HCG is a hormone produced by the placenta in pregnant women. The hormone is now being used as a diet regimen which consist of drops of the hormone injected into the body and a 500 calorie meal restriction. Astonishingly, the diet promises that you can possibly lose up to 30 pounds a month! The government believes that the claims are not factual and that the cons out weigh the pros. Despite their beliefs, it is certainly rising in popularity with thousands of people jumping aboard. Yes you can lose weight on this diet, but it’s not believed to result from the hormone itself, but actually the calorie restriction.
The FDA has approved HCG for the treatment of infetrtility in men and women. This hormone was first used for weight loss purposes in 1955 by British endocrinologist A.T.W. Simeons noticed that small doses given to obese patients on a regular basis got rid of fat. This was only believed to effect weight, only when combined with a near starvation diet. Simeons began to state that the HCG was an appetite suppressant that would stop anyone from consuming more than 500 calories. Another one of his claims was that the hormone targeted troubled areas such as the buttocks, thighs, and arms. Presently, the diet is simply supplementing an extremely low calorie meal plan with daily injections. HCG also comes as a diluted homeopathic which is usually in liquid form and can be found online, in drug stores, and nutritional supplemental stores. You can also find HCG in local cities such as the Austin HCG Diet business.
It is unclear why this diet has made a come back but the FDA states that it is illegal when sold for weight loss purposes. They also state that the products aren’t dangerous per se, but only when sold under false pretenses for their unintended purposes. There is no concrete proof available that backs up the claim that HCG is effective for weight loss, in fact, all HCG products must state that there is no proof they speed up weight loss, redistribute fat, or numb hunger/discomfort pain from a low calorie diet. Despite all the warnings and lack of solid evidence, doctors are still writing out prescriptions for daily injections.
