it?

I'm not going to recommend specific sources (do your own research on peptide vendors), but I typically pay $60-90 for a 2mg vial. At 100mcg per injection, three times daily, one vial lasts me about 6-7 days. So I'm spending roughly $300-400 per month when I'm in an active phase. It's not cheap, but it's comparable to what some guys spend on HCG, and for me, the investment in maintaining natural production is worth it.

Final Thoughts: Was All This Trial and Error Worth It?

Look, I wasted a lot of money figuring this out. If I'm being honest, that first six months of experimentation with Gonadorelin probably cost me $600-700 between ruined vials, wrong doses, and bloodwork to track my mistakes.

But now, at 38, my testosterone is higher than it was at 32. My LH and FSH are in healthy ranges, which means my natural production is working. I'm not relying on exogenous hormones or shutting down my HPTA axis. And I can cycle off for a month and maintain decent hormone levels naturally.

The five mistakes I made—dosing once daily, using bodybuilder doses, ignoring pulse timing, improper storage, and running it continuously—are incredibly common. I see guys making the same errors in forums every week. If this article saves even one person from tanking their LH levels or wasting money on degraded peptides, it was worth writing.

Remember: I'm not a medical professional, this is just my personal experience. Always talk to your doctor before trying anything new, especially peptides that affect your hormonal axis. What worked for me might not work for you—everyone's physiology is different.

But if you're considering gonadorelin acetate for fertility support or maintaining natural testosterone production, start conservative. Use 100mcg doses, pulse it 2-3 times daily with consistent timing, store it properly, and cycle it. Track your bloodwork. Adjust based on your response.

Your future self (and your wallet) will thank you.