Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hcg) & Weight Loss

There are many different "fad" diets and other systems which claim to generate rapid and safe weight loss. One such plan involves the use of human chorionic gonadotropin, also known as HCG. Although promoters of this hormone claim that HCG supplementation, combined with a highly restricted diet, can result in sudden weight loss, there is no scientific evidence to support this claim.

Identification

Human chorionic gonadotropin is a hormone which is made by the placenta during pregnancy. Most pregnancy tests work by looking for elevated levels of HCG in the blood. HCG can be used to treat infertility in women and to induce ovulation. In men, HCG can increases sperm count, Drugs.com notes, and it also proves beneficial for young men whose testicles have not already descended into the scrotum.

hCG and Weight Loss

The HCG weight loss plan combines regular injections of human chorionic gonadotropin with a 500 calorie per day diet, MayoClinic.com explains. Promoters of this diet explain that the human chorionic gonadotropin injections stimulate the body to burn and redistribute fat away from the stomach and buttocks and also allows users to subsist on this very low calorie day. The effects of both the diet and the hormone injections cause rapid weight loss.

Research

In 2009 the American Society of Bariatric Physicians released a statement that said after reviewing the literature on the use of HCG for the treatment of weight loss, there is not enough clinical evidence to support the use of HCG as a weight-loss aid. The last major published scientific study of HCG as a weight loss aid was published in 1995 in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology under the title "The effect of human chorionic gonadotropin, (HCG) in the treatment of obesity by means of the Simeons therapy: a criteria-based meta-analysis." This study concluded that HCG does not aid in weight loss, burn fat or suppress hunger.

Results

People who follow the restrictive diet and injection schedule dictated by the HCG diet plan may lose some weight, MayoClinic.com notes. This effect does not occur due to the HCG injections, however and is instead a byproduct of the low-calorie diet. Diet plans which call for such severe calorie restriction require medical supervision, as they frequently do not meet the body's nutritional needs.

Dangers

In addition to the danger of malnutrition and starvation that low-calorie diets can cause, MayoClinic.com notes that HCG weight loss plans can pose a number of other risks, specifically gallstones which can occur as a result of rapid weight loss. Other side effects associated with the use of HCG, include headaches, irritability, fatigue as well as enlargement of the breasts in men, due to hormonal imbalances.