Many individuals struggle with being overweight. Diets that claim to remove the excess pounds quickly and easily may seem very attractive; however, many types of diets sacrifice balanced nutrition for rapid weight loss. One trendy diet plan uses hormone shots to help dieters lose weight. The HCG diet requires injections of human chorionic gonadotrophin as a major component of the diet plan. This diet also strictly limits caloric intake as well as food choices.
HCG
While doctors may use prescription HCG injections for treating fertility issues, the Food and Drug Administration has not approved its use as a weight loss aid, according to the Mayo Clinic. As an infertility treatment, HCG shots may help promote ovulation in women and increase the number of sperm in men. Proponents of the HCG diet promote this hormone as a tool that enhances weight loss.
Injection Protocol
The HCG diet requires daily injections of about 125 international units of this hormone for a period of about three weeks. The specific injection dosages and phases may vary, depending on the individual and the diet clinic overseeing the weight loss program. Many dieters give themselves HCG shots, injecting the hormone beneath the skin every day. Weight loss clinics, as well as online sellers, provide HCG hormone and the necessary syringes. The Mayo Clinic website warns that dieters who purchase HCG online may not get what they pay for.
Dietary Intake
In addition to the hormone shots, the HCG diet plan includes restricting calories. While the plan encourages dieters to load up on foods for the first three days of the diet, subsequent restrictions limit caloric intake around 500 to 800 calories per day, far below the Institute of Medicine's recommended daily intake.
Weight Loss
The Austin Wellness Clinic, a medical and holistic clinic in Texas, advises that dieters using HCG injections may lose up to 1 pound each day, for a total of around 30 pounds in a month. The Mayo Clinic website advises that the drastic reduction in calories will probably lead to weight loss, regardless of the HCG injections.
Precautions
While the HCG diet may promote quick weight loss, the severe calorie restriction may cause health problems. According to the Mayo Clinic, rapid weight loss can increase your chances of developing gallstones. HCG may cause certain side effects, such as irritability, fatigue, headache and an enlargement of breast tissue in males. Dieters may also have difficulties meeting many nutritional needs due to the calorie limitations, far below the 2,000 to 2,600 recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for moderately active adults.
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