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Does hCG Really Work For Weight Loss?
*Update: Please read what the FDA says about HCG. Click here.
For a diet to be effective it doesn’t always have to be common or traditional. The only problem is, when a diet recommends that you do something like inject a hormone found in the urine of pregnant women into your body (HCG) you may want to reconsider.
With the amount of people in this country (and others) who are overweight, it’s no surprise that the weight loss industry is a 30 billion dollar a year industry. And what fuels this industry are quick and easy solutions to a problem that really requires a re-adjustment of day-by-day activities (diet and exercise). The main problem is that people are short on time and want quick solutions to problems. They don’t want to have to wait months and months to see results. And I understand that. I suffer from the same “need to have instant gratification” that everyone else suffers from. But with weight loss it’s different. This is your HEALTH we’re talking about here.
How Does hCG Work For Weight Loss?
So, does hCG really work? Well, the theory behind hCG is that it works to suppress you cravings and then forces your body to use more fat for fuel. The diet requires that you eat only 500 calories per day of foods that are all-natural, organic, and unprocessed. In addition to the foods you’re supposed to take an injection of hCG or drops under your tounge (some of the hCG liquids that you find on the market may not contain ANY hCG). You’re supposed to follow this plan for a month and a half (45 days) and at the end of the diet supposedly your metabolism will be fixed and you will have lost several pounds a day.
How Does hCG Diet Work According To Nutritionists And Diet Experts
Most, if not all, nutritionists and diet experts say that this diet works only in that you’ll lose weight because it’s a starvation diet, not because of the hCG. If you only eat 500 calories a day you’re going to lose weight regardless of whether or not you take the drops or injections.
There is no scientific evidence that can support that hCG helps with weight loss. Two studies, one in 1995 by the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and another in 2009 by the American Society of Bariatric Physicians came to the conclusion that hCG should not be used for weight loss.
Most experts agree that it’s not going to help you lose weight and that the overall protocols of the diet are very extreme and almost impossible to stick to. Think about it, do you think you could only eat 500 calories a day for 45 days? I know I couldn’t.
Also, the FDA has not classified hCG as a weight loss drug and does not oversee websites that sell it. So if you buy it you are open to receiving products that not be free of contaminants.
The Potential Side-Effects and Health Risks
There are many problems associated with this diet not least of which is malnourishment. It’s all but impossible to get all the nutrients you need to be healthy with only 500 calories per day. You need fiber, good fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. With this diet, more than likely, you won’t get the supply of vitamins and minerals you need to function properly.
The minimum number of calories you need to function properly and not enter “starvation mode” is 1,200 calories per day if you’re a woman and 1,500 calories a day if you’re a man.
Bottom line: This diet may not be all it’s cracked up to be.
complete hcg
May 16, 2011 at 10:33 pm
I first want to say thanks to you for the insightful article on HCG. However, if I may, I would like to disagree with the fact that the diet is bad for you. In fact, we have helped people that are diabetic and found that they no longer needed certain medication let alone all the weight loss because the HCG did in fact “reset” their system to allow you to train it in a more healthy direction. Honestly, Complete HCG Diet changed and changes peoples lives so that they can make the turn for the more healthy you!
Stillandre
May 22, 2011 at 3:41 pm
HCG is a fad. But I tried it and it worked. I took off 45 pounds in as many days with the injections in 2010. The only reason I stopped was the cost. I know its easy to say what cost is more important that getting down to a healthy weight, but this was REALLY expensive! 150 dollars a week for 6 weeks is 900 smackers and that’s pay your mortgage or continue on HCG money. But I did make inroads to dissolving that hard mass that had thickened my waist. Walking is also great for getting moderate exercise. Take your kids out for a walk. I’m not saying they are dogs, but the younger ones do give you a reason to put one foot behind the other without feeling bored by the process.
What I did in Spring of 2011 was find HCG drops in CVS ( Walgreens in North Jersey recalled it!) and continued a similar HCG diet after 6 months off. During that break, I had become acclimated to such a strict eating pattern that it broke a lot of bad eating habits that I had for most of my life. I had gained nearly 10 pounds in that 6 months off, because I wasn’t being as strict. It’s not natural to be that strict, but it was not meant to be forever. The drops are supposedly much weaker, so the further progress downward has been a bit slower, but I have lost an additional 35lbs in the month I’ve had the drops. Perhaps it is a placebo, and perhaps a placebo is just what we need. Not to get controversial, but many people think religion is a placebo, to help us manage through life’s journey based on pure faith and positivity. We journey on, while bad things keep happening to good people – even to us! Have a little faith, and put in honest effort.
It’s no secret that the “normal’ diet is crammed with lots of high fats, bread, dairy, salt and sugar. Someone is always inventing a new way to pile on more concentrations of fat and sugar. I had to stop watching the Food Network with the dudes eating gooey delights at various eateries and another one “man Vs. Food”, seeing what he can cram down. We shouldn’t criticize anyone’s efforts to scale it back, even if it is a placebo. There is no attempt to sell me any special food or pills (except they recommend you take a daily multi-vitamin of your choosing) Just for the feeling you get to take a break from cheeseburgers and soda is worth trying it. I know the gain back I had was from trips to Applebees and Outbacks when social gatherings dictated it. No one wants to look like they are odd man out. I also was caving in to the smells of the drive thru when I should have been driving on by! But as I continue on my imperfect way, fighting off temptation and sometimes backsliding, I relate it to my journey with religion, and try to be so cynical – try to put my best foot forward each day.