Many dieters are considering the HCG diet. Although it has gained some recent attention, the HCG weight loss plan actually dates back to the 1930s, according to The Los Angeles Times. The HCG weight loss plan consists of daily injections of the hormone "human chorionic gonadotropin" (HCG) and a significant reduction in caloric intake. The more recent HCG craze is surprising because HCG has been long established to be ineffective for weight loss and the diet has been proven to be dangerous. Please consult your doctor if you are considering using HCG to lose weight, as it can have several potential side effects.
Malnutrition
Malnutrition is one of the primary risks of the HCG weight loss plan. Mayoclinic.com reports that the HCG diet requires you to significantly cut your calorie intake. Dieters consume between 500 and 800 calories, about one-half or one-fourth the amount of calories that they would normally eat. Diets with caloric requirements less than 800 calories are considered very low calorie diets, or VLCDs, according to the University of California at Los Angeles. The drastic caloric reduction can make it very hard, if not impossible, to get the adequate amount of nutrients that your body requires. Arizona State University warns that the HCG weight loss plan may also create a protein deficiency, as well as a deficiency of vitamins and minerals.
Gallstones
Another risk of the HCG weight loss plan is gallstones. According MayoClinic.com, diets that produce rapid weight loss can lead to gallstones. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) states that people who lose more than three pounds per week can have a greater risk of developing gallstones than those who lose weight at a slower rate. It is thought that rapid weight loss may shift the balance of bile and cholesterol in your gallbladder. NIDDK also notes that "weight cycling" or rapidly gaining and losing weight can further increase the potential for you to develop gallstones. MayoClinic.com explains that "fad diets" such as the HCG diet are not likely to result in permanent sustainable weight loss.
Other Side Effects
The HCG weight loss plan has several other potential side effects. MayoClinic.com states that the HCG Diet can also cause headaches, fatigue, irritability and male breast enlargement. According to Columbia University, very low calorie diets can compromise your immune system and cause long-term problems such as infertility, bone loss and decreased thyroid function. The longer that you remain on a very low calorie diet, the potential for side effects increases.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration only approves HCG as a fertility treatment; using HCG for weight is considered "off-label" use.
References
- Arizona State University: The Newest Diet Fad is.... A Hormone?
- Los Angeles Times: HCG diet was Largely Discredited Long Ago
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases; Weight-Control Information Network: Dieting and Gallstones
- Columbia University: Reduced Fat and Calorie Diets: How Low is Too Low?
- University of California Los Angeles: Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD)
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